Inspired by my favorite instant noodles, Maggi masala noodles, this chicken noodle soup gets a heavy hand of aromatic curry powder and ginger for depth. The spice blend, along with a few alliums, provide tons of flavor while keeping things speedy, especially if you’re working with a prepared stock. Skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs also provide maximum opportunity for extracting flavor into the broth, while lime juice adds just enough brightness to offset the deep savoriness of the curry powder. To keep things one-pot-easy, I use wheat noodles that only need a few minutes to cook through. You’ll be surprised just how fast this comes together.
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What you’ll need
Large Saucepan
$60 At Amazon
Tongs
$21 At Amazon
Citrus Juicer
$20 $15 At Amazon
Ingredients
4–6 servings
1
1
1
1
6
1
4
3
8
1
Preparation
Step 1
Season 1 lb. skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs with kosher salt; let sit at room temperature while you start the soup.
Step 2
Heat 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a large saucepan over medium. Add 1 bunch scallions, white and pale green parts thinly sliced, one 2" piece ginger, peeled, sliced into matchsticks, and 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced; season with salt. Cook, stirring often, until scallions are softened and beginning to brown around edges, about 5 minutes. Add 1 Tbsp. curry powder, season generously with freshly ground pepper, and stir to coat.
Step 3
Pour in 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth and 3 cups water and bring to a boil. Add chicken, reduce heat, and simmer until thighs are cooked through, 18–22 minutes. Using tongs, transfer chicken to a plate; let cool slightly.
Step 4
Add 3 medium carrots, peeled, sliced on a diagonal ¼" thick, to broth; cook 3 minutes. Add 8 oz. fresh wheat noodles (such as yakisoba or ramen) or 6 oz. dried ramen noodles and dark green scallion parts. Cook, stirring occasionally, until noodles are just tender. Remove from heat and stir in 1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice. Taste soup and add more salt and/or lime juice if needed.
Step 5
Remove skin from chicken thighs, then shred meat with 2 forks or your hands; discard skin and bones.
Step 6
Divide soup among bowls and top with chicken; season with pepper. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing over.
Leave a Review
Reviews (15)
Back to TopI seared the chicken as others described and I used angle hair pasta. It’s not bad, but it fall flat for me. My guests enjoyed it, but it’s missing something…
Em
New Jersey
12/23/2023
Delicious and super easy. I used a rotisserie chicken which I added in with the noodles and dark green onion bits which saved even more time. Will definitely make again.
Anonymous
Colorado
12/19/2023
Made this over the weekend for a sick teen who loves nothing more than a bowl of ramen. I added some baby bok choy and riced cauliflower for those of us in the house avoiding carbs and cooked the ramen on the side. Absolutely delicious, slightly spicy, will definitely make again!
Natcookie67
Castle Pines, CO
10/30/2023
I just made this for dinner, and it was a huge hit! I used boneless chicken breasts, which I seared in my pot to give them some color and build some fond and flavor. Otherwise, I followed the recipe as written. It's important to leave the cover off while the chicken poaches, so that the broth reduces to concentrate the flavors. One of my favorite parts were the soft, aromatic ginger matchsticks--so delicious! I will definitely be making this again, not least because I usually have all these ingredients in my fridge and pantry, so it'll be a go-to when I can't shop and need a quick and satisfying meal.
Erica
Vermont
7/2/2023
So delicious! I brown the chicken thighs then brown the veggies in that same oil before adding the stock and thighs back in. This has become a staple for me!
Kaylyn
New Haven, CT
3/21/2023
This is the soup I want someone to make for me next time I have a cold. Another winner from Zaynab Issa!
Jane
Hamden, CT
3/9/2023
Amazing!!!! If you made this soup and you didn’t like it then I do not want to know you! Packed with flavor you can add more noodles or chicken and a salad on the side for an killer dinner! I made it for someone who said they weren’t a big curry fan and she absolutely finished all of it. Plate was spottless! Thank you Zaynab!!
Tom Marlow
Long Beach, NY
3/5/2023
This was actually very tasty on a cold winter's night. I had to use dried udon noodles, but everything else was available and with some crusty, sourdough bread, a wonderful dinner. The recipe will go into our Big Book.
Brian
Bellevue, WA
2/14/2023
Not my favorite. Soup was okay, thought not much flavor. I would not make again, but could be just me.
Anonymous
Portland, OR
2/9/2023
My partner and I loved the soup after we made a couple changes - Instead of solely boiling the chicken thighs, I cooked them almost all the way through in a saucepan, seasoned with salt, pepper, and curry powder. I then added them to the soup and boiled them for about ten minutes before checking them to see if they have been cooked though (I think this added a lot more flavour to the chicken, but also to the soup). We also swapped the ramen for egg noodles - we are egg noodle lovers and find that they are more favourable to having leftovers. Overall, super delicious! I am totally making this again!
Ariel
VICTORIA, BC
2/4/2023
Made the soup and followed directions, however, I was having trouble getting the chicken thighs to fully cook through. Even after 25 minutes I could see a bit of red still oozing from a few of them. I added hot water and cooked them for an additional 5 minutes. A previous reviewer mentioned how the noodles had soaked up much of the sauce and this would have been my problem as well if I hadn't added more liquid. If I make this again, I will cook the thighs separately, allow them to cook before adding the meat as directed.
Anonymous
Wisconsin
2/3/2023
I made this soup and followed the directions exactly. The broth was sensational--gingery and garlicky. But adding 8 oz. of lo mean noodles was a mistake because the noodles soaked up almost all the broth. I ended up with slightly soupy noodles instead of soup with noodles. Next time, I'll add perhaps half the amount of noodles.
Deanne Spears
Half Moon Bay, CA
2/2/2023
What kind of curry powder? Japanese?
GreyGardens
Chicago, IL
1/30/2023
WOW. Make this. So comforting and delicious. A unique twist on chicken noodle.
Anonymous
New York, NY
1/29/2023
Fresh, bright, and scrumptious. The ginger and lime add pop; the noodles add body to a balanced tasty stock. Could not push the bowl away saying "no jello for me tonight Ma" (honors to Peggy Sue Got Married). We suggest for a more exotic flavor profile the addition of Szechwan peppercorn hot chili oil as a condiment.
JMcC
Naples SWFL
1/28/2023