Vibrant And Spicy Chicken Noodle Soup With Sriracha Recipe

This vibrant and spicy chicken noodle soup with sriracha recipe is simple enough to make on a busy weeknight, but layered and fragrant enough to feel like it came from your favorite Thai restaurant. If you've had the pleasure of travelling in Asia, then you probably have your own memories of eating your first bowl of noodle soup. Maybe it was on a rickety table in a bustling Thai market, the heat from the bowl constantly competing with the sweltering temperatures outside. Maybe it was in a ventilated hawker centre in a mall somewhere among the skyscrapers of Singapore, amidst the din of other diners. And maybe it was in a small restaurant, tucked into a side street in Hong Kong. Wherever the place, whatever the background, that first slurp of spicy chicken noodle, fragrant and searing, remains scorched into your brain. And it's precisely that flavor that we're looking to emulate with our chicken noodle soup with sriracha.

The aromatic broth here is made with chicken thighs, lemongrass, and makrut lime leaves. Flavored generously with brown sugar, soy, and sriracha, it is spicy, savory, and tangy all at once. Fat pieces of miniature corn, shimeji mushrooms, and celery compete for texture with the silky rice noodles, so that slurping them becomes a competitive sport. A few cilantro leaves, a squirt of lime, and even more sriracha later, and this soup just might become the best comfort bowl ever. 

To make this aromatic soup, you'll need chicken stock, boneless chicken thighs, diced lemongrass, makrut lime leaves, soy sauce, brown sugar, and sriracha, plus more for serving. You can use either fresh or dried lemongrass and lime leaves. For the toppings that give the soup its texture and character, we recommend using dried rice vermicelli noodles (though the thicker, pad Thai-like rice noodles will work just as well), green onions, tomatoes, shimeji mushrooms, celery, miniature corn, cilantro leaves, and lime wedges, for serving.

Bring the stock to a simmer in a large pot.

Add the chicken thighs, lemongrass, and lime leaves.

Simmer, covered, for 25 minutes until the chicken is tender.

Remove the chicken, cool slightly, then shred the meat.

Return the meat to the pot.

Add soy sauce, brown sugar, and sriracha to the broth. Adjust seasoning.

Boil a saucepan of water.

Prepare the rice noodles according to package directions, drain and rinse.

Add the green onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, celery, and miniature corn to the soup. Simmer for 4 minutes until the vegetables are just tender.

Divide the noodles between bowls.

Ladle the soup over the noodles, garnish with cilantro leaves, and serve with lime wedges and additional sriracha.

The best thing about layered soup is how easy it is to customize. We recommend not changing the broth itself, as the balance of flavors here was carefully calculated and arrived at through plenty of trial and error. (However, if you want to reduce the lemongrass amount, you can do that without hurting the soup too much.)

But from there, it's almost a blank canvas. You can substitute the thin rice noodles with wider, pad Thai-like noodles. Or use soba noodles, fat udon, or even ramen noodles for a noodle with a more substantial flavor that will still hold its texture. Can't find shimeji mushrooms? Use thinly sliced shiitake instead, or add some pan-fried oyster mushrooms (we don't love plain white or cremini mushrooms here as they become rather spongy). 

If you're not a fan of cilantro, omit it and add freshly sliced green onions instead. And if you don't want the soup to be too spicy, you can even reduce the sriracha amount, though we do think that would be your loss.

For a truly satisfying Asian meal to go along with the soup, we recommend going with Thai or Vietnamese-inspired dishes to complement the soup's flavors. Light and fresh spring rolls make for a great starter that will leave plenty of room for the rest of your feast. If you're short on time and want something crunchy and kid-friendly, air fry your favorite frozen spring rolls like a pro. 

For a substantial meaty option to go with the soup, our spicy beef stir fry is an excellent accompaniment. If you want a vegetarian option, try a teriyaki tofu and mushroom stir fry — just make sure to follow our one tip for stir-fried tofu that won't taste soggy and bland. 

Serve it with ice-cold boba tea or Vietnamese iced coffee, both of which will treat your sweet tooth while cooling the effects of the sriracha. And if you still want something sweet to follow, try some classic Thai mango sticky rice or a more involved Thai-style lemongrass lime bar.