Thai Coconut Lime Chicken Soup

With some leftover cooked chicken breast on a rainy November day, I knew I would be making chicken soup.  After having some really tasty lemongrass soup from a Thai restaurant a couple weeks ago, I was craving the same flavor combination.  Tangy, salty, spicy, and creamy from the addition of coconut milk, this soup will warm you up with a burst of flavor on a cold day.

Ingredients:

2 cloves garlic, minced

A two inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced (about a tablespoon)

1 lemongrass stick (found in the fresh packaged herb section)

Sriracha (hot chili sauce)

1 large or two small carrots, thinly sliced

2 celery stalks, thinly sliced

2 T Thai fish sauce

32 oz chicken stock (my favorite store-bought brand featured below)

Juice of three limes

2 cups shredded chicken or turkey

1 cup coconut milk

handful of cilantro, washed and chopped

Directions:

Heat 2 T vegetable oil in a pot over medium-low heat, and add the garlic and ginger.  Sautee for 2 minutes, careful not to let the garlic brown.  Meanwhile, mince about 1/3 of the lemongrass stick.  Add this, along with the remaining whole stick, with about 2 T Sriracha (no need to measure) to the pot. Continue to sautee for about 3 more minutes.

Then, add the celery and carrot, increase heat to medium.  Season with salt and pepper.  After a few minutes when the vegetables begin to soften, add the fish sauce and stir to combine.

Next, add the chicken broth, chicken, and lime juice. I would recommend only adding part of the lime juice at a time, tasting to see if you want more. 

You can also add more Sriracha at any time if you want the soup to be spicier.  Finally, add the coconut milk, cover the pot, and bring to a simmer for about 10 minutes.  Taste again to see if you need more lime juice, coconut milk, or hot sauce.  Toss in cilantro before serving.

Makes about 4 large servings, or 6-8 side servings.