Description
Tom Kha Gai, a classic Thai coconut chicken soup, combines tender chicken thighs simmered in fragrant coconut milk with lemongrass, galangal, and makrut lime leaves. This quick and easy recipe offers a perfect balance of sour, spicy, sweet, and savory flavors ready in just 30 minutes, making it an ideal comforting and exotic meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken Mixture
- 12 ounces boneless skinless chicken thighs (or chicken breast, cut into thin strips)
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons neutral oil
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce
Soup Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 8 ounces mushrooms (such as oyster, shiitake, cremini, or button; torn into pieces or thinly sliced)
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 1 stalk lemongrass (bottom half only, tough outer layers removed and scored in half lengthwise—keep intact)
- 8 slices galangal
- 3 fresh or dried makrut lime leaves (or zest of 1 lime)
- 1-2 Thai chilies (cut in half; optional—omit for milder soup)
- 1 tablespoon Thai red curry paste (optional)
- 1 tablespoon palm sugar (or light brown sugar)
- 14 ounces (1 can) coconut milk
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- 1/4 cup cilantro (or scallions, roughly chopped)
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Combine the sliced chicken with cornstarch, 2 teaspoons neutral oil, and 2 teaspoons fish sauce in a bowl. Mix well and set aside to marinate briefly while preparing other ingredients.
- Cook the Mushrooms and Build the Soup Base: Heat 1 tablespoon of neutral oil in a medium soup pot over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and sauté for about 5 minutes until tender. Then add chicken stock, lemongrass, galangal, lime leaves or zest, Thai chilies (if using), red curry paste (optional), and palm sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover the pot, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 6 minutes to infuse flavors.
- Add Coconut Milk and Chicken: Stir in the coconut milk and gently bring the soup back to a simmer over medium-high heat. Avoid boiling vigorously to prevent coconut milk from splitting. Add the marinated chicken strips and simmer on medium-low heat, covered, for 8 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
- Finish and Season: Turn off the heat. Stir in the remaining fish sauce (2 tablespoons), lime juice, and fresh cilantro or scallions. Taste and season with salt if needed. Serve hot, either as a standalone soup or accompanied by steamed jasmine rice.
Notes
- This Tom Kha Gai recipe perfectly balances sour, spicy, sweet, savory, and salty flavors in just 30 minutes.
- For a milder version, omit the Thai chilies and red curry paste.
- Lemongrass, galangal, and makrut lime leaves are essential for authentic flavor but can be found fresh or dried in Asian markets or frozen form.
- Use coconut milk full-fat for the richest, creamiest soup.
- Serve with steamed jasmine rice to make it a complete meal.
- Adjust fish sauce and lime juice to taste for desired saltiness and acidity.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 387 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 388 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 20 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0.02 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 81 mg
