Today we will show you how to make this chicken Kapoon recipe from scratch. This chicken curry noodle soup is rich, filling, and hearty!
There are many different variations out there. This one we make today is easy, contains mainly accessible ingredients, and doesn’t take as long as many other versions of this soup.
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What Goes Into Making Our Chicken Kapoon Recipe?
Chicken Kapoon, more commonly known as “Khao Poon” is a traditional Lao spicy rice vermicelli soup. There are many different variations of this dish throughout the country. Even neighboring regions like Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, and Indonesia all have their own versions of it.
So, what goes into this soup? As we’ve mentioned, it is made with rice vermicelli noodles. The meat used is usually chicken, but there are versions made with fish or pork as well.
The soup is extremely flavorful and common additions include fish sauce, padaek (Lao fish sauce), and fresh lime and mint leaves. Ingredients like garlic, shallots, and Lao chilies are must add-ingredients as well.
The soup base of this dish is another versatile element. Many people like making it with plain chicken broth. But there are popular versions made with coconut curry.
Today, we will be making Khao Poon Nam Gai. It’s a coconut curry chicken noodle soup. It has a very bright color and a ton of delicious textures and flavors.
It’s definitely a curry that takes some time to make because of how the flavors should develop. But trust us, every second is worth the wait.
You can also make this chicken Kapoon recipe in advance and freeze it for later. It can easily last up to 6 months in the freezer if you store it well.
One thing to keep in mind about this recipe: we have simplified the ingredients and process a lot. You will see many traditional recipes contain ingredients like pork blood, chicken feet, stewing hens, etc.
It’s not that these ingredients aren’t flavorful, it’s just that many people get put off by them and they can be difficult to find in some areas of the country.
So again, we’ve simplified things a lot. You will still be able to enjoy an uber-flavorful traditional Kapoon soup loaded with similar flavors.
What You Need To Make This Laos Kapoon Recipe
Ingredients for the soup broth
- 8 cups water
- 1 small knob of ginger (or galangal)
- 2 stalks of lemongrass
- 4 lime leaves
- Handful of fresh cilantro
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 large chicken, cleaned and portioned
- 1 tablespoon of miso (or shrimp paste)
Ingredients for the chili sauce
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 12 cloves of shallot, minced
- 12 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup red curry paste
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 can (14 ounces) coconut cream
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar
Ingredients for the vegetables
- 1 pound vermicelli rice noodles
- 1 bunch of beans, chopped
- 1 medium red cabbage, shredded
- 3 large carrots, shredded
- 2 cups bean sprouts
- Handful of fresh mint leaves, washed and dried
Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing bowls
- Large pot
- Mixing spoon or spatula
- Fork
Step by step instructions
Step 1: Start the broth base
To start the broth, fill a pot with water. Then, add the ginger, lemongrass, lime leaves, cilantro, and salt to a rolling boil.
Add the chicken and leave the ingredients to simmer for about 20-40 minutes. Always check whether or not the chicken is ready before removing it from the heat.
Step 2: Shred the chicken
Once the chicken is completely cooked and falls off the bone, you can start shredding it. Strain the broth.
Remove as much meat as possible. Discard the bones when you are done.
Then, in a large mixing bowl, work the chicken and miso paste together. You can use a fork to “smash” the ingredients together. They should be very well combined. Set them aside.
Step 3: Make the chili curry sauce
Heat the oil over medium heat. Add the minced shallots and garlic. Allow them to fry for about 30-60 seconds.
Then, add the curry paste and paprika. Reduce the heat and allow the ingredients to sit for about 8 minutes.
Next, add the coconut cream and bring the sauce back to a simmer. Allow it to cook for 6-8 minutes.
Then, add the strained chicken broth, fish sauce, and sugar. Mix the ingredients well and simmer on low for 2 minutes.
Step 4: Add the pounded miso-chicken
Once your sauce base is ready, you can add your chicken. Again, mix the ingredients very well.
Leave the Kapoon to simmer on low heat for 15 minutes.
Step 5: Prepare the rice vermicelli noodles
While the chicken Kapoon base is simmering, start cooking the noodles.
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the noodles and allow them to cook for 5-7 minutes.
Once the noodles are cooked, strain them from the boiling water. Then, rinse them under cool running water until they reach room temperature.
Place them in cold water and separate the strands from each other. Leave them to sit for 10 minutes.
Step 6: Assemble your chicken Kapoon recipe
Add the cooked noodles to a large serving bowl. Then, add the chili curry sauce over the noodles along with some chicken.
Add in your fresh shredded and chopped vegetables as well. And finally, garnish the bowl with fresh bean sprouts and mint leaves
Expert Tips And Tricks
- You can choose any cut of chicken that you’d like. Smaller cuts will cook faster than, for example, a whole chicken. So, to reduce some time, use drumsticks or thighs.
