- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
What you’ll need — tap to tick off as you go
- 600 g
- 200 g
- 400 ml
- 700 ml
- 4 tbsp
- 2 tbsp
- 2 tbsp
- 1 tbsp
- 150 g
- 15 g
- 15 g
Process
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Soak the rice noodles in a bowl of hot water for 8 minutes until pliable but still firm, then drain and set aside. Do not boil them or they will turn to mush in the soup.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the laksa paste and fry for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until it darkens slightly and smells fragrant.
Add the chicken thigh pieces to the pot and stir to coat in the paste. Cook for 3 minutes until the outside turns opaque.
Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
Stir in the coconut milk, fish sauce and brown sugar. Simmer gently for 5 minutes, then taste and adjust with more fish sauce or sugar if needed. Do not boil hard or the coconut milk may split.
Squeeze in the juice of 1 lime and stir well. Turn off the heat.
Divide the drained rice noodles between 4 deep bowls. Ladle the chicken and broth over the noodles.
Top each bowl with bean sprouts, cucumber matchsticks, mint and coriander leaves, and sliced red chilli. Serve with lime wedges on the side.
Kitchen notes
Kitchen notes
- The most common mistake is boiling the coconut milk hard after adding it, which makes the broth split and look grainy. Keep it at a bare simmer and stir gently.
- Frying the laksa paste in oil before adding liquid is essential: it blooms the spices and removes the raw paste taste. If the paste starts sticking, add a splash of broth.
- Rice noodles soak up broth quickly, so add them to bowls just before serving. If you are not eating immediately, keep noodles and broth separate.
- Chicken thighs stay juicy in the simmering broth; if you use breast meat, add it in step 4 and poach gently for only 7 minutes to avoid dryness.
Substitutions
- chicken thighs→firm tofu cubes or large prawns
- fish sauce→soy sauce with a pinch of salt
- rice noodles→thin egg noodles (not gluten-free)
- brown sugar→palm sugar or honey
Storage & reheating
Store leftover laksa in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Keep the noodles separate from the broth if possible, as they will swell. Reheat gently in a saucepan over medium-low heat until steaming, about 5 minutes, without boiling. Do not freeze, as the coconut milk and noodles will separate and turn grainy.
FAQ
The questions we get asked most
Why did my laksa broth split or look grainy?
The coconut milk was boiled too hard or added to a rolling boil. Coconut milk separates when heated aggressively. Next time, lower the heat to a bare simmer before stirring it in and keep it there for the rest of cooking.
Can I make chicken laksa ahead of time?
Yes, you can make the broth up to 2 days ahead and store it in the fridge. Reheat it gently, then cook fresh noodles and add the garnishes just before serving. The noodles should not sit in the broth overnight or they will absorb all the liquid.
How do I know when the chicken is cooked through?
Cut a piece of chicken in half; it should be opaque white all the way through with no pink. The pieces should also feel firm but still springy when pressed. If in doubt, simmer for 2 more minutes.
Can I use chicken breast instead of thighs?
Yes, but breast meat dries out faster. Add it after the broth comes to a simmer and poach gently for only 7 minutes, then turn off the heat. Thighs are more forgiving and stay juicy.
Is laksa paste spicy?
It varies by brand, but most laksa pastes are moderately spicy from chillies. Start with 3 tablespoons if you are sensitive, taste after adding the coconut milk, and add more if you want more heat. The coconut milk and sugar mellow the spice.
Can I freeze chicken laksa?
Freezing is not recommended because coconut milk tends to separate and become grainy after thawing, and the rice noodles turn mushy. If you must freeze, freeze only the broth for up to 1 month and add fresh noodles when reheating.
What can I use instead of fish sauce?
Use 2 tablespoons of soy sauce plus a pinch of salt. The flavour will be slightly less funky but still savoury. If you need a vegan version, use soy sauce and vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
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