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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
In a word ….. Delicious !!!!!
Hi Lorraine,
Wonderful! Thank you so much for making this recipe and your comment! So glad to hear it was enjoyed! Happy Sunday! xx
So yummy I licked the plate! I used hot sesame oil in place of regular sesame oil to give it an extra kick!
Hey Heidi,
Amazing!! Thanks a lot for trying this recipe, I’m so glad to hear it turned out well for you! Have a great Monday! XxT
Excellent recipe. Can i use eggplant? How would I need to modify if so? Thank you!
Thanks Shereen! Sorry, what do you want to use the eggplant for? Please let me know how I can help! xT
Absolutely delicious!!!!
Hey Kristen,
Happy Wednesday! I appreciate you trying this recipe and your comment:) Love to hear that it turned out well for you! Xx
This is a great recipe.. I have made it so many many times.., i can make it without looking at the recipe… thank you. Everyone who eats it loves it.
Hey Sean,
Awesome! Love to hear that this recipe is always enjoyed, thanks for making it so often and your comment! xT
This recipe is excellent! We’ve made it probably a dozen times, and it’s great as written. But we do make a few modifications that may be useful to others 🙂
1. We use sesame oil and find that there’s quite a bit of it if we follow the directions exactly, so instead we only use 1 (not 2) tablespoons to sauté the chicken/bok choy and an additional 1 (not 2) before sautéing the aromatics. (We keep the 1 tablespoon oil in the marinade.) Haven’t noticed any difference in flavor and it’s a good way to save some extra calories.
2. Definitely make it with 3 cups of coconut milk, just to match the volume of chicken/bok choy. We personally thought that *only* adding extra coconut milk waters down the flavor a bit (we love big flavors!) so we add an additional 1 tablespoon fish sauce and another 2 tablespoons red curry paste to the amounts listed in the recipe. (We use Mae Ploy, so your mileage may vary — might be good to add 1 additional tablespoon of red curry paste initially, taste toward the end, and add a bit more if you want it spicer!)
Hey Carrie,
Thank you so much for making this recipe so often, so glad to hear it is always enjoyed! Also, thank you for sharing your detailed notes, I’m sure this will be helpful for other readers! xT
I swear I haven’t made a HBH recipe that didn’t make me seem like a professional chef. This was sooooo good. Thank you!
Aww, thank you so much, Kristen! I really appreciate you making so many recipes! Glad to hear this was another winner! xT
Freaking delicious! Made it for my parents and I. They’re vegetarian so I used portobellos and firm tofu and cooked the chicken on the side and added it to my bowl.
Hey Omri,
Love to hear this! Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a try and your comment! Have the best day:)
What type of mixed herbs do you recommend using for serving?
Hey Rebecca,
I like to use fresh basil and cilantro, but you can use any of your favorite herbs. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xT
I made this recipe it was amazing my family enjoyed it, all the fresh ingredients that went into it. The coconut milk amazing. Thank you for sharing will definitely make this again. ❤️
Thanks so much, Symone! Love to hear that this dish turned out well for you, I appreciate you making it! xT
Made this for me and my boyfriend. We both loved it! It had such good flavours and felt like a perfekt comfort dish because of the creamy coconut milk.
Hey Anniken,
Awesome!! So glad to hear that you enjoyed this dish, thanks so much for making it! xT
This had good flavor, but if I make it again I will omit the fish sauce. It was overpowering, and I only used half of the listed amount.
Hi Blythe,
Thanks so much for making this dish and sharing your feedback! xx
My family was feeling a little under the weather tonight and this was the perfect nourishing dinner. We subbed gochujang paste for thai curry paste and used spinach instead of kale / bok choy. It was a huge hit! Thank you!!!
Hi Mikaila,
Thanks so much for trying this recipe and sharing your comment! So glad to hear it turned out well! Hope everyone is feeling better soon:) xx
How would you recommend subbing tofu for chicken?
Hi there! I’m so sorry, I really don’t work with tofu so I can’t say for sure! xT
I would press and cube the tofu then season and sear it as is written in the recipe.
Sounds delicious. Can I use shrimp instead of chicken?
Yes, you definitely can use shrimp in this recipe if you’d like! xT
Could I do rice or coconut rice instead of the noodles? Or what is the best sub for the noodles? Want to make it ASAP!
Hi Athena! Yes, you can definitely serve this with coconut rice! xT