Easy Chicken Laksa Soup Recipe

You need to try this chicken laksa recipe. Comforting, rich coconut broth, spicy noodles, and flavorful chicken breast make up this mouthwatering southern Asia dish. Even though it’s a cosy recipe, it’s a healthy soup packed with aromatics, veg, and protein-rich chicken.  

Why you’ll love this recipe

• Super Easy Recipe: This chicken laksa is ready in less than 30 minutes, making it a great option for a midweek meal. With minimal steps and being cooked in one pot, the recipe is super easy and beginner-friendly.
• Spicy Comfort Food: Serve this chicken laksa recipe anytime you’re craving mildly spicy comfort food, but don’t want a heavy meal. The aromatics and flavours in this recipe will help satisfy any spicy cravings.
• Flavorful: A combination of garlic, lime, chillies, and coconut milk helps create the traditional laksa soup flavour. Expect a tangy, fiery, creamy, and sweet taste in every bite of this delicious soup.
• Low Calorie: Made with chicken breast, coconut milk, veg, and vermicelli noodles, each serving of this chicken laksa soup is relatively low in calories and healthy.

Here are some additional curry recipes to add to your weekly rotation: Simple Pork Curry with Coconut Milk, Slow Cooker Beef Curry, or Easiest Thai Green Curry.

What is Laksa?

Chicken laksa is a South Asian soup typically made with full fat coconut milk, brown sugar, aromatics, protein, and noodles. It’s known for its delicious, complex taste that’s equal parts tangy, creamy, sweet, and spicy. This spicy noodle soup is known for its curry broth, which is made with laksa paste, a coconut soup base.

There are two types of laksa: creamy and made with coconut milk (curry laksa) and tangy, which consists of a tamarind broth (asam laksa). This yummy recipe falls under the curry laksa category.

Once the soup is ready, it’s common to garnish laksa with toppings like crispy fried shallots, fried tofu puffs, fresh herbs, and lime juice.

This delicious soup’s exact country of origin is a mystery, but it’s said it comes from Peranakan culture, which combines Malaysian, Chinese, and Indonesian flavours. It continues to be popular in these same areas of Asia, with the ingredients varying slightly based on each location.

What is the best laksa paste to use?

The key to picking the best store bought laksa paste for chicken laksa is ensuring you grab an authentic option. 

Ingredients

The ingredients that make this Chicken Laksa recipe fantastic are the following:

Laksa Paste:
Use the above tips to pick the best laksa paste for this laksa recipe. I wouldn’t skip this ingredient, as it really helps create an authentic taste. You can usually find the top laksa paste at Asian markets. I recommend Por Kwan as a top choice. But, if you don’t have an Asian market near you, look for brands like Ayam and Prima Taste.

Be sure to grab laksa paste that is thick and made with aromatics and shrimp paste for the best flavour. Avoid any laksa paste that’s on the liquidy side.

Chicken Breast:
I love using chicken breast in Malaysian laksa, as it helps keep the recipe high protein and lower in calories. However, you can also use other types of protein like tofu, prawns, or fish balls if you prefer. For a cosier recipe, try making chicken thigh laksa with chicken thighs instead of breast.

Vermicelli Noodles:
These thin rice noodles take on the curry broth’s bold flavours, making them a delicious choice for this dish. You can also use noodles like rice sticks, wheat noodles, hokkien noodles (thicker rice noodles), egg noodles, or even lo mein if that’s what’s on hand.

See the recipe card for full information on all ingredients and quantities.

Variations/ Adaptations

Add your own twist to this chicken laksa soup recipe by trying the variations below.

