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Keeping things healthy, but still warm and cozy, with my 30 Minute Creamy Thai Turmeric Chicken and Noodles. This Thai inspired saucy curry is the simplest weeknight dinner. Made with flavorful Thai curry paste, creamy coconut milk, fresh herbs, and lime juice. Toss in seared gingery turmeric chicken and plenty of delicious noodles and it’s hard to beat this easy Thai curry. It’s the perfect any night of the week dinner that’s made in 30 minutes, hearty, and pretty healthy too.
Ingredients
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts
- Ground fresh turmeric powder
- Ground ginger
- Kosher salt and Black pepper
- Low sodium soy sauce or Tamari
- Raw Honey
- Sesame oil or or extra virgin olive oil
- Baby bok choy or one bunch kale
- Medium shallots
- Garlic
- Fresh ginger root
- Cilantro
- Thai basil
- Thai red curry paste
- Canned full fat coconut milk
- Fish sauce
- Rice noodles
- Sliced limes
- Shallots
- lemon juice
It feels like it’s been ages since I shared a new recipe, but here we are! The first recipe of 2021. Yes, there were a couple of New Years’ recipes last week, but with New Years’ falling on a Friday and then a long weekend, this is the longest we’ve gone without a new recipe….a whole four days! It felt very weird, and to be honest, it made me totally anxious. I love sharing daily recipes with you guys, it’s actually what I love doing most!
Anyway, I’m back, and we have a week full of fresh new recipes, starting with this cozy, but healthy, Thai curry. We all know I love my Thai inspired recipes and this one is no exception. It’s a hodgepodge of a few of my favorite Thai and Indian based recipes, just simplified into one quick 30 minutes curry that’s extra saucy and a little spicy.
So perfect for these bitter cold wintery days.
The Inspiration.
Like clockwork every January I find myself craving only the most colorful recipes. After months of overly hearty holiday recipes (which are of course delicious), I’m ready for more freshness come January. It’s weird how that shift happens almost immediately after New Years’.
But, you all know me, it’s the dead of winter here in Colorado, and so freezing cold at night. I simply can’t do a recipe that’s not warming, you know? We need creamy sauces, soups, stews, and even some carbs too. All are a must to help get us through these shorter frigid days.
Enter curry! Curries are so easy to load up with vegetables and spices, they make for the perfect winter dinner.
All the very quick details.
As you would guess with a 30 minute cook time, this Thai curry comes together pretty easily.
I like to start with the chicken. I toss it with a ground turmeric, ginger, soy sauce, and honey mixture. This step is key to creating a really flavorful chicken that’s savory, sweet, and spicy. Sear the chicken to give it a little crispiness and caramelization. Then toss in bok choy or any other hearty green and let them sear for a bit. At this point, you’ll remove everything from the pot so that the chicken and greens don’t overcook or lose their crispness.
Then I like to stir in a good amount of shallots and garlic, more ginger, and Thai red curry paste for even more flavor. The trick is to cook everything together 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 sauce. Now, just add in all the liquid, stir back in the chicken and bok choy, and simmer everything together for a few minutes.
While that’s happening, boil some noodles. Any noodle works, rice noodles, egg noodles, and even regular pasta, but I love a very thin Thai Vermicelli Rice Noodle. By the time the noodles are ready, the curry should be ready as well.
As this cooks, the aroma in the kitchen is truly incredible. It’s kind of like your favorite Thai spot in town, but at home…so better.
The only real note I have for this recipe is regarding the fish sauce. I know this is such a controversial ingredient, but I always recommend giving the fish sauce a try. Yes, you can use soy sauce instead, but fish sauce is better for this dish. It’s my favorite Thai ingredient, it adds a very savory, salty flavor. And even if you don’t enjoy fish, you’ll enjoy this sauce. I know this from testing out every last Thai recipe I’ve shared with my picky, nonfish eating family members. They never notice a thing. Just be sure not to smell it, the smell isn’t the best, but the flavor is good.
Other than that little note, there’s nothing else to add! This one is simple, healthy, and delicious. Perfect (non-boring) recipe to really kick off the new year!! Oh and lastly, while it’s not traditional to Thai cooking, a side of fresh, warm naan is especially delicious with this creamy curry sauce. Just an idea!
Looking for other healthy dinner recipes? Here are my favorites:
30 Minute Coconut Milk Braised Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Rice
Healthier Italian Wedding Soup with Lemon and Garlic
25 Minute Thai Black Pepper Chicken and Garlic Noodles
Lastly, if you make this 30 Minute Creamy Thai Turmeric Chicken and Noodles, 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!
What are the health benefits of turmeric?
According to Harvard Health Publishing, turmeric has health benefits for your immune system and helps with inflammation. Read more about its health benefits here: https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/turmeric-benefits-a-look-at-the-evidence
How do you make golden milk with turmeric?
To make golden milk, combine 1 to 2 teaspoons of turmeric with 1 cup of warm milk, black pepper, cinnamon, and honey or maple syrup over low heat for about 10 minutes.
