Foodie LOVE. | Vietnamese Chicken Curry Soup

Sweater weather and a warm bowl of soup to slurp... oh my gosh, is there anything more cozy when Autumn leaves start to fall outside? Count me in - and inside with my spoon ready!

One of my favorite Vietnamese soups I make for my kiddos and is packed with tender bites of nutritious root vegetables is a curry soup called Cà Ri Gà. Translation - Chicken Curry Soup.

Cà Ri Gà | Vietnamese Chicken Curry Soup Recipe

Serving for 4-6

Cooking Time: Overnight prep - 1.5 hours

What you'll need:

1 lb. Chicken (cubed), bone-in adds depth of flavor

5 Medium-sized Russet Potatoes (skinned, cubed)

3 Sweet Potatoes (skinned, cubed)

3-5 Carrots (skinned, chopped into chunks)

1 Whole Onion (diced)

3 Cloves of Fresh Garlic (peeled, minced)

1 Small Fresh Ginger Root (skinned, minced)

Vegetable Oil

Seasonings:

Chicken bouillon or Chicken Broth

2 tbs. Curry Powder

1 tsp. Chili Powder

1 Can of Coconut Milk

Dash of fish sauce to taste

Salt & Pepper to taste

Sprigs of Cilantro (to garnish)

Ok, I have to disclose that these exact measurements are kind of made up... I pretty much season everything to my taste and cuts are dependent on the mouth sizes I am feeding - which has been my little ones - so cube your root vegetables as chunky or cubed to your liking, preferences, and family needs. Okay, now we can get to simmering this soup up!

For the most flavor impact, you'll want to marinate your cubed chicken chunks in the fridge overnight. I find a durable freezer gallon ziploc bag is the perfect size for a pound of chicken and conveniently stores your marinade mess free and airtight sealed. However, marinading for at least an hour allows the flavors to marry if you're in a pinch for time.

1 ) In a gallon-size ziploc bag, add your cubed chicken chunks and season them with salt, pepper, and curry powder. Evenly coat your chicken chunks and seal them up to store in the fridge overnight for the most flavorful results. Or, at least one hour to a couple of hours.

2 ) In the meantime, wash and peel your root vegetables. Chop your russet potatoes, sweet potatoes, and carrots into cubes. I usually set them into a large colander and then run them under cold water to rinse off the excess starches, and this also helps to preserve the vibrancy of their colors. Set aside.

3 ) Next, you'll want to peel and mince your garlic and ginger, and chop your onion. These are the base foundations for the broth flavoring. Set these aside, but readily available to toss in.

4 ) In a large pot, you'll want to set the temp to Medium-high and add about 1-2 tbsp. of vegetable oil. Add your chicken chunks and brown them to get a layer of caramelized flavor. Once evenly browned, push the chicken chunks towards the sides of the pot to make a well in the middle of the pan and toss in your garlic, ginger, and onion and fry until aromatic, making sure not to burn them. Toss chicken and fried base seasonings together.

5 ) Once everything is browned and aromatic, pour in your chicken broth or enough cold water (with bouillon to taste) to cover the chicken, but enough space for the root vegetables - no more than 2/3 of the pot height. Stir and scrape the bottom of the pot of any browned bits.

6 ) Bring everything to a boil and then lower to a simmer for 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on how tender you want your chicken to be.

7 ) At the last 10-15 minutes, add all of your root vegetables and cook until tender. You'll also want to season your broth with any chili powder and a dash of fish sauce to taste.

8 ) Final step - once everyhting is cooked through and tender to your liking, stir in a can of coconut milk. Turn the heat off and season to taste if needed.

Garnish each bowl with a sprig of fresh cilantro. It's not only pretty, but tops off the soup with a bright flavor to cut through the savory broth.

Grab your spoon and cozy up for the chillier nights and fill your tummies with this Vietnamese bowl of goodness. I hope your family loves this soup as much as mine does!

With Foodie LOVE. Always, Thuy