• Make it Creamy: The curry broth of this chicken laksa is already creamy, but you can make it richer by adding in some evaporated milk. This will also increase the creaminess of the dish.
• Change the protein: Instead of making this poached laksa chicken with chicken breasts, try it with prawns, fish, or tofu. The bold broth pairs well with quite a few types of protein.
• Go Gluten-free: Most of the ingredients for this spicy curry soup are already gluten-free, so it’s easy to make it fit a gluten-free diet. Be sure to double-check that the laksa paste is gluten-free and use rice vermicelli noodles instead of regular vermicelli.
• Make it Low Carb: You can also make this one-pot recipe low-carb by leaving out the noodles or using shredded cabbage as a swap.
• Turn it Vegan: Make this laksa recipe (chicken-based) into a vegan dish using tofu instead of chicken. You’ll also need to either leave the fish sauce out or swap it with a combination of seaweed and soy sauce for a similar umami taste.
• Use Red/Green Curry Paste: If you can’t find laksa paste at the local store, you can use either green or red curry. The flavour will be a bit different, but it will still create a delicious curry soup base.
• Swap in Glass Noodles: If you’re in a hurry, you can make this soup faster with glass noodles instead of vermicelli. Since glass noodles are much thinner, they’re ready to eat almost instantly after they’re soaked in hot water.

How to make Chicken Laksa

1. Add laksa paste, chopped chilli, garlic, tumeric, and oil to a large sauce pan (Image 1).
2. Add salt and pepper, then stir and cook for 3-4 minutes or until fragrant (Image 2).

2. Pour the chicken stock into the pan and mix to incorporate the sauce (Image 3).

3. Add the chicken chunks and simmer on low for 5 minutes (Image 4).

5. After simmering for 5 minutes, add the mangetout and pak choi (Image 5).

6. Add the coconut milk to the pan with the flavored broth, chicken and vegetables (Image 6).

7. In a bowl, add boiling water and the vermicelli noodles then allow to soak for 2 minutes (Image 7).

8. Serve a few ladles of the soup over the noodles, then top with beansprouts, coriander, carrots, chilli oil, a lime wedge, and fresh chilli! (Image 8)

If you can’t get enough curry, try these recipes: Grilled Aubergine Curry, Easy Chicken Thigh Curry, or Simple Cod Curry.

Make Ahead Instructions

This chicken laksa is an even quicker dish when you make the broth and chicken ahead of time. Follow steps 1-3 of my recipe to create the broth and chicken. Then, allow it to cool fully. You can store the chicken and broth in the fridge for 3-4 days. Whenever you’re ready to enjoy a bowl of chicken laksa noodle soup, make a fresh serving of noodles and prep your toppings. Then, dig in!

Serving Suggestions

This yummy chicken laksa pairs well with various sides. If you want a lighter meal, enjoy it with a side salad. For a more comforting dish, serve it with rice or crusty bread so you can soak up the flavourful broth.

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Leftover Storage and Reheat Instructions

If you have leftover chicken laksa, you can easily enjoy it for lunch during the week. Be sure to follow the storage and reheating directions below for the best results.

Refrigerator: Be sure to store the noodles, broth and chicken, and toppings separately for this recipe. Make sure the broth, chicken, and noodles cool fully before packing them into separate containers (chicken and broth in one, noodles in another, and toppings in another). This recipe should stay good in the fridge for up to four days.

Freezer: You can also freeze leftover broth and chicken. I wouldn’t freeze the toppings or noodles, so be sure to only make what you can eat during the week. Let the broth and chicken cool fully before placing them in an airtight container. They should stay good in the freezer for up to three months.

Reheat: If you’ve frozen the broth and chicken, let it thaw overnight in the fridge. Then, heat it on the stove until warm. You’ll also need to make a fresh batch of noodles and toppings. To reheat this recipe from the fridge, simmer the broth on the stove and add the noodles in the last few seconds. Serve in a bowl with your desired toppings, and enjoy.

Recipe FAQs

Try pairing chicken laksa with these delicious Asian-inspired dishes for a cosy “fakeaway” meal: Easy Beef and Broccoli, Salt and Pepper Chips, or Chicken Katsu Curry.