This nourishing Thai-inspired Curry Chicken Zoodle Soup is full of flavor with zucchini noodles, chicken thighs, green curry paste, coconut milk and fresh Thai basil making it a low carb and paleo favorite!
I LOVE Thai food and this delicious Thai curry chicken zoodle soup is no exception. This soup is light, warming, spicy and SO darn flavorful. It is made with juicy chicken thighs, loaded with veggies and contains all my favorite Thai flavors like coconut milk, Thai chilis, chili paste and green curry paste. It is truly the perfect union of healthy and phenomenally delish.
Why This Soup Is SO Good For You
This soup is warm and nourishing, and simultaneously good for your soul and good for your belly. Here are some reasons this nutritious soup is a favorite:
- Low in carbohydrate! Especially when made with gluten-free low sodium soy sauce this soup can be incredibly keto-friendly.
- Naturally gluten-free. This soup is made with zucchini noodles which are a great, paleo-friendly noodle option and naturally gluten-free.
- Easy vegan and vegetarian substitutions! Skip the fish sauce, bone broth and chicken thighs and use cubed tofu and vegetable broth instead. Add in some mushrooms and a pinch of salt and you will have a tasty and completely vegan soup.
- Nutrient dense. This soup is loaded with veggies! It is a great source of beta-carotene and potassium, along with other vitamins and minerals.
- Made with gut-healing bone broth! Bone broth contains collagen and specific aminos acids that support the integrity of soft tissues including the lining of the GI tract.
Ingredients
- Toasted sesame oil
- Chicken thighs
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Green onions
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Light coconut milk
- Chicken bone broth
- Zucchini "noodles"
- Carrots
- Bell Pepper
- Green curry paste
- Cayenne pepper
- Turmeric
- Chili paste
- Coconut aminos
- Red Boat Fish Sauce
- Thai chilis
- Thai basil
Possible Substitutions
Here are some ingredient substitutions I can recommend:
- Avocado or coconut oil can be used in place of sesame oil.
- Low sodium soy sauce can be used to replace coconut aminos for a lower carb option. Keep in mind it will not lend the slight sweetness that coconut aminos has.
- Sriracha can be used in place of chili paste, but sriracha frequently contains sugar so read the label if you avoid added sugars.
- If you don’t have any fish sauce you can leave it out. Fish sauces adds more saltiness and a nice umami flavor. In the quantity used in this recipe it does not taste fishy at all so don't be afraid of it! For a vegan sub, I would add a little more salt and some mushrooms.
- For the toppings, regular basil can be used in place of Thai basil.
How To Make This Thai Curry Chicken Zoodle Soup
- Brown the chicken. Brown the chicken in sesame oil. You don't need to cook it completely but should thoroughly brown both sides to help develop the flavor.
- Sauté the veggies. First sauté the white parts of the onion, minced garlic and grated ginger. Then add in the other veggies and allow to soften for another 3-ish minutes.
- Simmer. Add the spices, coconut milk, broth, chili paste, curry paste, coconut aminos and browned chicken thighs. Simmer everything for 25 minutes.
- Shred the chicken. Shred the chicken, add in the zucchini noodles and fish sauce. Cook for another 5-10 minutes.
- Top and serve! Top with fresh basil, green onions and sliced chilis and serve!
Recipe Variations
This soup can be made countless ways and is almost unconditionally delicious. Here are some ideas to try:
- For a vegan option, omit the fish sauce, bone broth and chicken. Sub in some vegetable broth, mushrooms, a pinch of salt and cubed tofu.
- Omit the chilis, cayenne pepper and chili paste if spice is not your thing!
- Switch up the veggies! Try sweet potato, fresh green beans, water chestnuts, bok choy, mushrooms etc.
- Use full fat coconut milk to make this soup a little more calorically dense.
- Try red curry paste instead of green!
- Add ALL the toppings! Cilantro, fresh mint, peanut and/or cashews. Be creative!
How To Ensure This Recipe Is Paleo
When preparing this recipe there are several ingredients you want to evaluate when purchasing to make sure they are appropriate for a paleo diet.
