This chicken curry soup is one of my favorite chicken soup recipes – it’s chicken soup with an added twist of Indian spices. I have always felt that no self-respecting Indian would use curry powder in their cooking. Well, I suppose I have no self-respect because this chicken curry soup recipe uses curry powder and I’m not embarrassed to admit it, AND it is delicious!
Generally used in Western interpretations of Indian dishes, curry powder is not commonly used within India. Indian cooks use the individual spices of coriander, cumin, turmeric, garam masala, and countless other spices to spice our curries. The spices used also differ based on what part of India you come from. Curry powder was most likely an invention of the British, who when leaving India wanted to take back to England the flavors they had grown to love, and thus they created curry powder.
I hear people say they like curry. To me that’s like saying they like casseroles. Many people equate ‘curry’ with the flavors of curry powder, but to an Indian the word ‘curry” actually refers to any dish that is cooked with Indian spices, with or without gravy, and with meat and/or vegetables.
I love the flavors of this soup. It is spicy and tasty, and it’s comfort food on a cold fall or winter day (which we are still waiting for here in Salt Lake City – it’s been so warm!) Hope you like it! The other soup that I really love is Beef Curry Stew. It is simple yet delicious. So I hope you get to try that one too.
Indian Chicken Curry Soup Stages of Cooking
Indian Chicken Curry Soup
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 2 Tbsp garlic minced
- 3 Tbsp ginger minced
- 1 jalapeno sliced
- 3 Tbsp curry powder or to taste
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into 1 inch cubes.
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup diced tomatoes
- 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 1 14- oz can coconut milk
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Instructions
- Heat oil in large saucepan. Add onions, garlic, ginger, jalapeno and saute until softened and onions are golden brown, stirring often.
- Add curry powder and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add chicken and stir to coat the chicken with the spices; fry until chicken pieces begin to lose their pink color and start to brown.
- Add broth, tomatoes, cilantro and stir. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Using a large ladle, remove about 2 cups of liquid, and strain into a bowl, returning solids back to soup.
- Melt butter in a separate small saucepan over medium heat.
- Whisk in flour and stir constantly until mixture starts to bubble. Lower heat and stir until aromatic and light brown.
- Gradually pour in the strained soup, stirring constantly.
- Add the strained soup mixture back into the pot of soup and stir well.
- Cook for an additional 5 minutes.
- Add spinach and coconut milk. Cook until spinach just starts to wilt.
- Serve over rice or with bread.
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Erin
I made this for dinner tonight with a loaf of sour bread on the side and some jasmine rice to add into it and it was amazing! Thanks for the great recipe, I will be adding this to my regular meal rotation!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Hi Erin- thank you for your comment. I’m thrilled that you liked the recipe and will make it again 🙂
Audrey
5 stars from an Indian. It’s the best you can get. You can spice it up if you want to, but my little one just loves this as is.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Thanks Audrey! I’m so happy to hear that you like one of my favorite recipes 🙂
Denise
Definitely worth making a double batch. Thanks for the wonderful recipe!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Denise, I agree – it goes pretty quick 🙂 Thanks for commenting.
Donna
Loved, loved this soup. Sooooo good when feeling those seasonal allergies. Easy to make and so worth it!!!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Thank you Donna! I love this recipe so much, too!
Mikaela
This sounds delicious! The high yesterday was 2 degrees… TWO. Definitely need more soup in my life. This sounds perfect for dipping naan in!!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Yesss!! Naan to sop up the bits in the bowl!
Riva
We’re snowed in here; this sounds like the perfect soup to make today! Cant wait to try it!
Lindsay
This looks like perfect comfort food on a cold, grey day. I will definitely give it a try. Thanks for the inspiration and education on curry.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Thanks Lindsay!