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Weeknight Thai Chicken Meatball Khao Soi. This northern Thai inspired noodle soup is the simplest weeknight dinner. Made with flavorful Thai curry paste, coconut milk, and plenty of fresh herbs and lime juice. Toss in seared gingery chicken meatballs and plenty of delicious egg noodles, it’s hard to beat the easy Thai inspired soup. It’s the perfect any night of the week dinner that’s made in 30 minutes, hearty, cozy, and healthy too.
Say hello to my personal favorite recipe of the week. This soup is a combination of everything I love most. It’s colorful, hearty, full of so many vegetables, has crispy (flavorful) chicken meatballs, noodles, and truly the most delicious soup broth. If I wasn’t making a million other things every single week I would be making this soup on repeat. It’s one of my favorites…probably should have saved it for a possible future cookbook but I simply had to share.
Sooo, hopefully, that lets you know just how excited I am. I know this soup is different, but I beg you to try it.
The background + inspiration.
First, I want to share the background on Khao Soi, in case you’re unfamiliar with it. It’s a soup from Northern Thailand made with very specific Thai curry paste giving the soup its unique rich flavor. Additionally, it’s made with creamy coconut milk, which makes this more like a curry…but yet it’s still soup. Well actually, it’s somewhere in between the two!
After reading up on Khao Soi, I discovered there are actually a few variations throughout different parts of Thailand. Some parts of the country will use rice noodles, while others use egg noodles. However, the broth remains the same…curry paste and coconut milk. You can read up on the history here, if you’d like.
So the inspiration? Of course, it’s once again my brother, Brendan. He’s traveled to Thailand a few times now and each time he brings me curry paste and noodles. It’s like winning the lottery, I love him so much for it. Praying he and Lyn’s head back soon because my stash is currently gone.
Anyway, this is their favorite soup. I’ve made a couple versions of it now, one you can find in the Half Baked Harvest Super Simple Cookbook. But I think today’s version might just be my favorite…
My point is, I just love the meatballs in this version, they’re such a fun twist.
Here is how you make Thai Khao Soy.
Going to put this right out there before getting into details, this is not an authentic Khao Soi. This is just my take, it’s similar but different.
Moving along, aside from cooking the noodles, this soup is made entirely in one pot. The meatballs are the exact same mix that I used for my ginger sesame meatballs…ground chicken, green onions, garlic, and ginger. Roll this all together, then pan-fry the meatballs in a bit of olive oil to get them nice and crispy on the outside. Toss in some baby bok choy, or other greens of your liking, and sear them until they are crisp. At this point, you’ll remove everything from the pot so that the meatballs and greens don’t overcook or lose their crispness.
Next, you’ll want to sauté the Thai red curry paste for a minute or two before adding in the liquids. This will activate the flavors in the curry paste and give you a richer tasting broth. Now, just add in all the liquid, stir back in the meatballs and bok choy, and simmer everything together for a few minutes. You want the meatballs to cook fully through and the flavors in the soup to meld together.
While that’s happening, boil some egg noodles (or use rice noodles if you are gluten free). By the time the noodles are ready, the soup will be too!
Let’s talk about the toppings.
Because they are the best part! Well, maybe not the best part, but they contribute so much to this soup.
I am not shy with my toppings, I really like to layer them on. Use ingredients you love most, but here are my recommendations…plenty of fresh Thai basil, a generous handful of thinly sliced green onions, some very thinly sliced shallots (bonus points if you fry the shallots in oil first), lots of fresh-squeezed lime juice, and lastly – chili oil…lots and lots of chili oil.
For the chili oil, I simply make up a quick homemade batch, but you can easily use store-bought too. And if you can’t find any Thai basil, regular Italian basil works as well.
And that’s it, simple, so much flavor, quick, easy, extra color, and insanely good!
I really can’t begin to express just how good. If you loved my Thai ramen or my coconut milk braised chicken, I think you’ll also greatly enjoy this. Similar(ish) flavors, but very different dishes.
The broth, the crispy meatballs, the noodles, the toppings…everything all together. It is the BEST. Creamy, hinted with ginger and garlic, a touch spicy, a touch sweet, herby, salty, so perfect. Yeah, I think that pretty much sums this up. So how about a cozy bowl of Khao Soi tonight? You only need thirty minutes.
You can do it!
If you make this Weeknight Thai Chicken Meatball Khao Soi, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Weeknight Thai Chicken Meatball Khao Soi.
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 636 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 2 green onions, finely, chopped, plus more for serving
- 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
- 1 clove garlic, minced or grated
- black pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 baby bok choy or 1 bunch kale, chopped
- 1/4 cup Thai red curry paste
- 2 (14-ounce) cans full-fat coconut milk
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce (or low sodium soy sauce)
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/4 cup each fresh cilantro and Thai or regular basil, chopped, plus more for serving
- 8 ounces egg or rice noodles
- sliced limes and thinly sliced shallots, for serving
- chili oil, for serving
Instructions
- 1. Add the chicken, green onions, ginger, garlic, and a pinch of pepper to a bowl. Mix until just combined. Coat your hands with a bit of oil, and roll the meat into tablespoon-size balls (will make 15-20 meatballs).2. Heat a large pot over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil shimmers, add the meatballs and sear until crisp, about 4-5 minutes, turning them 2-3 times. Toss in the bok choy and cook 2 minutes more, until just charred on the edges. Transfer everything to a plate.3. To the same pot, add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and the curry paste. Cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk, chicken broth, fish sauce, and honey. Slide the meatballs and bok choy back into the soup. Simmer over medium heat until the meatballs are cooked through, 5-8 minutes. Stir in the herbs. 4. Meanwhile, cook noodles according to package directions.5. Divide the noodles between bowls and ladle the soup over. Top each bowl as desired with basil, green onions, shallots, lime juice, and chili oil.
