Although you can make this soup with canned chicken broth and pre-roasted chicken or turkey, there’s nothing like starting with homemade stock (see recipe below) and fresh chicken. You can make the soup a day ahead of time and cook the noodles right before serving, making this a great meal for a Tuesday or Saturday night. A good winter salad, crusty bread and you’re all set!
 
Serves 8
 
1 ½ tablespoons canola oil
2 shallots, very thinly sliced
4 scallions, white and green part, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, very thinly sliced
3 teaspoons Thai red curry paste*
1 ½ teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground coriander
¼ cup finely chopped fresh coriander or cilantro
8 cups chicken or turkey broth
One 13 ½ ounce can unsweetened coconut milk*
2 tablespoons soy sauce or Thai fish sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
2 ½ cup cooked chicken or turkey, thinly shredded
2 cup baby spinach, chopped large spinach or Swiss chard
Salt
Hot pepper sauce or very thinly sliced fresh chiles
About ¾ to 1 pound dried wide lo mein, or chow mein noodles*
1 lime, cut into 8 wedges

 
In a large soup pot heat the oil over low heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, 3 minutes. Add half the scallions, the ginger and the garlic and cook another minute. Add the curry paste, curry power, turmeric, dried coriander, and 1 tablespoon of the fresh coriander and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the stock and let it come to a boil over moderately high heat. Reduce the heat to low and add the coconut milk, soy sauce and sugar and let simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Add the chicken, another tablespoon of the fresh coriander, and cook, on low, for another 10 minutes. Season with salt and hot pepper sauce or chiles; the soup should have a nice bite. The noodles will temper any serious heat. If the soup is too spicy add a another spoonful of sugar or more broth; if it tastes weak add a touch more curry paste, salt and chile.
Just before serving, boil a pot of lightly salted water over high heat until boiling. Add the noodles and cook about 5 minutes, or until just tender. Drain the noodles.
Add the spinach to the soup and cook 5 minutes, or until wilted. Divide the noodles between 8 oversized soup bowls and top with the soup, making sure each bowl has a good amount of chicken and spinach. Serve hot with a lime wedge.