This Crock Pot Coconut Chicken Soup recipe comes with a mega dose of fresh vegetables, creamy, tangy broth and keeps you feeling full for hours. Simple to prepare and easy to customize for a healthy meal. I have included both slow cooker and stove top instructions!
For those who love Thai flavors, this easy coconut chicken soup is GOLD! It combines fresh flavors that are common in any Thai soup, like ginger, garlic, lime, and coconut milk for the best chicken coconut soup.
Plus, it is simple to make in the crock pot, and the slow cooking helps develop deeper flavors that really shine.
If you’re a big fan of Thai chicken soup (tom kha gai), this is one of those great recipes worthy of putting on repeat because it uses ingredients you can find at any local grocery store, and it simple to customize too.
If you prefer making soup on the stove top, no worries. I have included instructions in my FAQ section on how to prepare it on the stove top versus in the crock pot.
Ingredients for Crock Pot Coconut Chicken Soup:
Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs: One of the main ingredients, boneless chicken thighs is the rich protein source. I prefer using thighs over chicken breasts because they remain tender and rich, whereas breasts dry out easily.
Full-Fat Canned Coconut Milk: I’m here for a rich broth, and full-fat coconut milk delivers! It brings a silky creamy texture and subtle coconut flavor. For less fat, you can use light coconut milk. Just note that the soup won’t taste as rich due to the lower fat content.
Chicken Broth: The soup requires more cooking liquid in addition to the coconut milk, and I find chicken stock is perfect for that task.
Yellow Onion and Fresh Garlic: Providing a lovely canvass of flavor, onion and garlic are delicious in any homemade soup recipe.
Lime Zest and Lime Juice: A spritz of vibrant tangy flavor comes from fresh lime zest and fresh lime juice. Adjust the amount to your personal taste. If you have access to kaffir lime leaves, use them instead of regular lime.
Coconut Aminos: Rich umami flavor and some subtle sweetness to complete the flavor profile comes from coconut aminos. Or, use soy sauce and brown sugar to replace the coconut aminos.
Fish Sauce: Brings savory flavor due to its umami saltiness. Fish sauce is an all star ingredient in Thai food recipes, so I keep it on hand for the nights I make Thai. Nevertheless, you can skip it if you don’t often cook with it.
Fresh Ginger: A kick of subtle heat and big ginger flavor comes from the one and only ginger root. If you have access to galangal, feel free to use it instead of ginger.
Fresh Vegetables: I use mushrooms, red bell pepper, zucchini, and carrots, but you can pick your favorite veggies. Any kind of vegetable works! Fresh tomatoes, sweet potatoes, bok choy, and cauliflower are all good options.
Tapioca Flour: If you prefer thicker soups, add tapioca flour, gluten-free all-purpose flour or a cornstarch slurry to get your preferred texture. I add a little amount so that there is a silkiness to the broth, but I don’t make it as thick as chowder.
Recipe Customizations:
- Swap out the coconut aminos for 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and 1 tablespoon of pure maple syrup or sugar.
- If you have access to lemon grass, add 2 stalks. To do so, make a slice down the center of each stalk with a sharp knife and remove the tough outer layer and discard it. Then, cut the inner stalks into 3-inch pieces and add them to the crock pot at the beginning of cooking. Remove the lemongrass from the soup before serving.
- Switch the chicken out for fish or shrimp, as seen in my Coconut Lime Fish Soup. To do so, add the fish or shrimp at the very end of cooking.
- Add ½ cup of white rice at the same time as the vegetables for a heartier meal, or brown rice at the beginning of cooking. Or, add 4 to 8 ounces of rice noodles.
- For an unmistakable curry flavor, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of red curry paste, green curry paste, or yellow curry paste to the soup.
How to Make Crock Pot Coconut Chicken Soup:
Add the chopped onion, minced garlic, canned coconut milk, chicken broth, coconut aminos, fish sauce, and grated ginger (everything except for the vegetables) to your crock pot.
Secure the lid on the crock pot and cook for 2 hours on high heat. Stir in the chopped mushrooms, carrot, zucchini, and red pepper (or veggies of choice), and tapioca flour (or thickener of choice) and cook for another 1 hour on high heat.
Remove the chicken thighs from the slow cooker using tongs and transfer them to a cutting board. Shred the chicken using two forks, and transfer it back to the crock pot.
Stir in the lime zest and lime juice. Taste the soup for flavor and add sea salt to your personal taste.
Serve soup in big bowls with fresh cilantro and/or chopped green onions if you like them.
Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Here are the stove top instructions:
Heat 2 tablespoons of avocado oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion, stirring occasionally, until it has softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chopped garlic and chicken thighs and brown the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes per side.
Add in the rest of the ingredients except for the vegetables. Cover and bring everything to a full boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
Stir in the chopped fresh vegetables (mushrooms, carrots, zucchini and bell pepper) and cook until the vegetables have reached your desired level of doneness, about 10 to 20 minutes.
Remove the chicken thighs from the soup using tongs and use two forks to shred them on a cutting board. Transfer the shredded chicken back into the soup pot, and serve.
Because there are so many big flavors in this soup, like chicken, onion, garlic, ginger, and lime, the coconut flavor gets masked for the most part. It is here for the creaminess and to provide a classic Thai-inspired essence to the meal.
Yes! Swap out the can of coconut milk for 1 ½ cups of half & half, or 1 cup of heavy cream.
The next time you’re craving Thai food, whip up this refreshing little number. I find it is perfect for meal prep, as the recipe can easily be made ahead of time, and it can be doubled or tripled.
If you enjoy making homemade soup recipes, also try these reader favorites.
More Soup Recipes:
- Mediterranean Chicken Soup
- Creamy Chicken and Sweet Potato Soup
- Pasta e Fagioli Soup
- Chicken and Cabbage White Bean Soup
- Birria Soup with Vegetables
This delicious soup makes the best comfort food!
Slow Cooker Coconut Chicken Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 to 1.5 lbs chicken thighs
- ½ yellow onion finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 15-oz can full-fat coconut milk
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 2 Tbsp coconut aminos
- 1 tsp fish sauce
- 1 Tbsp fresh ginger peeled and grated
- 2 cups mushrooms chopped
- 1 large carrot chopped
- 1 medium-sized zucchini chopped
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 2 to 3 Tbsp tapioca flour optional*
- 1 lime zested
- 2 Tbsp lime juice
- ½ tsp sea salt to taste
For Serving:
- 1 cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 1 bunch green onions chopped
Instructions
- Add the chopped onion, minced garlic, canned coconut milk, chicken broth, coconut aminos, fish sauce, and grated ginger (everything except for the vegetables) to your crock pot.
- Secure the lid on the crock pot and cook for 2 hours on high heat. Stir in the chopped mushrooms, carrot, zucchini, and red pepper (or veggies of choice), and tapioca flour (or thickener of choice) and cook for another 1 hour on high heat.
- Remove the chicken thighs from the slow cooker using tongs and transfer them to a cutting board. Shred the chicken using two forks, and transfer it back to the crock pot.
- Stir in the lime zest and lime juice. Taste the soup for flavor and add sea salt to your personal taste.
- Serve soup in big bowls with fresh cilantro and/or chopped green onions if you like them.
- Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