This post was originally published on January 22, 2020
Let me lead by saying I LOVE all of your recipes. I was really looking forward to this one – but I struggled a bit. My meatballs just would not stay together. Any advice? I used ground chicken just as the recipe called for, and followed the rest of the ingredients to a t – but couldn’t get them to hold.
Hey Hannah! So sorry you had trouble with the meatballs. What percent fat is your chicken and what brand are you using? My guess is that the chicken you are using has a lower moisture content (and less fat) than the ground chicken I use. Brands can vary, so it can be a little tricky if you have a leaner ground chicken. If you can get the meat to hold, just add 1 egg to the mix and that should solve the issue.
Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
Oh. My. Goodness! You’ve done it again!!! This was AMAZING!!! We loved it so much on Friday that I made it again on Sunday to share with my grown kids, grandmother and aunt! Everyone LOVED it!!! The layers of flavors are out of this world! Full disclosure, I did add shiitake mushrooms and shredded carrots, just because I love mushrooms SO much and will put them in anything I think they will work in (And boy did they work in this!), and I love the color of carrots in soup. The additions worked great to your already wonderful recipe! And the garlicky chili sauce??? AMAZING!!! It will be a staple in our house from now on!!! Thank you so much for sharing your talent, and making it doable for those of us that aren’t nearly as creative on our own! I wish you continued success!!!
Ah this is so great to read!! Thank you so much for trying this recipe, I am so glad you loved it!! xTieghan
The absolute best soup I have ever made! Definitely a weekly staple this winter!
Thank you Ally! xTieghan
This recipe is our new family favourite. Everybody loved it. It is so wonderfully delicious & so simple & quick to prepare & cook. Thank you #halfbakedharvest
Thank you Jodi! I am really glad you and your family enjoyed this! xTieghan
This recipe is so delicious and so easy to prepare. I also made it with plant based “meat” and vegetable broth for my vegetarian at home and it was equally as good! This will be on permanent rotation at my house – great flavors and a quick easy meal – I’m in agreement Tiegan it’s currently our favorite
Love that! Thank you so much Cathy! xTieghan
Followed the recipe to a t. Was really lacking flavor. I should have known when I noticed the meatballs had no salt. It is also very hard to eat soup with these type of noodles was very messy.
Hi Christina! Is there anything I could help you with? Please let me know! xTieghan
Would this recipe be okay if I froze it and dethawed?
Hi Caitlin! Yes, this recipe is great for freezing. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
I can’t seem to be able to print recipes from this site. They all look so good
Hi Marilyn! Could you please send me an email with what is happening when you try to print? (contact@haldbakedharvest.com) I am really glad you like this recipe! xTieghan
Can I make these meatballs with ground pork?
Hey Emily! Ground pork works really well. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
This was SO delicious. Even my 18 month old daughter couldn’t get enough. I am curious as to what brand of red curry is your favorite? I’m planning a shopping trip to one of my town’s Asian food markets and I would like to know a good brand! Thanks for all of the great recipes!
Hi! I love the Thai Kitchen brand! I am so glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Made this last night and we LOVED it. I think the leftovers will be even better.
I’m trying to make at least one of your recipes a week – the family is so on board!
Thanks
Thank you so much Stefanie! I hope the leftovers are even better haha! xTieghan
This was excellent but way too salty. FYI, 1/4 cup of Mae Ploy res curry has almost 4000mg of sodium.
It was still pretty good but I wish I’d halfed the curry paste or maybe used another brand. Does the kind you use have that much sodium?
Hi there! I use Thai Kitchens curry paste and it barely salted. I would try using a different brand curry paste next time. Hopefully that helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions.Thank you!! xTieghan
This comment is long overdue. I LOVE your website, cookbook, and all your delicious recipes. I used to have several recipe blogs I used, one for baking, one for dinners, one for soups. But, you can do it all!!
Every recipe I have made is AMAZING. Your recipes make up at least five dinners on our family’s weekly meal plan. And then all the incredible desserts and baked goods!
I really can’t choose a favorite, but our favorites right now are this so, so yummy khao soi, my husband loves the one skillet lemon chicken, my kids love the pork carnitas and all the cookies and rolls.
Thank you so much for creating a masterpiece. You really have incredible talent!!
Aw this is so sweet to read! I am so glad you have been loving my blog and recipes Carrie! I hope you and your husband continue to! Thank you so much! xTieghan
My husband and I went NUTS for this soup – the flavors are powerful without being overwhelming and everything feels so balanced. I cannot seem to keep enough coconut milk in our pantry lately, it makes for a beautiful background to soups. Also, this soup is much, much easier to put together than it looks like it would be, so it is a deceptively impressive meal to serve up.
Thank you so much Jen! I am so glad you both loved this recipe so much!! xTieghan
This dish is so good!
I had leftover cooked chicken from making broth (so I used that instead of making meatballs), and I used curly cabbage instead of bok choy (since I had it) and it worked great!!
It was a 20min effort, so easy to make!
Thank you so much Jasmina! xTieghan