If you like soups that feel like a full meal without being heavy, this lemongrass chicken with coconut soup should be next on your list.
This is a very easy soup to fall in love with, and if you like Thai flavours, this recipe is a no-brainer. Lemongrass and coconut broth do most of the work, the chicken stays tender, and the whole thing tastes incredibly special. It’s warm, fragrant, and exactly the kind of soup you want to eat when it’s chilly outside.
If you’re someone who enjoys a simple, brothy soup that feels complete on its own, this soup will be your next best friend. You just make it, sit down, and enjoy a really good bowl of soup that feels like exactly what you wanted.
Jump to section: Lemongrass chicken in coconut broth
Ingredients for Lemongrass Chicken in Coconut Soup
- Chicken: Boneless chicken thighs work best as they stay tender, juicy, and flavourful.
- Aromatics: Lemongrass, ginger, garlic, green chillies, spring onion whites, and kaffir lime leaves form the base of the soup and give it that unmistakable Thai-style fragrance.
- Seasoning & Marinade: Soy sauce, red chilli sauce, chilli flakes, pepper, honey, lemon juice, oyster sauce, and a touch of chilli oil add depth, gentle heat, and balance to the chicken.
- Broth: Water and coconut milk come together to create a light, flavourful coconut broth that’s super rich in flavour.
- Cooking Fat: A neutral oil like peanut, canola, sunflower, rice bran, etc. is used to roast the chicken.
- For Serving: Steamed rice makes the soup filling and turns it into a complete one-bowl meal, finished with spring onion greens for freshness.
Richa’s Top Tips
- Use chicken thighs if you can: They stay juicier than breast meat and hold up better in the soup without drying out.
- Don’t rush the flavour base: Let the lemongrass, ginger, and chillies warm gently in the oil so the broth picks up flavour without turning sharp.
- Keep the broth balanced: Coconut milk should soften the flavours, not overpower them, so avoid boiling the soup hard once it’s added.
- Assemble just before serving: Add the rice and pour the hot soup over it at the end to keep the texture right and the bowl feeling fresh.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, easily. Vegetables like mushrooms, bok choy, spinach, or bean sprouts work well here. Add quick-cooking vegetables towards the end so they stay tender and don’t overpower the broth.
You can. Replace the chicken with tofu or mushrooms and use a vegetarian alternative to oyster sauce. The coconut broth and lemongrass still carry plenty of flavour on their own.
Yes, chicken breast works, but it cooks faster and can dry out more easily. If using breast meat, add it a little later and avoid overcooking.
No, it’s gently spiced. You can easily adjust the heat by reducing or increasing the chillies, chilli flakes, or chilli oil.
Storage Tips
- In the fridge: You can store the soup without rice in an airtight container for about 2 days.
- Store rice separately: Keep the cooked rice separately so it doesn’t soak up the broth & turn mushy.
- Freezing: Freezing is not recommended, since coconut milk can split and go bad.
- Reheating tip: If you want to reheat the soup, do it at on low heat and avoid boiling. Add rice first, then pour the hot soup over it just before serving.
Serving Ideas
This lemongrass chicken in coconut soup is meant to be enjoyed as a complete bowl on its own. But if you want to add something small on the side, you can:
- Cucumber salad: Cool, lightly sweet-sour, and crisp. It balances the warmth of the soup really well and keeps the meal feeling fresh.
- Grilled chicken or tofu skewers: Lightly marinated and grilled, these work well if you’re serving the soup as part of a bigger table.
- With Vegetable Spring Rolls or Egg Rolls: Something crisp on the side adds contrast and makes the meal feel more complete without much extra effort.
Customisation Ideas
- Swap rice for noodles: Turn this into a noodle soup by replacing the rice with cooked rice noodles, egg noodles, or flat wheat noodles. The coconut broth works just as well with noodles and gives the soup a completely different feel.
- Use prawns instead of chicken: Replace the chicken with prawns and skip the marination. Add the prawns directly to the simmering coconut broth and cook just until they turn pink. The lemongrass and coconut pair really well with seafood and make the soup lighter
With colder days around, this lemongrass chicken in coconut soup is a really nice one to have in your rotation. If you end up making it, do share it with me on Instagram @my_foodstory. I always love seeing these recipes come to life in your kitchens.
Watch Lemongrass Chicken in Coconut Soup Recipe Video
Lemongrass Chicken with Coconut Soup
Ingredients
Marination
- 250 gms boneless chicken thighs
- ¼ teaspoon pepper crushed
- 1 teaspoon grated garlic
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 4 roots lemon grass grated
- ½ teaspoon chilli oil
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon red chilli sauce
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon red chilli flakes
For broth
- 1 tablespoon sunflower or any neutral flavored oil
- ¾ cup onion petals
- 1 ½ inch ginger thinly sliced
- 3 green chillies slit
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons spring onion whites
- 4 kafir lime leaves
- 3 lemon grass roots crushed
- 3 lemon grass greens roughly chopped
- 4 ½ cups water
- 1 ½ cups coconut milk
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons lemon juice
For serving
- 3-4 cups cooked rice
- 1-2 tablespoons Spring onion greens
Instructions
Chicken marination & roasting
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Add all the ingredients for marination to a bowl, give a good mix and marinate for 30 minutes. Heat oil in a pan, add chicken & roast on low flame for 5-6 minutes on each side. They should be cooked well and roasted to a golden brown. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.250 gms boneless chicken thighs, ¼ teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon grated garlic, 1 teaspoon grated ginger, 4 roots lemon grass, ½ teaspoon chilli oil, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon red chilli sauce, ½ teaspoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon honey, 1 teaspoon oyster sauce, 1 teaspoon red chilli flakes, 1 tablespoon sunflower or any neutral flavored oil
Making of broth
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To the same pan, add onion petals, ginger, green chillies and saute for 1-2 minutes. Add spring onions and saute on low for a few seconds till fragrant. Add lime leaves, lemon grass roots and greens, saute for a few seconds, add coconut milk, water, salt and cook for 10 minutes till the broth gets the flavour from the aromatics. Take off the heat, add lemon juice and mix well.¾ cup onion petals, 1 ½ inch ginger, 3 green chillies, ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons spring onion whites, 4 kafir lime leaves, 3 lemon grass roots, 3 lemon grass greens, 4 ½ cups water, 1 ½ cups coconut milk, ¾ teaspoon salt, 1 ½ teaspoons lemon juice
Serving
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take rice in a serving bowl, place roasted chicken on top, add broth around the rice and serve.3-4 cups cooked rice, 1-2 tablespoons Spring onion greens
Video
Notes
- Boneless chicken thighs are used in the recipe as they are tender & juicy which may be replaced with chicken breast.
Nutrition
This article was researched and written by Harita Odedra.
The post Lemongrass Chicken with Coconut Soup appeared first on My Food Story.
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