Thai
Quick Khao Soi (Chicken Curry Noodles)
Northern-Thai coconut curry noodle soup with chicken, lime and shallot — rich, fragrant and on the table in 25 minutes.
About this recipe
Quick Khao Soi (Chicken Curry Noodles) is a thai lunch for 2 that is a gentle, mostly hands-off simmer. It’s built around egg and chicken, and it takes around 25 min start to finish. We sized it for a small household and ranked it on OneToCook by how much of it you already have in the fridge.
Good to know
* Dietary flags are derived from the listed ingredients — always check labels and your own needs for allergens.
Ingredients
- 250g, sliced chicken thigh
- 1 tsp curry powder
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 300ml water
- 2 portions egg noodles buy
- 200ml coconut milk buy
- 2 tbsp red curry paste buy
- 1/2 lime buy
- 1 shallot buy
Equipment
Method
- 1
Fry the curry paste and curry powder in oil until fragrant; add the chicken and brown, 4 min.
~6 min
- 2
Pour in the coconut milk and water with soy and fish sauce; simmerSimmer.Cook in liquid with gentle bubbling, just below a boil.Glossary → until the chicken is cooked, 10 min.
~11 min
- 3
Cook the egg noodles, divide into bowls, ladle the curry over, and finish with shallot and lime.
~4 min
Smart swaps
Out of something? Try one of these.
- Noodles
- whatever you have — rice, instant noodles, or even pasta in a pinch.
- Chicken thigh
- chicken breast (cook a touch less so it stays juicy), or firm tofu.
- Coconut milk
- evaporated milk or any unsweetened plant milk + a little oil for richness.
- Curry paste
- curry powder bloomed in oil — start with half the amount and taste up.
- Soy sauce
- tamari (gluten-free) or, in a pinch, a mix of Worcestershire sauce and water.
- Fish sauce
- light soy sauce with a tiny pinch of salt — less funk, still savoury (also the vegetarian swap).
Cook's notes
- Roll the lime firmly on the bench before juicing — you’ll get noticeably more juice out of it. How to juice a lime →
- Slice chicken thinly across the grain — it cooks faster and stays tender. How to slice chicken thinly →
Storage & leftovers
This keeps well — store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, and the flavour often deepens overnight. Reheat gently on the stove, adding a splash of water if it’s thickened.
Frequently asked
How long does Quick Khao Soi (Chicken Curry Noodles) take to make? +
Around 25 min from start to finish, almost all of it hands-on.
How many people does this recipe serve? +
As written it serves 2. To cook for 4, roughly multiply the ingredients — but cook in batches if the pan gets crowded, so things sear instead of steaming.
What equipment do I need? +
You’ll want: induction hob, pot. OneToCook only suggests recipes that fit the equipment you tell it you have, so you can filter these out if your kitchen is more minimal.
What can I use if I'm missing an ingredient? +
Common swaps for this dish: Noodles → whatever you have — rice, instant noodles, or even pasta in a pinch; Chicken thigh → chicken breast (cook a touch less so it stays juicy), or firm tofu; Coconut milk → evaporated milk or any unsweetened plant milk + a little oil for richness. See the full list of smart swaps above.
Can I make Quick Khao Soi (Chicken Curry Noodles) ahead of time? +
This keeps well — store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, and the flavour often deepens overnight. Reheat gently on the stove, adding a splash of water if it’s thickened.
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