THAI CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP
Thai Chicken Noodle Soup
Thai Chicken Noodle Soup
Last September, I became the victim of peer pressure. Electric pressure cooker style. Accordingly, my family bought me an Instant Pot for my birthday, and the experimenting began. As I am not much of a risk-taker, especially in the kitchen, I started slowly by reading hundreds of recipes and tips. My daughter and I sat up weekend nights watching YouTube videos on how to use this new foreign cooking object. Her enthusiasm was my motivator, and I made a very basic chicken recipe, followed by plain white rice, and eventually a quick lasagna.
As my confidence increased, I wanted to do more with chicken as it was so universal. However, many recipes and videos omitted or even warned against frozen chicken breasts – THE staple I always seem to have at the ready.
Last week, I pulled out a 3 lb. bag of frozen boneless, skinless chicken thighs and began the search for anything on hand that would keep me from having to make a grocery store run. I was intrigued by using partial bags of onions, carrots, and peppers looking a little unhappy in the beer crisper of the fridge. But I knew that the can of lonely coconut milk in the cabinet would freshen things up. Last winter, I had made a Thai soup recipe of coconut milk, fish sauce, and curry powder. It was on!
I started by turning my IP to sauté mode and added 2 Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil. Just as it started to heat, I added half of a diced sweet onion and half of a diced red onion. Normally, I would have just added a whole diced sweet onion, but I used what I already had peeled and leftover in the fridge. I immediately added a tsp of salt to the onion as it helps it sweat. As it gives off water, the onion begins to sweeten a bit as it starts to caramelize. Before the onions were actually brown (more becoming translucent and pliable), I added a full Tbsp of curry powder, a can of coconut milk, and the chicken thigh chunks and let them heat to bubbly. I actually defrosted the thighs in the microwave on the 1.0 lb setting just to be able to get the knife through them to cut them into chunks though they were still frozen. Most of the recipes I read instruct to sauté or sear the chicken prior to cooking. While I do feel like that helps in the process, I do not always have time for the chicken to thaw enough to sear. Therefore, I just chucked in my chunks!
I turned off the IP from sauté, placed the lid on the pot securely, and turned the valve to sealing. I set the normal pressure for 8 minutes. While the IP was doing its thing, I diced up my veggies. As I only had a couple full celery stalks with the remnants of the bunch, I took the full stalks off and sliced them for lunchboxes. I used the remaining parts of the celery bag for my actual recipe. After cleaning, of course, I diced up everything remaining other than the root. I used the leaves as well as the center pieces of the celery that might otherwise get tossed. My leftover carrots were a partial bag of ready-to-eat baby carrots, and I diced those as well. All said, I ended up with a cup of celery and a cup of carrots. More or less of the veggies would work out fine based on what you have or personal preference. I do think that spinach, sundried tomatoes, or kale would work well in this recipe. I like to use what I have on hand or have found on sale recently as I hate to waste.
When my IP finished the 8 minutes of pressure cooking, I immediately used the quick release method by using a towel to turn the valve to venting and jiggling it with the towel to speed the depressurization. When I opened the lid, I had a boiling bath of light chartreuse! Kinda scary. I turned off the IP and reset it to sauté, dumping in the onions and carrots immediately so they could soften. I gave them a quick stir and added a full Tbsp of fish sauce. I was definitely nervous about the fish sauce as the flavor is so potent and powerful, but it balanced perfectly with the mildness of the coconut milk and that weirdly amazing suede-taste the curry powder brings. I also added 1 Tbsp of brown sugar at this point. I actually did not taste the sugar in the final product, so I feel like I could have omitted it. I felt like the addition would punch up the flavor. Not sure on that one. After the mixture bubbled for 2 minutes, the carrots and celery were still a little crisp, and I then broke up and added a serving package of ramen noodles (WITHOUT the seasoning packet). The IP sautéd for 5 total minutes, and I turned it off and reset it to keep warm. I stirred for a minute; the veggies were fork tender, and the ramen was al dente. I called in the troops for judgment day!
My family enjoys sassing up their meals with toppings and competes to see who comes up with the prettiest and/or the best-tasting. Whatever works! Here are some of the toppings we tried for this soup in various combinations:
*basil chiffonades
*chopped cilantro
*french fried onion rings (always a hit!)
*chopped peanuts
*cracked pepper
*raisins (SO weird, but my husband tried on his second serving, and it was an oddly wonderful mix-in!)
We had a couple small bowls left and immediately laid claim on the leftovers! The family decided that this recipe has the light and fresh flavors of summer though it is served hot, and they want it in the winter as part of our soup-er supper menu! The leftovers heated well though the noodles did absorb the liquid. It seemed to just thicken the broth slightly. DEFINITELY using this menu to clean out the veggies in the beer crisper on a monthly basis! Let me know in the comments what veggies or toppings you try!
Thai Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
Prep & Cook Time: 35 minutes
3 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, slightly thawed just enough to cut into bite-size chunks
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 large sweet onion, diced into chunks
1 14-ounce can coconut milk, regular
1 Tbsp curry powder
1 cup carrots, diced
1 cup celery, diced
1 Tbsp fish sauce
1 package serving Ramen noodles (NOT the seasoning packet)
Salt and cracked pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp of basil chiffonades or chopped cilantro, to taste
(See above for additional topping ideas!)
Turn IP setting to sauté, add the olive oil, then the onion and 1 tsp salt. Sauté until the onions are pliable. Stir in the coconut milk, chicken pieces, and curry powder until bubbly. Turn off the pot, put on the lid to sealing, and set the pressure to normal for 8 minutes. After the cook time, do a quick release. Stir in the carrots,celery, and fish sauce; set the IP to sauté for 5 minutes. After 2 minutes on sauté, add the ramen noodles. Once the 5 minutes are up, switch the IP to keep warm, and serve when the soup reaches your desired noodle consistency.
Top with fresh chiffonades of basil, peanuts, French fried onions, or even raisins! Add a bit of freshly cracked pepper, and serve!
