Thai Soup with Chicken and Wild Rice

This Thai Soup is a comforting explosion of flavor for days!

This Thai Soup is one of the easiest Thai Soups you will ever make!  It is loaded with juicy chicken, wild rice. squash, sweet potatoes, and zucchini in a creamy red curry peanut butter coconut broth that is OUT OF THIS WORLD! This Thai Soup is hearty, warm, ultra comforting, healthy and gluten free!  It is an intoxicating blend of flavors and textures that will have you coming back for more and more and more.  You can customize the Thai Soup and use different vegetables and even and make it vegetarian by omitting the chicken.  No matter how you serve this Thai Coconut Soup, it is guaranteed to become a forever favorite!

a spoon diving into a bowl of easy Thai soup


 

Thai Soup

Thai Food is my absolute favorite cuisine!  I cook Thai Food all the time and celebrate with Thai food for every special occasion (birthdays, college graduation, lung transplant anniversaries, engagement celebration).

From Panang Curry, Pad Thai and Chicken Satay,Thai Food has my heart.  And my belly.  And now I couldn’t be more excited to introduce you to this easy Thai Soup!

It joins the ranks of my beloved Thai Noodle Soup, Tom Kha Gai and Curried Butternut Squash Soup as MUST MAKE Thai Soups this season!  So grab a kitchen mixing bowl and servings spoon to slurp up this comfortlicoius Thai Soup.  Or just commandeer the slow cooker.

Usually when I think Asian food, I don’t think “comfort” food.  But when I think Thai Coconut Chicken Wild Rice Soup, I think warm, hearty, creamy chicken and rice soup with layers of Asian flavors comfort food.  And all you have to do is add our ingredients to the slow cooker!

Although it might seem obvious “all you do is add our ingredients to the slow cooker,” I don’t want you to shy away from making this soup and cheat yourself out of palate pleasing bliss when you see the list of ingredients.  Its long, but the few extra touches take this soup from good to great, and all you do is add our ingredients to the slow cooker.

This Thai Coconut Chicken and Rice Soup is different than a lot of Thai Soups in that I based it off my Coconut Pumpkin Chicken Curry, and loaded it with plenty of veggies for more of a chicken, vegetable and rice soup.

This cast of characters gets seasoned with red curry paste, ginger, garlic, basil and cumin and then smothered in a bath of coconut milk and chicken broth to soak in until the veggies and rice are tender.  Then stir in some cornstarch to slightly thicken and nutty peanut butter and the coconut broth becomes luscious, flavor bursting red curry peanut butter coconut broth that perfectly cocoons the veggies, chicken and rice.

two bowls of Thai Soup with coconut milk, chicken, red curry paste, ginger and garlic

Ingredients for Thai Soup

Thai food is all about the balance of acidity, sweet and salty – and this soup has it in spades. You will need:

