C – Jim just got another Shinsin Earth Brown chicken.
He asked me if I would make some more of our chicken noodle soup. I told him I didn’t want to. It’s really good soup. But, I don’t want to make this chicken soup every time we have one of these great brown chickens. I wanted more out of this chicken.
I was ready to make something good and different. I wanted something to warm my body up and not cool my body down. I wasn’t sick.
Chicken noodle soup is to cool the body down. That is why it’s especially good when you have a cold. I don’t have a cold.
I wanted something creamy, spicy and really flavorful. This hot and sour coconut chicken soup was it. I love this soup. It’s a Thai inspired soup packed full of great flavors. It’s one of those soups that has a great flavor profile. You just want to eat and eat and eat.
I love the sour lime and tamarind combination. It really wakes up the taste buds. I really enjoyed the light hot and spicy element. It makes my sweat and warms up my body. Of course, it tastes great too.
The small amount of brown sugar adds a great depth to the soup and helps lighten it. Hints of the salty fish sauce are there, but not overpowering. It’s just a wonderful added element in the dish.
The part that really warms me up is the coconut. There is nothing like a thick creamy soup on a cold day. It was almost a stew … but, still light enough to be a soup.
| Beating the Winter Blues Week: Hot and Sour Coconut Chicken Soup |
- 1 Shinsin Earth Brown chicken, cut into pieces, breast deboned
- 5 tsp Thai red chili paste
- 1½ Tbsp lemon grass, finely ground
- 1 Tbsp grated ginger
- Two 14 oz cans coconut milk
- 3 cups homemade chicken stock (see recipe link below)
- 2 fresh tamarind pods, peel removed
- ¼ cup Asian fish sauce
- ¼ pound fresh Shiitake mushrooms, sliced thinly
- 1 red onion, cut into ½ inch wedges lengthwise
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 large lime juiced (about ¼ cup)
- 1 large lime, zest (same lime)
- 2 red Thai chilies, thinly cut on a bias
- 5 cilantro leaves for a garnish
- In a large pot, place the Thai red chili paste, lemon grass, ginger and coconut milk. Mix well. Turn on heat to medium and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 3 minutes until chili oil comes to the top.
- Add chicken, stir to mix and cook for about 5 minutes.
- Add chicken stock minus ½ cup. Turn heat to low so it can simmer and cook for 50 minutes or until chicken is nice and tender. Chicken should almost fall off the bone.
- In the remaining half cup of stock, add tamarind pods and break apart the sour paste. It will turn to a dark brown liquid. Add all to the soup.
- Add fish sauce and mushrooms. Cook for another 10 minutes.
- Add red onions, brown sugar, lime zest and chilies. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Turn off and remove from heat.
- Add lime juice and mix well.
- Serve with white rice and cilantro to garnish.
- Enjoy!
I really enjoyed this soup. Jim did, too. It’s one of the only meals that he would repeat eating on the same day. That was a huge shocker to me.
I can’t wait to get another Shinsin Earth Brown chicken. Oh, the great possibilities! I can’t wait to try other new recipes.