Coconut Curry Chicken Soup

This recipe is inspired by Eat Love Eats.

This light, comforting soup is packed with vibrant flavor and healthy ingredients like butternut squash and lentils. It delivers all the richness of a curry without being heavy—perfect for when you want something warming but not overly filling.

The trick here is blending half the soup mixture with the coconut cream to create that silky, creamy texture without making the whole thing too rich. The red lentils add body and the green beans give you a nice fresh crunch at the end.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp oil (olive or vegetable)
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 full butternut squash (16-18 oz), diced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• up to 1 tsp kosher salt
• ½ cup dried red lentils, rinsed
• 8 cups chicken stock (low sodium)
• 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, deboned
• 1 can coconut cream (or the thick part of canned coconut milk)
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (or lime)
• 8 oz green beans (chopped), or a handful of frozen peas
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Instructions

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté for 5-10 minutes until starting to caramelize. Add the squash and cook for 5-7 minutes until the onion is soft. Stir in the ginger and garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Stir in the cumin, coriander, turmeric, and salt. Cook for 60 seconds. Add the lentils and toast for 1-2 minutes.

Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add the whole chicken thighs. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.

Remove the cooked chicken and dice it into small pieces. Set aside.

Take about half of the soup mixture (with the squash/lentils) and place it in a blender along with the coconut cream and lemon juice. Blend until completely smooth.

Return the smooth mixture, the diced chicken, and the green beans to the pot. Simmer for 5 minutes until the beans are tender.

Stir in the fresh cilantro and serve immediately!