  • chicken: you can use either chicken breasts or chicken thighs for this Thai Soup.  I tend to use chicken breasts because they are leaner and emerge wonderfully juicy in the slow cooker, but you are welcome to use chicken thighs as well.   You can also use shredded rotisserie chicken and add it to the soup at the end and warm through.
  • wild rice:  Wild rice blend is the best kind of rice to use for soup. It boasts a nutty, toasted, earthiness and is super difficult to overcook and become mushy like other rices.  Instead, it remains fabulously al dente and even slightly chewy so it stores and reheats beautifully.  I use Lundberg Wild Blend Rice which is made of long grain brown rice, sweet brown rice, wild rice, whole grain wehani rice, whole grain black japonica rice.  You can find wild rice blends pre-packaged in a bag, box, or in the bulk bins at Sprouts.  If your wild rice package comes with a seasoning packet, you can discard that for our purposes.
  • red curry paste:  red curry paste packs a huge flavor punch to this Thai Soup because its made of finely ground coriander, peppercorns, Kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, galangal, lime leaves, cilantro, shallot, garlic, and fresh chiles – all combined for you.  Note that some curry brands are spicier than others.  If you are using a more mild brand like Thai Kitchen then I would start with ¼ cup curry paste.  If you are using a spicier brand like Mae Ploy, I would start with 2 tablespoons.  You can add more curry paste to taste once the soup is simmering or add sriracha to taste at the end of cooking.
  • onion:  use yellow onion for its more pungent flavor
  • ginger: adds a warm spicy, almost pepper taste.  You can add more or less ginger to taste.
  • garlic:   You can use more or less garlic depending on your garlic love.
  • vegetables:  You can swap out the veggies for your favs, but I went with zucchini, sweet potatoes, and squash.
top view of a bowl of authentic Thai soup garnished with cilantro and lime
  • Granny Smith apple:  I also threw in a tart Granny Smith Apple which is common in Captain Curry Chicken and adds a subtle tartness that, along with a splash of lime juice, balances the nutty coconut with a little fresh, bright acidity.
  • chicken broth:  make sure you use low sodium chicken broth so you can control the salt in the Thai Soup.
  • coconut milk:  quality coconut milk is essential for maximum creaminess and flavor.  You may substitute lite coconut milk whisked with 2 tablespoons cornstarch, but it’s not nearly as flavorful.
  • soy sauce:  use low sodium soy sauce so you can control the saltiness of the soup.
  • fish sauce: I promise fish sauce will not be detectable or make your Thai Soup taste fishy – just don’t smell it!  It simply adds the balance of savory and salty flavor.   If you’ve never used fish sauce before, it can be found in the Asian section of any grocery store.  You may substitute fish sauce with soy sauce.
  • brown sugar:  adds sweetness to balance the soy and lime juice.  You may need more or less brown sugar depending on personal preferences.
  • lime juice:  awakens the entire Thai Soup.  We add it at the end so we get all the bright flavor.  You can also add more lime juice to your individual servings.  You may use fresh or bottled lime juice. Fresh is always best. I will freeze lime juice in cubes so I always have some on hand.
  • sriracha:  Customize the heat of your Thai Soup with chili sauce to taste.  If you aren’t sure how much to add, you can start with less then stir in more at the end if needed.
showing how to make thai soup by adding chicken, vegetables and rice to slow cooker

How to Make Thai Soup

This Thai Soup is very easy to make!  I’ve included more detailed instructions in the post, but essentially:

  • Add chicken to slow cooker, followed by vegetables coconut broth ingredients.
  • Cook until chicken is tender enough to shred and rice is cooked.  Remove chicken and shred.
  • Add a cornstarch slurry to the slow cooker along with peanut butter and lime juice and cook on HIGH until slightly thickened. 
  • Taste and add additional salt, pepper, peanut butter, Sriracha as desired. If you would like a less “chunky” soup, stir in additional broth.

What Serve with Thai Soup?

This Thai Soup is a complete meal-in-one with protein, vegetables, carbohydrates and even fruit.  All it needs is garnish!  This Thai Soup is elevated by the addition of coconut flakes, fresh cilantro, crushed peanuts and freshly squeezed lime juice.

How do I Store Thai Soup?

The flavors of this Thai Soup are  even better the next day, making excellent leftovers.

Once your Thai Soup has cooled to room temperature, you can remove the pot from the slow cooker and put the whole insert (lid on) in the refrigerator.  You can also transfer your soup to an airtight container.  Plan on consuming within 3-4 days.

You also may want to add an extra squeeze of lime juice to reheated soup because the fresh lime taste will mellow.

HOW DO I REHEAT Thai Soup?

  • Crockpot: To reheat your Thai Soup from the refrigerator, place your ceramic insert back into your crockpot and heat on low for 1-2 hours.
  • Stove: transfer Thai Soup to a soup pot or sauce pan (depending on volume) and and heat over medium low heat, stirring occasionally until heated through.
  • Microwave: transfer individual servings of coconut chicken soup to a microwave-safe dish, cover with a microwave-safe lid or paper towel.  Microwave for 2 minutes, stir, then continue to microwave for 30-second intervals, if needed.