- When cooking vermicelli noodles, you have to stir them often. This helps prevent them from clumping together.
- You can adjust the specific flavors of this chicken Kapoon recipe. If you like it spicier, add more chilies. Or if you like it very umami, add more miso and fish sauce. It’s entirely up to your personal preference.
Preparations Times And Servings
| Preparation Time | Cooking Time | Servings |
| 10 minutes | 1 hour 10 minutes | 6-8 |
Wrapping Things Up – An Uber-Hearty Chicken Kapoon Recipe
We hope that you will fall in love with this chicken Kapoon recipe as much as we did. It is extremely flavorful, very filling and hearty, and surprisingly versatile.
Let us know what you think about it in the comments below!
Easy Umami Chicken Kapoon Recipe In Under 2 Hours
Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing bowls
- Large Pot
- Mixing spoon or spatula
- Fork
Ingredients
Ingredients for the soup broth
- 8 cups water
- 1 small knob of ginger, or galangal
- 2 stalks of lemongrass
- 4 lime leaves
- Handful of fresh cilantro
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 large chicken, cleaned and portioned
- 1 tablespoon of miso, or shrimp paste
Ingredients for the chili sauce
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 12 cloves of shallot, minced
- 12 cloves of garlic,minced
- 1/3 cup red curry paste
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 can (14 ounces coconut cream)
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar
Ingredients for the vegetables
- 1 pound vermicelli rice noodles
- 1 bunch of beans, chopped
- 1 medium red cabbage, shredded
- 3 large carrots, shredded
- 2 cups bean sprouts
- Handful of fresh mint leaves, washed and dried
Instructions
- Start the broth baseTo start the broth, fill a pot with water. Then, add the ginger, lemongrass, lime leaves, cilantro, and salt to a rolling boil.Add the chicken and leave the ingredients to simmer for about 20-40 minutes. Always check whether or not the chicken is ready before removing it from the heat.8 cups water, 1 small knob of ginger, or galangal, 2 stalks of lemongrass, 4 lime leaves, Handful of fresh cilantro, 2 tablespoons kosher salt, 1 large chicken, cleaned and portioned
- Shred the chickenOnce the chicken is completely cooked and falls off the bone, you can start shredding it. Strain the broth.Remove as much meat as possible. Discard the bones when you are done.Then, in a large mixing bowl, work the chicken and miso paste together. You can use a fork to "smash" the ingredients together. They should be very well combined. Set them aside.1 tablespoon of miso, or shrimp paste
- Make the chili curry sauceHeat the oil over medium heat. Add the minced shallots and garlic. Allow them to fry for about 30-60 seconds.Then, add the curry paste and paprika. Reduce the heat and allow the ingredients to sit for about 8 minutes.Next, add the coconut cream and bring the sauce back to a simmer. Allow it to cook for 6-8 minutes.Then, add the strained chicken broth, fish sauce, and sugar. Mix the ingredients well and simmer on low for 2 minutes.12 cloves of shallot, minced, 12 cloves of garlic,minced, 1/3 cup red curry paste, 1 tablespoon paprika, 1 can (14 ounces coconut cream), 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- Add the pounded miso-chickenOnce your sauce base is ready, you can add your chicken. Again, mix the ingredients very well.Leave the Kapoon to simmer on low heat for 15 minutes.
- Prepare the rice vermicelli noodlesWhile the chicken Kapoon base is simmering, start cooking the noodles.Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the noodles and allow them to cook for 5-7 minutes.Once the noodles are cooked, strain them from the boiling water. Then, rinse them under cool running water until they reach room temperature.Place them in cold water and separate the strands from each other. Leave them to sit for 10 minutes.1 pound vermicelli rice noodles
- Assemble your chicken Kapoon recipeAdd the cooked noodles to a large serving bowl. Then, add the chili curry sauce over the noodles along with some chicken.Add in your fresh shredded and chopped vegetables as well. And finally, garnish the bowl with fresh bean sprouts and mint leaves1 bunch of beans, chopped, 1 medium red cabbage, shredded, 3 large carrots, shredded, 2 cups bean sprouts, Handful of fresh mint leaves, washed and dried
Notes
Nutrition
My name is Ania, and I am very glad to see you here. I have always loved cooking; even some of my earliest memories are flipping through a cookbook and making pudding standing on a stool because I was too small to reach the stove.
You should know that I am not a professionally trained chef, just a big food lover who grew up in a family obsessed with cooking and focused on what we eat.
Your culinary ideas never cease to impress! Thanks again for the inspiration.