Tom Kha Gai Soup

Name: Tom Kha Gai Soup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 4 cups chicken broth; 1 can coconut milk (full fat); 2 lemongrass stalks, bruised and cut into 2-inch pieces; 2 inch galangal (or ginger), sliced; 4 kaffir lime leaves, torn; 2 Thai bird's eye chilies, smashed; 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced; 8 oz mushrooms (shiitake or button), sliced; 2 tbsp fish sauce; 1 tbsp palm sugar (or brown sugar); 3 tbsp fresh lime juice; 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped; 2 green onions, sliced; 1/2 tsp salt

A fragrant Thai coconut soup with tender chicken, mushrooms, and aromatic herbs. Creamy, tangy, and spicy, this soup balances sweet coconut milk with lime, galangal, and lemongrass.

40 minMediumServes 4350 cal/serving

ThaiSoupStovetopStandardHigh ProteinLow CarbGluten-FreeLow-SodiumCorn-Free

Cook this free in the appFree. No download, no account. The screen stays awake and each step can run its own timer.

Ingredients

4 cups chicken broth
1 can coconut milk (full fat)
2 lemongrass stalks, bruised and cut into 2-inch pieces
2 inch galangal (or ginger), sliced
4 kaffir lime leaves, torn
2 Thai bird's eye chilies, smashed
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced
8 oz mushrooms (shiitake or button), sliced
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp palm sugar (or brown sugar)
3 tbsp fresh lime juice
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 green onions, sliced
1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

1

In a large pot, bring 4 cups chicken broth to a simmer over medium heat.
2

Add 2 bruised and cut into 2-inch pieces lemongrass stalks, 2 inch sliced galangal (or ginger), 4 torn kaffir lime leaves, and 2 smashed Thai bird's eye chilies. Simmer for 5 minutes to infuse the broth with flavors.
3

Add 1 can coconut milk (full fat) and return to a gentle simmer. Be careful not to boil vigorously as this can cause the coconut milk to separate.
4

Add 1 lb thinly sliced boneless, skinless chicken breast and cook for 5-6 minutes until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature of 165°F or 74°C).
5

Add 8 oz sliced mushrooms (shiitake or button) and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until softened.
6

Stir in 2 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tbsp palm sugar (or brown sugar), and 3 tbsp fresh lime juice. Adjust these seasonings to taste, balancing salty, sweet, and sour flavors according to your preference.
7

If needed, add 1/2 tsp salt to taste.
8

Remove from heat. Fish out and discard the lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, and Thai chilies (or leave them in but warn diners not to eat them).
9

Garnish with 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro and 2 sliced green onions.
10

Serve hot in bowls.

Cook this free in the appCooking it now? The app keeps the screen awake and times each step. Free, nothing to install.

Keep this recipe

Prints the ingredients and method only.

The Thai Kitchen 30 recipes from this kitchen in one printable PDF. $5, no account.

Questions

What internal temperature should Tom Kha Gai Soup reach?

For Tom Kha Gai Soup, the target internal temperature is 165 F (about 75 C), given in step 4. A probe thermometer removes the guesswork.

What can I use instead of galangal in Tom Kha Gai Soup?

The entry for Tom Kha Gai Soup calls for 2 inch galangal (or ginger), sliced. In its place: Fresh ginger with a little lime zest is the workable substitute. Galangal is more piney and peppery, so the result reads slightly different.

Can I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts in Tom Kha Gai Soup?

Yes. Boneless thighs at the same weight are more forgiving and stay juicier. Give them two to four minutes longer; they are at their best around 175 F rather than 165 F. As written, the entry for Tom Kha Gai Soup uses 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced.

Is Tom Kha Gai Soup spicy?

Yes, it is properly hot. The heat in Tom Kha Gai Soup comes from 2 Thai bird's eye chilies, smashed. For a milder plate, remove the seeds and ribs from the chilies, or use half; nothing else in the method changes. For more, add it at the table rather than in the pot, so everyone sets their own level.

Is Tom Kha Gai Soup gluten-free?

Yes. As written, nothing in the ingredient list for Tom Kha Gai Soup is wheat, barley or rye. Gluten hides in packaged goods, so read the label on the chicken broth.

Does Tom Kha Gai Soup contain fish?

Yes: 2 tbsp fish sauce. The full allergen list for this entry is fish. Packaged ingredients vary by brand, so check labels if the allergy is serious.

Serve it with

Cook this free in the app

Textual Chef is 4,544 plain-text recipes, free to read and free to cook from. No account, no paywall, no ads, no life stories. Open this one in the app and each quantity sits inside the step that uses it, so you read once and cook.

Every recipe is curated or public-domain sourced, written to one template and checked before it publishes. Nothing here is a scraped blog post.

Cook this free in the appNo download needed. It opens in your browser. The kitchen tools (planner, shopping list, pantry, import) are $5.33 a month billed annually; the first 30 days are free.