Thai Coconut Curry Chicken Soup

Tonight after work I was craving Thai food. Since Thai food can be pretty hard to make at home, I almost called up the local Thai restaurant to order some takeout. But then I remembered that I had some coconut milk and curry paste in the cupboard. I'd made Tom Ka Gai soup from Cuisine at Home and Spicy Thai Coconut Chicken Soup from Cooking Light before, but I decided to modify those recipes a bit to make a version of my own. The result was absolutely delicious! Definitely equal in deliciousness to Tom Ka soup or red curry from a Thai restaurant! Its an easy, quick recipe to throw together and makes a perfect full meal. If you have cooked chicken already or want to buy a rotisserie chicken, it would be even quicker! You can also pretty much always keep all of the ingredients on hand to make when you haven't been to the grocery store in awhile.

Thai Coconut Curry Chicken Soup

Thai Coconut Curry Chicken Soup
Makes 4 servings; Active: 30 minutes, Total: 1 hour, 30 minutes

For the chicken:
Cooking spray
2 chicken breasts (about 16-20 oz total)
1 Tbs Sriracha
2 Tbs fish sauce
1 Tbs Thai red curry paste (cheaper if you buy it at an Asian grocery store!)
Salt to taste

For the soup:
1 Tbs coconut oil

4 garlic cloves, minced
2-3 inch piece ginger root, minced
2 Tbs lemongrass paste (find it in a tube in the produce section near the herbs)
6 tsp sambal oelek (ground fresh chile paste)
1 Tbs Thai red curry paste 
6-8 cups frozen stir fry vegetables (mine had snow peas, peppers, onions, broccoli, green beans, baby corn, water chestnuts, and mushrooms in the mix)

2 13.5 oz cans lite coconut milk
2 cups chicken broth
2 Tbs fish sauce
Diced chicken
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For the chicken, spray a glass dish with cooking spray. 

Place chicken in pan and pour fish sauce over it, then rub with sriracha and curry paste and sprinkle with salt. 

Roast at 350 F for 1 hour, or until juices run clear and chicken is cooked through. Dice chicken and set aside.

For the soup, heat coconut oil over medium-high heat. 

Add garlic, ginger, lemongrass paste, sambal oelek, curry paste, and frozen stir fry vegetables. Stir fry for about 3 minutes. 

Add coconut milk, broth, fish sauce, and chicken. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes, until vegetables are heated.
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Nutrition Information from My Fitness Pal
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/recipe/view/53411829