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Weeknight Thai Chicken Meatball Khao Soi. This northern Thai inspired noodle soup is the simplest weeknight dinner. Made with flavorful Thai curry paste, coconut milk, and plenty of fresh herbs and lime juice. Toss in seared gingery chicken meatballs and plenty of delicious egg noodles, it’s hard to beat the easy Thai inspired soup. It’s the perfect any night of the week dinner that’s made in 30 minutes, hearty, cozy, and healthy too.

overhead photo of 30 Minute Thai Chicken Meatball Khao Soi

Say hello to my personal favorite recipe of the week. This soup is a combination of everything I love most. It’s colorful, hearty, full of so many vegetables, has crispy (flavorful) chicken meatballs, noodles, and truly the most delicious soup broth. If I wasn’t making a million other things every single week I would be making this soup on repeat. It’s one of my favorites…probably should have saved it for a possible future cookbook but I simply had to share.

Sooo, hopefully, that lets you know just how excited I am. I know this soup is different, but I beg you to try it.

meatballs after searing

The background + inspiration.

First, I want to share the background on Khao Soi, in case you’re unfamiliar with it. It’s a soup from Northern Thailand made with very specific Thai curry paste giving the soup its unique rich flavor. Additionally, it’s made with creamy coconut milk, which makes this more like a curry…but yet it’s still soup. Well actually, it’s somewhere in between the two!

After reading up on Khao Soi, I discovered there are actually a few variations throughout different parts of Thailand. Some parts of the country will use rice noodles, while others use egg noodles. However, the broth remains the same…curry paste and coconut milk. You can read up on the history here, if you’d like.

raw bok choy

So the inspiration? Of course, it’s once again my brother, Brendan. He’s traveled to Thailand a few times now and each time he brings me curry paste and noodles. It’s like winning the lottery, I love him so much for it. Praying he and Lyn’s head back soon because my stash is currently gone.

Anyway, this is their favorite soup. I’ve made a couple versions of it now, one you can find in the Half Baked Harvest Super Simple Cookbook. But I think today’s version might just be my favorite…

My point is, I just love the meatballs in this version, they’re such a fun twist.

overhead photo of 30 Minute Thai Chicken Meatball Khao Soi in soup pot

Here is how you make Thai Khao Soy.

Going to put this right out there before getting into details, this is not an authentic Khao Soi. This is just my take, it’s similar but different.

Moving along, aside from cooking the noodles, this soup is made entirely in one pot. The meatballs are the exact same mix that I used for my ginger sesame meatballs…ground chicken, green onions, garlic, and ginger. Roll this all together, then pan-fry the meatballs in a bit of olive oil to get them nice and crispy on the outside. Toss in some baby bok choy, or other greens of your liking, and sear them until they are crisp. At this point, you’ll remove everything from the pot so that the meatballs and greens don’t overcook or lose their crispness.

Next, you’ll want to sauté the Thai red curry paste for a minute or two before adding in the liquids. This will activate the flavors in the curry paste and give you a richer tasting broth. Now, just add in all the liquid, stir back in the meatballs and bok choy, and simmer everything together for a few minutes. You want the meatballs to cook fully through and the flavors in the soup to meld together.

While that’s happening, boil some egg noodles (or use rice noodles if you are gluten free). By the time the noodles are ready, the soup will be too!

side angled photo of 30 Minute Thai Chicken Meatball Khao Soi

 

Let’s talk about the toppings.

Because they are the best part! Well, maybe not the best part, but they contribute so much to this soup.

I am not shy with my toppings, I really like to layer them on. Use ingredients you love most, but here are my recommendations…plenty of fresh Thai basil, a generous handful of thinly sliced green onions, some very thinly sliced shallots (bonus points if you fry the shallots in oil first), lots of fresh-squeezed lime juice, and lastly – chili oil…lots and lots of chili oil.

For the chili oil, I simply make up a quick homemade batch, but you can easily use store-bought too. And if you can’t find any Thai basil, regular Italian basil works as well.

overhead close up photo of 30 Minute Thai Chicken Meatball Khao Soi

And that’s it, simple, so much flavor, quick, easy, extra color, and insanely good!

I really can’t begin to express just how good. If you loved my Thai ramen or my coconut milk braised chicken, I think you’ll also greatly enjoy this. Similar(ish) flavors, but very different dishes.

The broth, the crispy meatballs, the noodles, the toppings…everything all together. It is the BEST. Creamy, hinted with ginger and garlic, a touch spicy, a touch sweet, herby, salty, so perfect. Yeah, I think that pretty much sums this up. So how about a cozy bowl of Khao Soi tonight? You only need thirty minutes.

You can do it!

overhead close up photo of 30 Minute Thai Chicken Meatball Khao Soi with chopsticks in soup bowl

If you make this Weeknight Thai Chicken Meatball Khao Soi, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!

