Chicken Khao Soi (Northern Thai Curry)
This Chicken Khao Soi is a curry noodle dish made with thin egg noodles and chicken in a flavorful curry broth topped with crispy fried egg noodles.
Khao Soi is a Northern Thai curry dish. I first had it when we were visiting Chiang Mai and immediately fell in love. Food in Thailand is cheap, but I will never forget when we first arrived in Chiang Mai and sat down at a little cafe, we ordered 2 smoothies and a bowl of Khao Soi to split, when the bill came it was less than 3 US dollars!?! The smoothies were so fresh and the Khao Soi was like nothing I had ever tasted before. Maybe we were really hungry, or maybe because it was so cheap, but it is my most vivid food memory of the trip!
Khao Soi is not easy to find in the US, you would be hard-pressed to find it on your standard Thai take-out menu. I have only had it once since our trip to Thailand almost 4 years ago, but the memory is still vivid enough to recreate my version here for you. There seem to be lots of different versions of Khao Soi, but this is my version from memory of the first Khao Soi I ever tasted, I hope you enjoy!
What do I need to make Chicken Khao Soi?
Thin Egg Noodles – for the soup and for frying
Lemongrass, Garlic, Ginger and Shallot – to season the broth
Red Curry Paste, Curry Powder and Turmeric – flavors the soup into a curry
Coconut Milk and Chicken Broth – the base of the soup
Palm Sugar and Lime Juice – hint of sweetness and zest to get the broth just right.
Cilantro, Thai Basil, Green Onions, Pickled Onions, Lime Slices – optional toppings and garnish
How to Make Chicken Khao Soi
You will need a large wok and a pair of kitchen tongs. We’ll start by frying the egg noodles, the fried egg noodles sit on top of the bowl of curry adding a unique crunchy element to this already extraordinary dish! To fry them, heat oil in the wok and carefully add the noodles using kitchen tongs. Fry the noodles for about 2 minutes on each side until they turn a nice golden brown. Strain the noodles out of the wok and set aside. Leave the excess oil in the wok.
Add the chicken to the wok and sauté until the chicken is no longer pink. Strain out the chicken and set it aside. Dispose of the oil and any water from the chicken that is still in the wok, then add some fresh oil. Heat the oil and add the lemongrass, ginger, garlic and shallot, sauté for a minute or 2, the spices will give off a nice fragrance. Add the chicken back to the wok and add in the red curry paste, curry powder and turmeric, make sure to evenly coat the chicken. Now it’s time to add the liquid, add the coconut milk and chicken broth and then the palm sugar and lime juice. Bring liquid to a rolling boil and add the fresh egg noodles. Boil for 3-4 minutes to cook the noodles and then reduce to a simmer.
Serve the Khao Soi hot, divide it into 2 large soup bowls. Top each with a generous helping of the fried egg noodles. Garnish as you wish with the cilantro, Thai basil, green onions, lime slices and pickled onions.
Chicken Khao Soi (Northern Thai Curry)
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
Description
This Chicken Khao Soi is a curry noodle dish made with thin egg noodles and chicken in a flavorful curry broth topped with crispy fried egg noodles.
Ingredients
Fried Noodles
1/2 cup olive oil
4oz fresh, thin egg noodles
Chicken Khao Soi
8oz boneless skinless chicken thighs
salt
2 tbsp olive oil
3 1-inch pieces lemongrass*
5 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp ginger, minced
1 whole shallot, chopped
2 tbsp red curry paste
2 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp turmeric
1 13.5oz can coconut milk
2 cups chicken broth
2 tbsp palm sugar**
juice of 1 lime
4oz fresh, thin egg noodles
Toppings
fresh cilantro
Thai basil
green onions
lime slices
pickled red onions***
Instructions
Fried Noodles
Heat oil in a large wok over medium-high heat
Using tongs, carefully add the noodles to the oil
Fry on both sides until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side
Use tongs to remove the noodles, set aside on a paper towel lined plate
Chicken Khao Soi
Pat chicken dry, slice into bite sized pieces, sprinkle with salt
Heat the oil left in the wok (use the oil leftover from the noodle frying) over medium-high heat
Add the chicken, cook 4-5 minutes until chicken is no longer pink
Strain the chicken and oil from the wok, set chicken aside
Heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat
Smash the lemongrass to expose the oil, add the pieces to the wok with the garlic, ginger and shallot
Sauté 1-2 minutes
Add the chicken back to the wok
Add the red curry paste, curry powder and turmeric, working with a wooden spoon, mix until chicken is evenly coated
Pour in the coconut milk and chicken broth, mix
Add the palm sugar and lime juice
Bring to a boil
Once rapidly boiling, add the egg noodles, cook for 3-4 minutes
Toppings
Divide Khao Soi into 2 large bowls
Top each with a generous handful of the fried egg noodles
Top with fresh cilantro, Thai basil, green onions, lime slices and pickled onions, if desired
Notes
*Can sub with 1 tbsp lemongrass paste
**Can sub with light brown sugar
***Pickled Red Onions – 1 large red onion (sliced thin), 2 cups rice wine vinegar, 1 cup water, 1 tsp salt, 1 tbsp sugar – combine all ingredients in a large glass jar, allow onions to pickle at least 4 hours and up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Cuisine: Thai
Keywords: #chickenkhaosoi, #khaosoi, #northernthaicurry, #northernthaifood
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