Thai Chicken and Coconut Soup

Sous Vide Details: Cook Chicken at 142ºF for 2 hours

Ingredients, Serves 2-4:

• 1 skinless chicken breast
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 13oz can of unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 red pepper, seeds removed and thinly sliced
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms (use your favorite mushrooms)
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots
• 1/2 cup small diced celery
• 1 stalk of lemongrass, smashed and halved (3" length)
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 3 tablespoons minced garlic
• 3 tablespoons minced ginger
• 1/3 cup chopped Thai basil
• 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1 fresh lime
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVO)
• 1-3 tablespoons chopped Thai peppers (depending on how spicy you want it)
• Salt and pepper for taste

I LOVE Thai food and Thai soup is a special treat.  So I decided to try to re-produce a Thai chicken coconut soup that I always get from my local favorite Thai restaurant.  The key to Thai soup is the delicate flavor.

First we want to get the chicken cooked and what better way than to sous vide the chicken.  Sous vide chicken is incredible!  Pre-heat water bath to 142ºF.  Take the chicken breast and lightly salt and pepper.  Place in plastic bag and seal.  Place in water bath and cook for 2 hours.

A half an hour before the chicken is done, you can start on the soup.  In a large pot, heat the EVO on medium high heat.  Add the garlic and ginger and stir until their aroma is released.  Add the mushrooms and cook until soft.  Add the lemongrass, red peppers, celery and carrots and cook for 3 minutes.  Add the Thai peppers and cook for 1 minute.  Add the chicken stock, coconut milk, fish sauce and sugar and turn heat down to a simmer.  Simmer for 10 minutes.

When the chicken is done, remove from the water bath and bag and cut up the chicken into bite size pieces. Add the chicken and chopped Thai basil to the soup and cook for 3-5 minutes to infuse flavor.  Finally squeeze the lime juice into the soup.  Ladle the soup into bowls and top with cilantro and scallions.  Enjoy!

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