Thai Coconut Curry Chicken Soup

The cafeteria at my work made this recently and I could not get enough of it! My friends and I kept going back for more as if it was one more scoop of ice cream! Yeah, that good. So, I started looking at different recipes out there and came up with a hodge podge that suited my tastes.

It's hitting the spot on these drizzly Fall days and my whole family loved it. Oh, did I mention that it's super easy? Just get ready to get your chop on. There is a lot of chopping involved. Put on some tunes and get in the zone. You'll be rewarded with this soup for sure. The best thing about this soup is that you don't have to make a roux to get that cheesy flavor. This soup is not too "curry-y" either. Haha. Side note: this soup is Whole 30 approved and Gluten Free as well! Eat up, guilt free!

Here is the recipe:

1 T fat of your choosing (ghee, vegetable oil, olive oil, coconut oil)
1 -  chopped yellow onion
2 - minced garlic cloves
1 tsp fresh minced ginger
1 - sliced red or orange bell pepper 
3 - cubed potatoes (leave skins on)
1/2 butternut squash cubed
5 ot 6 baby bok choy
2 handfuls baby spinach
1 rotisserie chicken -or- 4 cooked chicken breasts
1 - 32 oz. Chicken broth
2 cups water
2 - 14 oz. cans coconut milk (lite or full fat, it's up to you!)
1 packet -or- 1 T yellow curry paste (mild - You can find these for sure at an Asian market or in the ethnic cooking aisle at the grocery store)
1 tsp salt (Add more or less to your liking)

(optional: Add fish sauce if desired and garnish with cilantro and lime, I did not and it was yummy anyway)

*** This soup is NOT spicy. I recommend using the red curry paste if you want to spice it up.

Instructions:

• Melt fat of your choice in large pot
• Saute onions, ginger, garlic, and peppers until tender.
• Add cubed potatoes, butternut squash, and the chopped thick ends of the bok choy.
• Add water as needed to keep from burning.
• When veggies are all tender, add chicken stock, coconut milk and curry paste. 
• Add the chicken, bok choy leaves and spinach leaves last and turn the burner to low.  (You don't want to overcook the delicate leaves or chicken)
• Add salt as needed.
• Ladle into bowls and garnish as you please!

Hope you enjoy this as much as we did! It is a very beautiful dish as well!