Some varieties of coconut milk, fish sauce, chili paste and curry paste may contain non-paleo ingredients, so just be sure to check the labels and assess for added sugars, gums and other ingredients that may be problematic for you diet.
If you don't follow a specific you don't really need to worry about this.
How Can I Make This Recipe Keto-Friendly?
This recipe is naturally low carb, but to make sure it can fit in your keto diet you can swap the coconut aminos for low sodium soy sauce (gluten-free if needed).
Just be sure to check some of the other ingredients you buy for added sugar. To reduce the carb count even further, sub out the carrots and bell peppers for non-starchy veggies like bok choy or broccoli.
The carb count in the nutrition information reflects the recipe as written but with low sodium soy sauce in place of coconut aminos. Like that, there is only about 4 net grams of carbs per cup of soup.
How To Store This Soup
Store this curry chicken soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3-4 days. It can be reheated in the microwave or on the stove top.
To store for a longer period you can freeze it. Allow the soup to cool completely before placing it into freezer-friendly resealable bags or airtight containers. Place in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To reheat, allow the soup to completely thaw in the refrigerator and then reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
If you plan to freeze, I would recommend leaving the zucchini noodles out because they can become soggy when frozen in liquid and then reheated. To add in fresh zucchini noodles, simply reheat the thawed soup on the stove top. Once the soup is hot, add in the noodles and allow them to cook for about 5-10 minutes.
Related Recipes
- Paleo Chicken "Noodle" Soup
- Instant Pot Carrot Ginger Soup
- Paleo Curry Butternut Squash Soup
- Keto Tomato Soup
Did you try this Thai Curry Chicken Zoodle Soup recipe? I would love to see your creations! Take a photo and tag me on Instagram or leave a photo comment on Pinterest.
Feel free to leave a comment and a rating below. Feedback is always appreciated! 😊
📖 Recipe
Thai Curry Chicken Zoodle Soup
Equipment
- Stock Pot
- Spiralizer
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Veggie peeler
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Toasted sesame oil
- 1 lb Chicken thighs
- ½ tsp Kosher salt
- ½ tsp Black pepper
- 1 bunch Green onions White and green divided
- 4 cloves Garlic Minced
- 1 tbsp Grated ginger Or ginger paste
- 1 can Light coconut milk About 14.5 ounces
- 4 cups Chicken bone broth
- 2 small Zucchini Spiralized
- 2 Carrots Sliced
- 1 Bell Pepper Sliced
- 4 tbsp Green curry paste
- ½ tsp Cayenne pepper Optional
- ½ tsp Turmeric
- 1 tbsp Chili paste
- ¼ cup Coconut aminos Or gluten-free low sodium soy sauce for keto
- 1 tsp Red Boat Fish Sauce
For serving:
- ½ cup Thai basil Chopped
- 3 Thai chilis Or jalapenos
Instructions
- Add 1 tablespoon sesame oil (reserve the other tablespoon) to stock pot and place over medium-high heat. Add chicken thighs and generously season with salt and pepper. Brown both sides of the chicken thighs. You don’t need to cook the chicken all the way. You just need to brown it because it will cook in the broth. Once browned, transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.
- While the chicken is cooking, mince the garlic, grate the ginger and slice the green onions separate the green and white parts. Peel and slice the carrot. Remove the seeds and stem from the bell pepper and thinly slice. Spiralize the zucchini and set aside.
- In the same pot, add the remaining tablespoon of sesame oil. Immediately add in minced garlic, white part only of the green onions, grated ginger (or ginger paste) sauté for a few minutes. Add in the sliced carrots and bell pepper. Saute another 3 minutes, then add in the turmeric, cayenne pepper (if using), coconut milk, chicken broth, chili paste and coconut aminos. Add the chicken thighs back to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes.
- After 25 minutes, add the zucchini noodles to the pot. Use a slotted spoon to remove chicken from the pot and transfer to a cutting board. Use two forks to shred chicken. Add back in the chicken along with the fish sauce and simmer for 5-10 more minutes or until zucchini noodles are tender but avoid overcooking.
- Pour into bowls. Garnish with chopped basil, the green parts of the green onion, lime wedges and sliced Thai chilis.
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