Chicken Laksa Recipe

Leave it to West Coast guide to the good life, Sunset Magazine, to throw together a chicken laksa soup recipe so good we'd eat it in Southern California all summer.

The spicy Malaysian laksa soup may have a long list of ingredients, but it's super easy. Malaysian kitchens (in Southeast Asia, in Southern California, and elsewhere) weave Chinese, Indian and Malay culinary strands into a complex cuisine.

Chicken Laksa Recipe
No Ratings
Prep Time
25
minutes
Cook Time
1
hour
Servings
5
Chicken Laksa Recipe
Total time: 1 hour, 25 minutes
Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
  • 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
  • 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
  • 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
  • 4 cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground tumeric
  • 5 to 8 dried arbol chiles
  • 2 lemongrass stalks
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 lb. boned, skinned chicken thighs
  • 1 teaspoon shrimp paste*
  • 3 large shallots
  • 1 can (13.5 oz.) coconut milk
  • 1 quart reduced-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 3 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 8 ounces mung beans
  • 8 ounces wide rice noodles
  • 1/3 cup fresh mint leaves
  • 1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves
  • lime wedges
  • Sambal oelek chili paste
Directions
  1. Grind coriander, peppercorns, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, cloves, turmeric and chiles coarsely in a spice grinder; set aside. Peel tough outer layers from lemongrass, then mash core with a meat mallet or small, heavy frying pan.
  2. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chicken, shrimp paste, shallots, and reserved ground spices and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 2 minutes.
  3. Pour in coconut milk, broth, sugar, and salt; add cinnamon stick and lemongrass. Bring to a boil, then simmer, covered, 20 minutes.
  4. Boil bean sprouts in a large pot of boiling water until softened, 2 minutes. Transfer sprouts to a bowl. Add noodles to pot and cook until firm, 4 minutes. Drain; rinse well.
  5. Divide sprouts and noodles among bowls. Ladle in soup (remove cinnamon and lemongrass) and top with mint and cilantro. Serve with limes and sambal.