Golden Turmeric & Ginger Chicken Soup with Kale
This Golden Turmeric & Ginger Chicken Soup with Kale hits all the spots if you’re craving something comforting, warming, healthy and packed with umami flavours. The combination of turmeric and ginger gives this soup its deep golden hue and an anti-inflammatory boost, while coconut milk adds a rich, velvety texture that makes it extra satisfying.
I love adding kale to soups because it keeps its crunchy bite while soaking up all those flavour-packed juices—it’s the perfect contrast to the creamy broth. But what makes this soup truly special is its versatility. The base of turmeric, ginger, and coconut milk is a solid starting point, but you can easily customize it to your liking.
Want to keep it vegetarian? Swap the chicken for sweet potatoes and use vegetable stock instead. No kale? Try broccoli or cauliflower (both the stems and florets work great). If you’re looking for a heartier texture, replace the potatoes with chickpeas or white beans for extra protein and fiber.
This soup is comfort food with a twist—deep, earthy spices balanced with creamy coconut, tender chicken (or your plant-based swap of choice), and vibrant greens. Serve it on its own, or with a side of crusty bread or steamed rice for a complete meal. Either way, this bowl of golden goodness will warm you up from the inside out!
More soup inspiration? Try my Creamy Roasted Pumpkin, Cabbage & Chickpea Soup. Or what about Vegetable & Butter Bean Soup with Parmesan Cheese and Escarole?
Golden Turmeric & Ginger Chicken Soup with Kale
(3 votes, average: 4.33 out of 5)
Loading...Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 kg chicken thighs & legs ( I like to use skin on and bone in for extra flavour, but skinless and boneless is fine too)
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, grated
- 2 bay leaves
- 4-5 cm ginger, grated
- 3-4 cm fresh turmeric, grated or 2 tsp powdered turmeric (I used that in this instance)
- 1 litre stock (vegetable or chicken
- 300 g carrots, chopped into bite size pieces (not too small)
- 500 g potatoes, peeled and cubed into large chunks
- 300 g kale leaves, finely chopped (incl stems, if they are really tough, chop them finer or remove them completely)
- 1 can coconut milk
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Lemon juice to taste
- Pepper & Salt
- To serve: chilli flakes, coriander, parsley or kale flowers
Instructions
In a large pot heat the olive oil and add the chicken pieces, skin down. Season well with pepper and salt and fry on medium heat until browned on all sides. I needed to do this in 2 batches. Remove from the pan and set aside.
To the same pan (add more oil if needed) add the onions and celery and sauté for 5 minutes on low to medium heat until translucent and fragrant. Add the garlic, ginger, turmeric and bay leaves and sauté for another 2 minutes while you keep stirring.
Add the chicken back into the pot and pour the stock over the chicken so it’s all covered. Let simmer for 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes add the potatoes and carrots and simmer for another 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the potatoes are tender.
Remove the chicken from the pan. If using skin & bone on chicken, discard the skin and the bones (keep it in the freezer for stock!) and shred the chicken meat into bite size pieces.
With a fork, crush 4-5 potato pieces on the side of the pan and mix through, this will help to thicken the soup. Pour in the coconut milk into the pan, add the chicken back in and grate in the zest of a lemon, bring to a simmer.
Add the chopped kale and let simmer for 3 minutes until just wilted. Taste and season with lemon juice, pepper and salt. Serve as suggested above!
