Panang Chicken Soup

Seriously good and easy to make - will not disappoint!

Time: 30 ish minutes

Serves: 2-4 depending on how hungry you are

You'll need:

• 1 large chicken breast

• 1 tablespoon avocado oil (or other neutral oil)

• 1 1/2 tablespoons red curry paste

• 1 1/2 tablespoons ginger paste (or fresh grated)

• 1 1/2 tablespoons lemongrass paste

• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric

• 4-6 cups of chicken broth or water mixed with Better Than Bouillon

• 1 package ramen noodles (just the noodles, no spice packet)

• 1/4 yellow or sweet onion

• 1/4 red bell pepper

• 1/3 cup fresh cilantro

• 1/2 - 1 cup coconut milk

• Optional: for some heat, add red pepper flakes or fresh jalapeno at the end

Instructions:

1. Using a well sharpened knife - thinly slice your onion and red bell pepper and set aside. Next thinly slice the chicken breast - it helps to cut at a slight angle instead of just straight down.

2. Add oil to a soup pot (I like using enameled cast iron) and heat over medium low. Once the oil loosens up, add in the chicken along with salt and pepper to taste. Cook until you can't see any pink pieces.

3. Add in the curry paste, ginger, lemongrass, and turmeric plus a splash of water or broth to help it loosen up. Once that is mixed in add the broth (enough so theres room to cook ramen) and bring it to a low simmer, then add in the ramen noodles and let them cook. Gently pull apart the noodles as the cook to help them loosen up.

4. Once the ramen is cooked through, add in the coconut milk. Start with half a cup and give it a taste, if you'd like it to be thicker or more coconutty add more! This will vary based on how much broth you added.

5. Stir in the onion, red bell pepper, and cilantro. Let it simmer for about 5 minutes then serve!

Notes:

• Ginger: you can use fresh or a ginger paste - if using fresh, make sure you use a zester to finely grate it

• Lemongrass: if you can't find lemongrass paste, do not worry! buy some fresh lemongrass paste, cut a 3-4 inch stalk in half and just let it simmer in the broth while the ramen is cooking then remove it

• Dietary: this is gluten free if you use rice pasta (you GF people know this) and dairy free as is. For a vegetarian version - use veggie broth and replace the chicken with either more veggies or tofu! Shrimp would be great in general but also for a pescatarian option.

• Health: I'm not saying this soup is an "absolute magical cure for the common cold" because thats a hefty claim BUT it did cure my cold so do with that what you will.