Tom Kha Gai (In 30 Minutes!)

5 from 15 votes

This tasty Tom Kha Gai (Thai coconut chicken soup) delivers the perfect balance of sour, spicy, sweet, savory, salty flavors in just 30 mins!

Prep Time5

Cook Time25

Total Time30

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Thai

Servings:

Calories: 387kcal

Author: Sarah

Ingredients

12 ounces boneless skinless chicken thighs (or boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into thin strips)
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons neutral oil (plus 1 tablespoon)
2 teaspoons fish sauce (plus 2 tablespoons)
8 ounces mushrooms (such as oyster, shiitake, cremini or button mushrooms, 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 it in one piece)
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 a milder soup)
1 tablespoon Thai red curry paste (optional)
1 tablespoon palm sugar (or light brown sugar)
14 ounces coconut milk (14 ounces/400g = 1 can)
3 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 cup cilantro (or scallions, roughly chopped)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Combine the sliced chicken with the cornstarch, and 2 teaspoons each of neutral oil and fish sauce. Set aside.
To a medium soup pot over medium-high heat, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and the mushrooms. Fry the mushrooms for about 5 minutes, or until tender. Add the chicken stock, lemongrass, galangal, lime leaves or zest, chilies and red curry paste (if using), and sugar. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover, lower the heat, and simmer for 6 minutes.
Stir in the coconut milk, and bring back up to a simmer over medium-high heat—watch the pot and don’t let it come up to a rolling boil, or the coconut milk could split. Add the chicken. Bring back up to a simmer, lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 8 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
Turn off the heat, and stir in the remaining fish sauce, lime juice, and fresh cilantro (or scallions/green onions, if you're not a cilantro fan). Season with salt to taste if needed. Ladle into bowls, and serve on its own or with some steamed jasmine rice!

Notes

Instruct your diners to discard any lemongrass, lime leaves, and galangal pieces—or pick them out before serving—as these are just meant to infuse the broth.

Nutrition