Description
Authentic Tom Kha Gai is a traditional Thai coconut chicken soup bursting with aromatic flavors from lemongrass, galangal, makrut lime leaves, and fresh Thai chilies. This comforting, creamy soup combines tender chicken thighs with fragrant herbs and mushrooms in a rich coconut milk broth, balanced perfectly with fish sauce, lime juice, and a touch of palm sugar. Serve hot with jasmine rice for a warming and satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Soup Base
- 2 cups chicken stock (unsalted, preferably homemade)
- 1 ½ cups coconut milk
- ½ tsp table salt
Protein
- 1 lb chicken thigh (boneless skinless, cut into 1-inch pieces)
Herbs and Aromatics
- 1 stalk lemongrass (bottom half only, smashed and cut into 2-inch pieces)
- 12 thin slices galangal
- 5 makrut lime leaves (twisted to bruise and torn into big chunks)
- 1-3 Thai chilies (to taste, smashed until broken or cut into large pieces)
Flavor Enhancers
- 2 Tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp finely chopped palm sugar (or granulated sugar)
- 2 ½ Tbsp lime juice
Vegetables
- 5.5 oz oyster mushrooms (torn into bite-size pieces)
Garnish & Serving
- Chopped green onion and/or cilantro (for garnish)
- Jasmine rice (for serving, optional)
Instructions
- Simmer Chicken: Bring the chicken stock to a boil in a pot, then add the salt and chicken thigh pieces. Reduce heat and simmer gently for 15 minutes or until the chicken is fork tender.
- Add Aromatics and Coconut Milk: Stir in the coconut milk, lemongrass, galangal, makrut lime leaves, Thai chilies, oyster mushrooms, half of the fish sauce, and the palm sugar. Simmer the mixture for 5 minutes to allow the flavors to infuse the broth.
- Adjust Seasoning: Taste the soup and add more fish sauce as preferred. Turn off the heat and mix in about 2 tablespoons of lime juice. Taste again and add additional lime juice if needed. Remove the herbs if desired, as they are for infusion only.
- Serve and Garnish: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with chopped green onions and/or cilantro. Serve hot alongside jasmine rice, either as part of a larger Thai meal or on its own.
Notes
- If fresh coconut milk is unavailable, canned coconut milk works well but choose full-fat for best flavor.
- The herbs such as lemongrass, galangal, and lime leaves are used for infusion and typically removed before serving to avoid biting into tough pieces.
- Adjust the number of Thai chilies according to your preferred spice level.
- Chicken thighs are preferred over breast for juiciness and flavor.
