Creamy Coconut Chicken Soup with Spinach, Lentils and rich Indian spices – healthy, hearty, filling and delicious!
I’ve had a bit of wander-lust lately. We’re dreaming of our next big adventure but until we decide where in the world we’re going, I took a quick trip right from our Virginia kitchen. I love experimenting with the rich, aromatic spices of India and find it a welcome change from our regular fare. And, soup is my preferred meal these days with all the rain and cool fall temperatures, it’s a warm, comforting meal. This Creamy Coconut Chicken Soup with Spinach and Lentils is loaded with amazing flavor and it’s very filling and satisfying, and healthy too!
The chicken is poached until tender then shredded and added to sautéed onions, garlic, ginger and a long list of spices including cumin, garam masala, coriander and turmeric. For a simple shortcut, use rotisserie chicken instead! Coconut milk, chicken broth and passata are poured into the pot to create a flavorful broth. Passata is a bottled raw tomato sauce found in most grocery stores. I purchased Centro San Marzano Tomato Pure Passata from our local Wegman’s for this soup. I love this product and they didn’t even ask me to say that!
Garnished with fresh parsley or cilantro and a few cashews, the soup is ready for a totally satisfying meal.
Thanks for PINNING!
Let’s be cooking friends! If you make our recipe please feel free to leave a comment on this post. I’m sure your experience and insights will help all our readers, and it helps me too. Also, if you’re on Pinterest feel free to leave a comment and photo there if you have one! If you share on INSTAGRAM tag @savingroomfordessert so we can stop by and give your post some love. And we’d be very happy if you’d FOLLOW Saving Room for Dessert on FACEBOOK| INSTAGRAM| PINTEREST | TWITTER and subscribe to our YOUTUBE channel for all the latest recipes, videos and updates. Thank you!!!
- 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 5 cups chicken stock, unsalted or low sodium preferred, divided
- 1 sprig of fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large white onion
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- a 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 1/2 tablespoons garam masala
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
- 1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
- 1 cup passata (Italian sieved tomatoes)
- 1 cup red lentils, sorted and rinsed
- juice of 1/2 fresh lemon
- 6 ounces baby spinach leaves
- sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
- fresh chopped parsley for garnish
- a handful of chopped cashews, peanuts or almonds if desired
- Combine 2 cups of chicken stock, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper and the thyme sprig in a large skillet or sauté pan. Bring to a boil then add the chicken breasts making sure they fit in a single layer. Reduce the heat to simmer and cook for 30 minutes, turning at least once. Turn off the heat and cover the pan. Allow the chicken to rest in the hot broth and finish cooking for about 15 more minutes. Remove the chicken and cut into bite sized pieces or shred, set aside. Remove the thyme sprigs but keep the chicken stock handy.
- While the chicken is cooking combine all the dry spices in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Once the chicken is shredded, heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium-high. Add the onion and sauté until it starts to soften. Add the garlic, ginger, and chicken. Sauté for 1 minute to combine. Add all the spices to the chicken mixture and stir until the chicken has taken up all the spices.
- Pour the reserved and remaining 3 cups of chicken stock, coconut milk and passata into the soup pot. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the pot. Gently simmer the soup for 30 minutes stirring occasionally.
- Add the lentils, cover the pot and continue to cook gently on low for another 15 minutes or until the lentils are cooked.
- Remove from the heat and check the seasoning. And add salt and pepper to taste. Add the fresh lemon juice and the spinach leaves. Stir until the spinach is just wilted.
- Serve immediately garnished with parsley and chopped cashews.
Here are a few more delicious soup recipes you might like:
- Potato Leek Soup with Homemade Croutons
- Minestrone Soup
- Creamy Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup ~ from Seasons & Suppers
- Thai Curry Butternut Squash Soup ~ from Simply Fresh Dinners
- Lemon Soup with Chicken and Israeli Couscous ~ from The View form Great Island
Are you ready for the holidays? It’s almost shocking how fast the days are flying by. I’m way behind on my Thanksgiving preparations this year but I do have a great homemade roll recipe to post later this week so please come back again soon! Thanks so much for stopping by!
Tricia
This soup is really delicious! It uses all the spices we already use in our home and was super easy to make. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you for letting me know Dawn!
Tricia, this is just my kind of meal.
Have a happy weekend.
🙂 Mandy xo
You too Mandy!
oh wow, this looks so good! I really want to develop a similar vegetarian recipe because coconut soup was such a big favourite of The Vikings before he was a veggie… I need a bowl now please x
Love soup and this one is delicious! Thanks so much!
What a delicious bowl of soup! All of those wonderful flavors and spices must make it warm and comforting going down. Love the spinach addition!
Thanks Susan – it is a very satisfying soup!
This soup looks fantastic , I have to make it when we go our next rain storm .
Thanks Gerlinde – it is tasty and satisfying. Have a great weekend.
Well you know how I feel about soup! 🙂 Love this one. What great flavours and love the addition of lentils for a little extra goodness.
Thanks Jennifer – the lentils thickens the soup a little but not too much – so warming and delicious. Stay warm!
I’m a big soup fan, but I might be the only one in my house! My kids will eat it, but are not overly enthusiastic. I love the flavors in your soup, coconut and curry spices are a great combination!
Soup is such a great meal Sheena. Thanks for stopping by!
We’re big into soups at this time of the year, too. It’s something we have at least once a week — usually more. And it’s going to be cold and rainy tonight, so I have a feeling it might be on the menu. 😉 Actually I should put THIS on the menu — so much flavor. And it looks terrific! Thanks.
Thanks John – I love your soup recipes!
I’m so thankful that our heat wave is finished, and I can finally enjoy soups. I just love them. I’ve never bought passata, but I am definitely keeping my eyes open for it. I tend to hoard canned tomatoes in every variety I can think of for whenever I need them. Plus, guess what? I can pressure cook the chicken breasts in five minutes! That’s another reason to invest in one. Wink, wink. Beautiful soup, and totally pinned to make.
Amen! I love this fall weather – and I need to look into that pressure cooker! Thanks 🙂
I can just smell all of those gorgeous spices, and I love how hearty you’ve made it with the lentils — can’t WAIT to make this one!
Thank you Sue!
Tricia, I love how you do everything to the 10th power. As in I’ll make soup but you make *soup* and it is just 10x better. I know your family can taste not only how good your food is but the love you put into it. This soup really looks amazing! I am totally in soup mode, too. Last thing I made was red lentil with curry and ginger. It would be the very humble version of something spectacular like this! : )
Aww you are so sweet Monica – this recipe may have a long list of ingredients but it is really easy to make. Have a lovely week!
That’s a long list of ingredients, but I bet the soup must be very delicious!
It is Angie – thanks for stopping by!
What a fantastic flavor this has, I need to make it pronto!
Thank you Diane!
Oh Tricia, this is so pretty. I love the fresh spinach garnish. I could eat this type of soup every day and never tire of it. Thanks for the tip about passata too, I never heard of it before. Pinning this for all the chili days ahead!
Me too Chris 🙂 But I am sure you’re eating some amazing foods in France!
Hi Tricia, I could eat this soup everyday for lunch and dinner, all of my favorites!! Gorgeous pics…..
Thank you so much Cheri!