Oh, I’m down for the count…sick with a cold and not moving from the couch.  So, my sweetheart of a husband cooked up one of our favorite soups, a nice Thai twist on Mom’s homemade chicken noodle soup…just what the doctor ordered!  The recipe below makes about 4 servings…but we always double it since it’s so yummy.  Quick & easy for weeknights too…and only one pot, so quick clean up.

Adapted from the cookbook Soup, Superb Ways with a Classic Dish

1 TBS vegetable oil
1 garlic clove, minced
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (~ 6oz each)
halved and chopped
½ tsp tumeric
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
½ cup coconut milk (light works fine too)
3 ¾ cups chicken stock
2 TBS lemon or lime juice
2 TBS crunchy peanut butter (or smooth with some crushed peanuts added in to the soup)
1 cup thread egg noodles broken into small pieces (if you can’t find these, buy those old school Ramen noodles from college, just throw out that super salty spice packet!)
1 TBS chopped scallions
1TBS fresh cilantro, chopped
salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
shredded coconut and finely chopped fresh red chili to garnish (optional)Heat the oil in a large pan or dutch oven.  Add the garlic and fry for 1 minute until light golden.  Add the chicken and spices and stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes

Add the coconut milk and chicken stock to the chicken meat and add the lemon/lime juice, peanut butter and thread egg noodles. Cover the pan and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add the scallions and fresh cilantro, season well with salt and freshly ground pepper.  Simmer for 5 minutes longer.

If using the garnish, heat the shredded coconut and chili in a small dry skillet for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the coconut is light brown.

Pour the soup into bowls and sprinkle with dry-fried coconut and chili.  Serve.