Turmeric Ginger Chicken Noodle Soup

This Turmeric Ginger Chicken Noodle Soup is cozy and healing with a creamy lime-spiked coconut broth, tender poached chicken breasts, spinach and noodles. Optionally top with crispy fried shallots for a comforting one pot meal in under an hour.

Servings: servings

Calories: 500kcal

Ingredients

1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts skinless chicken breasts
Kosher salt
2 tbsp + 1 cup full fat coconut milk
3 scallions chopped
4 garlic cloves minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger grated
1 tsp ground turmeric
3 cups chicken stock plus more if needed
2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp fish sauce
4 oz angel hair pasta
4-5 cups baby spinach roughly chopped
Juice from 1/2 lime
Chopped cilantro for serving
Fried shallots for serving see notes

Instructions

Season the chicken. Season the chicken breasts all over with kosher salt. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
Cook the aromatics. Heat 2 tbsp of coconut milk in a medium pot over medium-low heat. Add the scallions, garlic, ginger and turmeric. Cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 2–3 minutes.
Poach the chicken. Add the chicken, remaining cup coconut milk, chicken stock, soy sauce and fish sauce. The chicken should be submerged; add more broth if needed. Slowly bring to a very gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Cook gently until the thickest part of the chicken registers 165°F, about 20–30 minutes, depending on thickness. The broth should be around 160-170°F, avoid boiling or the chicken might turn out chewy. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
Cook the noodles. Now bring the broth to a boil. Add the pasta and cook 2-3 minutes shorter than the package instructions indicate, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
Finish. Stir in the spinach until wilted, then remove the pot from the heat. Squeeze in the lime juice, taste and adjust the seasoning.
Serve. Slice or shred the chicken and divide among bowls, add the noodles and spoon over the broth. Top with cilantro and lots of fried shallots. Serve with lime wedges.

Notes

How to make fried shallots: Peel and thinly slice 4–5 shallots as evenly as possible so they cook at the same rate. Add the shallots to a small saucepan and pour in enough neutral oil (I use avocado) to just cover them.

Set the pan over medium heat and slowly bring the oil up to temperature, stirring frequently to prevent the shallots from sticking together. Once the oil begins bubbling steadily, reduce the heat slightly and continue cooking, stirring often, until the shallots are deeply golden brown.

Using a slotted spoon or fork, transfer the shallots to a paper towel-lined plate and season immediately with salt. After a minute or two, transfer them to a fresh paper towel to absorb any remaining excess oil. Let cool completely; they’ll continue to crisp as they sit.

Tip: The noodles will soak up a lot of broth as they sit. If you want a soupier dish, I'd recommend separating the noodles and adding them to individual portions.

Nutrition