Golden Coconut Chicken Rice Soup (Printable)
Creamy coconut-turmeric broth with tender chicken, jasmine rice and bright lime — a cozy gluten-free bowl.
# What You'll Need:
→ Poultry
01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 14 oz), diced into bite-size pieces
→ Vegetables & Aromatics
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated
05 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into thin rounds
06 - 1 red bell pepper, cored and diced
→ Rice & Grains
07 - ¾ cup jasmine or basmati rice, rinsed and drained
→ Liquids
08 - 4 cups chicken broth
09 - 1 can (13.5 fl oz) full-fat coconut milk
→ Spices & Seasonings
10 - 1½ tsp ground turmeric
11 - ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
12 - ½ tsp ground coriander (optional)
13 - 1½ tsp kosher salt, or to taste
14 - 2 tbsp olive oil or coconut oil
15 - Juice of 1 fresh lime
→ Garnish
16 - 2 tbsp fresh cilantro or flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
17 - Lime wedges, for serving
# How To Make:
01 - Heat the oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, minced garlic, and grated ginger. Sauté for 2–3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent and the aromatics are fragrant.
02 - Stir in the ground turmeric, black pepper, and coriander if using. Toast the spices for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until they deepen in color and release a warm, earthy aroma.
03 - Add the sliced carrots and diced red bell pepper to the pot. Cook for 2 minutes, tossing to coat the vegetables evenly in the spiced oil.
04 - Add the diced chicken breasts to the pot. Cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pieces are lightly browned on all sides but not fully cooked through.
05 - Stir in the rinsed rice until well distributed, then pour in the chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then cover with a lid. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom.
06 - Pour in the coconut milk and season with salt. Continue simmering uncovered for 8–10 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until the chicken is cooked through, the rice is tender, and the soup has developed a rich, creamy consistency.
07 - Remove from heat and stir in the fresh lime juice. Taste the broth and adjust salt or pepper as needed. Ladle into warm bowls, top with chopped cilantro or parsley, and serve alongside lime wedges.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The coconut milk makes it feel indulgent but the whole pot comes together with ingredients you probably already have sitting around.
- It freezes beautifully so you can make a double batch and pretend you are the kind of person who always has homemade soup ready to go.
02 -
- If you add the coconut milk too early it can break and look curdled instead of creamy so wait until the final ten minutes.
- Rinsing the rice seems fussy but skipping it turns this silky soup into something gloppy and I learned that the hard way on a night I was feeling lazy.
03 -
- Grate the ginger directly into the pot using a microplane so the fibers melt right in and nobody bites into a stringy chunk.
- Always taste for salt after adding the lime juice because the acid shifts the whole flavor balance and you might need one more pinch.