CAN I MAKE THAI SOUP AHEAD?

You can completely assemble the Thai Soup the crockpot and refrigerate the ceramic insert for an easy, wake and cook dinner.  Just be aware you may need to add additional cooking time due to cooking from cold and additional broth.

You can also prepare just some of the ingredients ahead of time if you prefer:

Veggies:  you can pre-cut all your veggies the night before you plan on cooking your Slow Cooker Beef Stew and place them in an airtight container.

Sweet Potatoes:  Once you cut the potatoes, starch is released which will cause them to brown, so make sure you submerge them in water to prevent this discoloration. Simply place the potatoes in a bowl or airtight container, cover with water then cover with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate until ready to use.

Coconut Broth:  You can whisk together all of the ingredients that aren’t vegetables in Phase 1 tot make the coconut broth.  Store in an aright container in the refrigerator until ready to use.

CAN I FREEZE THAI  SOUP?

Unfortunately, I do not recommend freezing this Thai Soup.  Both rice and potatoes do not not freeze, thaw and reheat well.  You will be left with unpleasant, mushy, mealy textures.

side view of a bowl of easy thai soup on a cutting board with chicken

So grab your mixing bowl and serving spoon.  Its comforting Thai Soup time!

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Slow Cooker Thai Coconut Chicken Wild Rice Soup loaded with customizable veggies in a creamy red curry peanut butter coconut broth is out is out of this world Delicious and couldn't be any easier!

Slow Cooker Thai Soup with Chicken and Wild Rice

This Thai Soup is a comforting explosion of flavor for days! This Thai Soup is one of the easiest Thai Soups you will ever make! It is loaded with juicy chicken, wild rice. squash, sweet potatoes, and zucchini in a creamy red curry peanut butter coconut broth that is OUT OF THIS WORLD! This Thai Soup is hearty, warm, ultra comforting, healthy and gluten free! It is an intoxicating blend of flavors and textures that will have you coming back for more and more and more. You can customize the Thai Soup and use different vegetables and even and make it vegetarian by omitting the chicken. No matter how you serve this Thai Coconut Soup, it is guaranteed to become a forever favorite!
Servings: 6 servings
Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours

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Ingredients

PHASE 1

  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts (2-3 breasts)
  • 1 tablespoon olive/coconut oil
  • 1 cup uncooked wild rice blend, rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup butternut squash, peeled and cubed
  • 1 small sweet potato, peeled and cubed
  • 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and cubed
  • 1 small zucchini, sliced and quartered
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2-4 tablespoons red curry paste see note
  • 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon dry basil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 14 oz. cans cans quality coconut milk
  • 5 cups low sodiuim chicken broth

PHASE 2

  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 2-4 teaspoons sriracha/Asian chili sauce

Garnish

  • crushed peanuts
  • coconut flakes
  • chopped cilantro
  • lime juice

Instructions

  • Rub chicken with oil and place in the bottom of a 6 qt slow cooker followed by all of the ingredients in Phase 1. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low 6-7 hours, or until chicken is tender enough to shred and rice is cooked.
  • Remove chicken and allow to rest 5 minutes before shredding or chopping if preferred.
  • Meanwhile, whisk 1 tablespoon cornstarch with ¼ cup water and add to slow cooker. Stir in peanut butter and lime juice. Add chicken back to slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 15-20 minutes or until slightly thickened. Stir peanut butter until smooth.
  • Taste and add additional salt, pepper, peanut butter, Sriracha as desired. If you would like a less “chunky” soup, stir in additional broth.
  • Garnish individual servings with coconut flakes, fresh cilantro, crushed peanuts and freshly squeezed lime juice.

Notes

*Some curry brands are spicier than others.  If you are using a more mild brand like Thai Kitchen then I would start with ¼ cup red curry paste.  If you are using a spicier brand like Mae Ploy, I would start with 2 tablespoons.  You can add more curry paste to taste once the soup is simmering or add sriracha to taste at the end of cooking.

