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5 from 2 votes

Thai Coconut Soup with Chicken Cilantro Meatballs

This Thai Coconut Soup with Chicken Cilantro Meatballs is a delicious, easy and unique dinner entree that's bursting with fabulous flavor.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Main
Cuisine: Asian-fusion, Thai-inspired
Keyword: Chicken Cilantro Meatballs, Thai Coconut Soup
Servings: 6
Calories: 320kcal
Author: Chris Scheuer

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

  • 1 pound ground chicken (you could also use ground turkey)
  • ½ cup medium red bell pepper finely chopped finely diced (about ½ of a medium-size bell pepper)
  • 6 medium green onions halved, if large and very thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped or grated fresh ginger or ginger paste
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped lemongrass or lemongrass paste
  • ½ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
  • ¾ cup panko crumbs
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 medium cloves garlic finely minced
  • 1¼ teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon paprika

For the soup:

  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoon finely minced fresh ginger or ginger paste, (or ginger paste)
  • 1 tablespoon finely minced lemongrass (or lemongrass paste)
  • 1-2 tablespoon red curry paste more to taste
  • 4 medium cloves garlic finely minced
  • 1 ½ tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon mild curry powder
  • 6 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 12 ounces carrots (thinly sliced)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 15-ounce can full fat coconut milk
  • 2 tablespoons corn starch
  • 2 tablespoons cold water
  • cooked jasmine rice

For the garnish:

  • cilantro mint and/or fresh basil leaves, lime wedges, chopped peanuts for garnish
  • salted peanuts chopped or halved
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

For the meatballs:

  • Heat the oven to 350˚F. Line a sheet pan with foil for easy clean-up and spray it generously with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
  • Combine ground chicken, bell pepper, green onion, ginger, lemongrass, cilantro, panko crumbs, egg, garlic, and salt in a medium-large bowl. Mix with a sturdy spatula, wooded spoon or your hands until well-combined. Scoop up mixture into small portions, about 1½-2 tablespoons each. With slightly damp hands, roll the portions into round meatballs and arrange on the prepared pan.
  • Combine the olive oil and paprika in a small bowl and stir to combine. Brush the oil over the meatballs then bake for 15-12 minutes or until the meatballs are firm to the touch and take on a nice golden hue.

For the sauce/soup:

  • Heat large Dutch oven or heavy-duty soup pot over medium heat. Add the butter and olive oil and swirl the pan until melted and bubbly. Add the ginger, lemongrass, red curry paste, garlic, brown sugar and curry powder. Stir and cook for 2-3 minutes until nice and fragrant.
  • Add the chicken broth, sliced carrots and salt. Bring to a boil and cook, uncovered for 10-15 minutes until the carrots are tender (the time will depend on how thick you cut the carrots). Add the coconut milk and stir to combine.
  • Combine the cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl and stir until nice and smooth. Add the cornstarch mixture to the sauce and return to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes longer, stirring frequently. Taste and add more salt, if needed.
  • Serve in bowls with a scoop of rice and the meatballs. Garnish with fresh cilantro, basil and mint and chopped or halved peanuts.

Nutrition

Calories: 320kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 97mg | Sodium: 1307mg | Potassium: 921mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 10737IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 80mg | Iron: 3mg