Description
Tom Kha Gai is a classic Thai coconut chicken soup that combines tangy, spicy, sweet, and savory flavors for a deliciously balanced meal ready in just 30 minutes. It features tender chicken, aromatic herbs, creamy coconut milk, and fresh lime juice, perfect to enjoy on its own or with steamed jasmine rice.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken Marinade
- 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 Base
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 8 ounces mushrooms (oyster, shiitake, cremini, or button), torn or thinly sliced
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 1 stalk lemongrass (bottom half only, tough outer layers removed, scored lengthwise)
- 8 slices galangal
- 3 fresh or dried makrut lime leaves or zest of 1 lime
- 1-2 Thai chilies, cut in half (optional)
- 1 tablespoon Thai red curry paste (optional)
- 1 tablespoon palm sugar or light brown sugar
- 14 ounces coconut milk (1 can)
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- 1/4 cup cilantro or scallions, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Marinate the Chicken: Combine sliced chicken with cornstarch, 2 teaspoons neutral oil, and 2 teaspoons fish sauce in a bowl. Set aside to let the flavors meld.
- Sauté Mushrooms: Heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil in a medium soup pot over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and fry for about 5 minutes until tender.
- Add Aromatics and Broth: Pour in chicken stock and add lemongrass, galangal, makrut lime leaves or zest, Thai chilies, red curry paste (if using), and palm sugar. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 6 minutes to infuse flavors.
- Add Coconut Milk and Chicken: Stir in coconut milk and bring the soup back to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat, avoiding a rolling boil to prevent splitting. Add the marinated chicken, return to simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 8 minutes until chicken is fully cooked.
- Finish and Serve: Turn off the heat and stir in remaining fish sauce, lime juice, and chopped cilantro or scallions. Taste and season with salt if needed. Ladle into bowls and serve hot, optionally with steamed jasmine rice.
Notes
- This recipe perfectly balances sour, spicy, sweet, salty, and savory flavors in a quick 30-minute preparation.
- Use boneless skinless chicken thighs for more tenderness or chicken breast for a leaner option.
- If you prefer milder soup, omit the Thai chilies.
- Keep the coconut milk from boiling vigorously to avoid separation.
- Substitute palm sugar with light brown sugar if unavailable.
- Lemongrass, galangal, and makrut lime leaves provide essential authentic flavors; substitute lime zest carefully if lime leaves are not available.
- Serve with steamed jasmine rice for a complete meal.
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