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102 Comments

  1. Danny says

    This soup was unreal. I’ve eaten every type of curry soup and this is by far the tastiest. I added Kaffir Lime leaves and bell peppers but otherwise this recipe is hands down the best souo I have ever made. I took a crockpot of it to work and 11 diff people asked me for the recipe
    Well done. Easy, hearty, delicious..don’t make any changes people. It won’t get better…its already pretty perfect . I did chicken breast and 4 hours high temp. Un freakin real.

    Thank you , this one is now shared around my family and will be a bookmark for years to come.

    • Jen says

      Thank you so much Danny for your awesome review – you made my day! I love hearing how everyone at work loved it too! Thank you, thank you!

  2. Ashley says

    One of my girlfriends and I both made this tonight for our partners and it was a huge hit across the board.

    My chicken and rice were both done right at 6 hours (on high). I started with 4 cups of chicken broth because my crockpot was almost to the brim but ended up being able to add the last cup and a little bit more.

    I didn’t have low sodium soy sauce so I just reduced the salt to 1tsp (used low sodium chicken broth though).

    Added a touch more peanut butter and lime at the end. Not too many recipes make it into my permanent recipe book, but I started writing this one in after the first taste test. So good thank you so much!

    • Jen says

      Thanks so much for your awesome comment Ashley, I’m honored this is a new repeat favorite!

  3. Chelsey T says

    Do you think you could cook this faster in an instant pot? Anyone tried that yet?

    • Jen says

      I haven’t personally tried it, but it would definitely be faster!

      • Roxanne says

        Did you try the instant pot? How did it go?

  4. Elaine Winkel says

    I’ve made this soup numerous times and it’s always wonderful. I use the whole 4oz jar of red curry paste.

    • Jen says

      I’m so pleased it’s a favorite! I like your style with the whole jar of red curry paste!

  5. Susan says

    Good morning Jen and hope you and your family had a beautiful Christmas and enjoying the rest of the Holiday!
    This is a dumb question, but could you please tell me if the coconut milk is the same as the coconut milk you use in alcoholic drinks?
    I have made MANY of your delicious recipes and can’t wait to make this one!
    Your recipes are always at the top of my list when I cook or bake; MANY THANKS!!
    Wishing you and your family a HAPPY AND HEALTHY 2023!
    Susan

    • Jen says

      Hi Susan, Merry Christmas, thank you so much for the kind words! The coconut used in alcoholic drinks is cream of coconut. You will need unsweetened coconut milk that comes in the can (all coconut milk is unsweetened unless it specifies). Here some examples of what you’ll need: https://www.themanual.com/food-and-drink/best-coconut-milks/

      • Susan says

        Hi Jen,
        Thank you for answering my question so promptly—it is greatly appreciated!

        Can’t wait to make this delicious-looking soup!

        Susan

        • Jen says

          You’re so welcome, hope you love it as much as us!

  6. A says

    Hi Jen, We love all your recipes! I want to try this soup, but none of us can handle much heat. Do you think this would work with yellow curry paste?

    • Jen says

      I’m so happy to hear that you have been enjoying the recipes! And yes, yellow curry paste should work great! The flavor profiles will differ, but it should still be delicious. Hope you enjoy!

  7. Lauren says

    One of my very favorite recipes I’ve been making for probably a decade now!!! I omit the butternut because I’m lazy and the apple because I’m not a fan of fruit with my savory meals but otherwise I follow this pretty closely. I make 8-10 servings portioned out. Agreed it isn’t great after freezing but I still do freeze about a third as it’s usually just me eating it. Don’t let the long ingredients list scare you – sooo worth a try! I keep most of these things on hand anyway; just have to ensure I have a zucchini! I also use frozen chicken breasts straight from the bag for ease and have never had an issue with it. Thanks for your be of my favorite go-tos!!!!

    • Jen says

      Wow! I’m so glad that this has stood the test of time!! Thanks for letting me know, I’m so pleased you love it!

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