Weeknight Thai Chicken Meatball Khao Soi.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 636 kcal

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

Ingredients

Instructions

  • 1. Add the chicken, green onions, ginger, garlic, and a pinch of pepper to a bowl. Mix until just combined. Coat your hands with a bit of oil, and roll the meat into tablespoon-size balls (will make 15-20 meatballs).
    2. Heat a large pot over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil shimmers, add the meatballs and sear until crisp, about 4-5 minutes, turning them 2-3 times. Toss in the bok choy and cook 2 minutes more, until just charred on the edges. Transfer everything to a plate.
    3. To the same pot, add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and the curry paste. Cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk, chicken broth, fish sauce, and honey. Slide the meatballs and bok choy back into the soup. Simmer over medium heat until the meatballs are cooked through, 5-8 minutes. Stir in the herbs.
    4. Meanwhile, cook noodles according to package directions.
    5. Divide the noodles between bowls and ladle the soup over. Top each bowl as desired with basil, green onions, shallots, lime juice, and chili oil.
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Comments

  1. Love this soup and come back to it again and again and currently making it for my birthday. Only this time I tried ground turkey and let me tell ya…it stuck to the pan so badly!!! But honestly it’s still going to taste great. Just word to the wise- if you deviate and use a different meat maybe try backing on a cookie sheet instead of searing. Turkey did not want to cooperate!

    1. Hey Leslie,
      Fantastic!! 🍁🍂 I am delighted to hear that this recipe is always a hit, thanks so much for making it and sharing your review! xT

  2. 5 stars
    This is one of my partners and I’s favorite recipes! We’ve been making it since you posted it in 2020, and it’s now become our favorite cold weather soup. We just made it for the first time this fall…and man it’s so good. I’d been waiting all summer for the day I could finally make this soup again! Woohoo! Thanks for the good recipe.

    1. Hey Heidi,
      Happy Wednesday!!👻 I truly appreciate you giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback, I love to hear that it was enjoyed:)

  3. 5 stars
    I try a lot of recipes, and my daughter wants me to make her a recipe box with her favorites in it. I was looking up her favorites and the overwhelming majority are yours. This is one of her favorites and mine too. She calls your recipes “ box worthy.”

  4. 5 stars
    Very tasty. Adding this to my soup arsenal. It didn’t require a ton of prep (like chopping a million veggies) – tho I did add some shiitake and red pepper I had leftover. To save time, I didn’t make the chicken into meatballs, but it worked great as ground pieces. I also added a little extra garlic, ginger and sriracha.

  5. 5 stars
    This is a delicious recipe that I made as written. The only thing I would say is that I would not consider this a quick weeknight meal. Maybe I’m just slow. 🙂

    1. Hi Deborah,
      Perfect! I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your review, I love to hear that it was a hit! Sorry this took longer than expected! xxT

  6. 5 stars
    Another family favorite. My three young daughters ask for this all the time (which is a miracle because they are incredibly picky for the most part). I add just a tablespoon sambal oelek chili paste for the tiniest kick.

    1. Hey Megan,
      That’s so great!! Thanks for making this recipe so often, I am so glad it is always enjoyed:) Happy Thursday! xx

  7. 5 stars
    My family thinks I am a fancy chef when I make this, which is about once per month. I buy whole chicken breasts and use the food processor to grind it. The leftovers are great for taking to work for lunch. Thanks!

    1. Hey Jaime,
      Fantastic!! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks for trying it out! I hope you had a great holiday weekend!?

  8. 5 stars
    Easily one of a our top 5 recipes we make of yours! We both are gluten/diary sensitive – but for whatever reason with this recipe we both leave pretty bloated. Any ideas on what might cause that from the ingredients?
    (Either way it won’t stop us from making it lol)

    1. Hey Tatum,
      Happy Monday!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a go! So sorry, could it be from the salt? xxT

  9. 5 stars
    Another great Asian recipe by HBH! We made this with lamb mince instead of chicken because it is hard to find chicken mince here in NZ. So delicious – the broth was perfect for a cold autumn night. Definitely recommend!

    1. Hey Ally,
      Awesome!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! ?xx

  10. 3 stars
    Sadly, not my favorite HBH recipe. It turned out very bland for me. I did not have chili oil to add at the end, which would’ve been a nice addition. It tasted like a bowl of ramen 🙁 I used nice quality egg noodles & followed recipe. I’d add more to sauce. Meatballs were good but I expected sauce to be the star of the dish.

  11. 5 stars
    Super yummy!! Made this for the fam mid week and turned out awesome. Added some Krispy mushrooms on top too since I had them in the fridge. 🙂

  12. 5 stars
    I love this recipe and make it all the time. My “meat and potatoes” boyfriend is also a huge fan. I use cubed boneless/skinless chicken thighs instead of ground chicken and follow the rest of the recipe as described…sooooo good 🙂

    Thanks for another hit Tieghan!

    1. Hi Mandy,
      Happy Wednesday!! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed! xT

    2. Love this recipe! I make it all the time. I add mushrooms, kale and lime juice to it. It’s super flavourful and delicious! So. Good.

      1. Hey Faith,
        Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your feedback, I love to hear that it was enjoyed!! xTieghan

  13. 5 stars
    I absolutely loved this soup and usually I am not a Thai kitchen kinda person! Although it was “too healthy” for my husband’s taste who loves grease and fast food:( Oh well, I’ll make it for myself any time!:)

    1. Hey Irina,
      Awesome!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad to hear that it was enjoyed!! xx

  14. This is hands down one of my absolute FAVORITE recipes. We make it regularly throughout the winter and it never gets old. We’ve made it for friends and family when we’ve had them over and it is always such a hit. One recommendation…double the recipe so you have leftovers to enjoy! It’s even better the next day. Thank you, Tieghan!

  15. 5 stars
    This is just so good we make it on almost a weekly basis. With homemade pasta you swear you hear angels sing with each bite. My fav!