30 Minute Creamy Thai Turmeric Chicken and Noodles.
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 606 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cubed
- 1 tablespoon ground turmeric
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- black pepper
- 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce or tamari
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 3 tablespoons sesame oil or extra virgin olive oil
- 4 baby bok choy or 1 bunch kale, chopped
- 2 medium shallots, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro and or Thai basil, chopped
- 1/4 cup Thai red curry paste, using more or less to taste
- 2-3 cups canned full-fat coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce (or low sodium soy sauce)
- 8 ounces rice noodles, thick or thin
- sliced limes, mixed herbs, and thinly sliced shallots, for serving
Instructions
- 1. Toss the chicken with turmeric, ground ginger, pinch of pepper, soy sauce, honey, and 1 tablespoon oil. Let sit 5 minutes.2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large Dutch oven or braiser over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sear until browned, about 3 minutes, stirring 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 Dutch oven, add 2 tablespoons oil, the shallots, garlic, fresh ginger, and cilantro/basil, cook 3 minutes, then stir in the curry paste. Cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in about 2 cups coconut milk and fish sauce. Slide the chicken and bok choy back into the sauce. If you want more sauce, add the additional coconut milk…I always use 3 cups. Simmer over medium heat until the sauce thickens slightly, 5 minutes. 4. Meanwhile, cook noodles according to package directions.5. Divide the noodles between bowls and ladle the chicken and sauce over. Top each bowl as desired with herbs, shallots, and lime juice.
This post was originally published on January 4, 2021
Absolutely DELICIOUS!
Thanks so much Macy! xTieghan
We have made tons of your Thai inspired dishes and this was definitely one of my favs!!! Big Tieghan fans in this house!
Hey Nicole,
I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! Happy Friday? xTieghan
This was sooo good! We used green beans instead of bok choy which were also good. Was fast, easy, and delicious.
Hey Monika,
I am thrilled to hear this recipe was enjoyed. Thanks so much for giving it a try. Have a great week! xTieghan
Hi there! Love your recipes // always delicious!
Question. Will this be as tasty with less curry paste? Or is there a flavourful substitute? I don’t want to spice my kids out ? thanks!
Hey Carla,
I promise this recipe is not spicy, you can follow the measurements as is:) I hope you love the dish! xTieghan
Excited to make this tonight! Though I am wondering if I could add some chicken or veggie broth to make it a bit more soup-y.
Hey Lisa,
Totally, that will work well! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I havent made this yet, but I’m struggly to see how it makes 6 servings of chicken soup with only 2-3 cups of liquid (coconut milk.) Am I missing something?
Hey Charles,
With the the other ingredients added to the dish, this should make 6 portions or 4 large portions. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
We thought it was just ok. I probably wont make it again. We weren’t wowed by it although the pictures are very beautiful and tempted us to try it. Nothing wrong with it we just didn’t think it tasted amazing. I did use 4 oz of curry paste. I initially forget the fish sauce and added it later and that helped quite a bit maybe I should’ve added more.
Hey Kristin,
Sorry you did not enjoy the recipe, let me know if I can help in anyway. xTieghan
2nd recipe of yours I have tried this week and WOW the flavor was perfect 🙂 Will definitely be making again!
Hey Laura,
Thanks a bunch for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! xTieghan
This is amazing! So many spices and flavors. I actually added two cups of chicken broth to make it more of a soup. DELICIOUS!
Hey Kaylee,
Thanks a bunch for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! xTieghan
Do you have any advice on how to cook the rice noodles? the package says to soak them for 2-4 hours and the rest of the directions on the package don’t make any sense. Thank you!
Hey Brittney,
It is hard to say without knowing the brand of rice noodles you are using. I would follow the package instructions as is! Let me know how the recipe turns out. xTieghan
This dish was AMAZING!!! My 2 year old daughter even loved it and said “momma, you should make this recipe again!” My husband said it was restaurant quality. ☺️ Thanks setting me up for a tasty dinner success!
Hey Elizabeth,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Have great week:) xTieghan
Hi Tieghan,
This sounds delicious and I’ve loved so many of your thai inspired dishes. Could I get away with less coconut milk (1 can) for the recipe to make it more dry with tofu? Thanks for your input!
Hey Elisa,
Yes, I think that would work out just fine! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Awesome recipe! So delicious. We used kale as suggested, which worked super well. I’d add a tiny bit more salt, but that’s personal preference!
Hey Spencer,
Thanks a lot for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that the recipe was enjoyed! Have a fantastic weekend! xTieghan
I made this last night after seeing your Insta story! I cook a lot, and am always searching for something new, delicious and enticing on the plate. I do have to say, I alter when I read or see an ingredient I’m unsure of! I do not like fish all that much, never mind using fish sauce! I followed this recipe to the tee, including the fish sauce, trusting your instruction. This dish was outstanding! absolutely delicious!! I have followed you on Instagram for a while, but this is the first dish of yours I have made. You have won me over! Tonight I am making the Buffalo Chicken Wraps with the rest of the chicken, cilantro etc,,….Can’t wait for dinner.
Thank-you Tieghan
Hey there,
I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for trying it out! Happy Friday! xTieghan
Wow!!! I am sitting at my bowl of this at this very moment. My husband is almost done with his bowl and we love it!!! I added snow peas and increased the aromatics and are in a swoon. We look forward to making more of the recipes you have!!!
Hey Dawn,
Thank you so much for giving the recipe a go! I am thrilled it was enjoyed. xTieghan