Vietnamese Chicken Curry Soup (Ca Ri Ga)

Vietnamese chicken curry soup (ca ri ga) is made with madras curry powder, lemongrass, and coconut milk. The added use of coconut water makes this hearty Vietnamese curry lighter while still maintaining a rich, aromatic broth. Serve with a baguette (banh mi) or rice noodles.

When my family vacationed in Ho Chi Minh city and the Mekong Delta region of southern Vietnam many years ago, we thoroughly enjoyed the traditional Vietnamese cuisine: the world famous pho noodle soup, seafood dishes, salads, spring rolls, and the list goes on for other delicious Vietnamese foods.

Here is a memorable Vietnamese curry that I enjoyed in Vietnam and wanted to recreate in my own kitchen. Called “cà ri gà”, this chicken curry soup is a warm and scrumptious bowl of tender chicken in a rich curry stewed with potato and carrot.

If you are yearning for homemade soups and stews with Vietnamese flavor, you will be satisfied with this recipe. Although there is some wait time needed for the marinade to season the chicken, overall this is a very easy chicken curry recipe that the whole family can enjoy without much effort to prepare.

What is Vietnamese chicken curry soup?

Almost like a curry soup, Vietnamese chicken curry (cà ri gà) has a thinner broth with a sweet flavor tones from the coconut. You can dip your baguette, or banh mi, in the broth, or use the broth to pour over rice noodles to soak up the rich broth. It really is a wonderful, warm comfort food.

This ca ri ga recipe is made with chicken pieces that are marinated with Vietnamese curry powder, lemongrass, garlic, and fish sauce. Then the chicken is pan fried and simmered in a broth mixture of coconut milk and chicken stock.

For my recipe, I like to use less coconut milk and add coconut water to lighten things up a bit. You will still enjoy the rich, gently sweet, and earthy flavor that a classic Vietnamese curry offers without any heaviness.

What makes Vietnamese chicken curry different?

When it comes to the recipes with chicken for curries, Vietnamese chicken curry is a light and flavorful curry that is slightly different than Thai or Indian chicken curries.

Thai chicken curry generally has an abundant amounts of spicy chili peppers, and overall presents strong flavors due to the liberal use of stronger spices, while Vietnamese curry uses hot chili peppers sparingly. That makes Vietnamese chicken curry much milder and thinner.

Although Indian curry has influenced the spice mixture of Vietnamese chicken curry, its flavor and texture have diverged significantly from Indian curry, which typically has a thicker and richer consistency. And thanks to the fish sauce in particular, Vietnamese curry definitely has its own unique flavor.

Recipe ingredients and notes

• Chicken: I recommend to use bone-in chicken pieces, such as drumsticks or thigh–dark meat is better. I use a whole chicken (with skin mostly removed) cut up into similar sized pieces, about 3-inches in size, so that they all cook evenly.
• Lemongrass: This fragrant plant (or herb) is very tough and woody. It is a staple ingredient for Southeast Asian cuisine. Make sure to remove the tough outer layers and use the tender white and light green parts inside. Many Asian groceries easily offer lemongrass for sale. If you can’t find the fresh lemongrass plant, look for frozen minced lemongrass or lemongrass paste in your local store.
• Potato & carrot: These root vegetables make the curry hearty and wholesome. I used Yukon potatoes. Cut these vegetables in big chunks to that they don’t break up easily.
• Shallot (or onion): Make sure to finely mince it.
• Fish sauce: You can easily find Viet Huong’s “Three Crab” fish sauce at both Asian and mainstream American grocery stores.
• Coconut milk: gives a creamy richness and sweetness to the curry. Too much coconut milk, however, is overpowering and makes the curry too rich.
• Coconut water (or coconut juice): lightens the curry broth and adds a sweetness without overpowering the dish.
• Chicken stock: will deepen the flavor of the curry.

How to make Vietnamese chicken curry soup (Ca Ri Ga)

Step 1. Pound lemongrass and garlic

Remove the tough, woody outer layer of the lemongrass and mince the white and light green parts. Put the lemongrass and garlic in a mortar and pestle and pound them to a paste.

Step 2. Marinate chicken in curry paste

Put chicken pieces in a large mixing bowl. Add lemongrass and garlic paste, finely minced onion (or shallot), madras curry powder, and fish sauce. Toss the chicken to coat well. Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes to overnight.

Step 3. Brown chicken

Heat oil in a pot over medium high heat, brown chicken on all sides in small batches without crowding too much.

Step 4. Add liquid

When all the chicken pieces are browned, add coconut water, chicken stock, and sugar to the pot. Bring to boil and reduce the heat to medium low. Cover the pot with a lid and simmer for 15-20 minutes

Step 5. Stir-in vegetables and coconut milk

Add potato and carrot pieces and continue to cook, covered, until they are tender and soft over medium heat, about 10 minutes. Add coconut milk and heat through, about 3-4 minutes.

Serving Suggestions

Ladle the hot curry into individual serving bowls. Traditionally, people dip this curry soup with a Vietnamese baguette (banh mi) – if they are lucky enough to get one – or they can use a French baguette. It is also great over rice noodles or vermicelli.

📌 For another Asian chicken soup with milder and refreshing flavor note, try Thai chicken rice soup using minced chicken. It’s quick and easy soup that is perfect for breakfasts or anytime of the day.