Description
Tom Kha Gai is a classic Thai coconut chicken soup that perfectly balances sour, spicy, sweet, savory, and salty flavors in just 30 minutes. Featuring tender chicken, mushrooms, aromatic herbs like lemongrass and galangal, and creamy coconut milk, this soup is both comforting and vibrant, ideal for a quick and flavorful meal.
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
- 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, halved (optional)
- 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
- Marinate 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 absorb the flavors.
- Cook the Mushrooms: Heat 1 tablespoon of neutral oil in a medium soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and fry for about 5 minutes until tender and slightly browned.
- Add Aromatics and Broth: Pour in the chicken stock along with the lemongrass stalk, galangal slices, lime leaves or zest, Thai chilies (if using), red curry paste (if using), and palm sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Then cover, reduce the heat, and let it simmer gently for 6 minutes to infuse the flavors.
- Incorporate Coconut Milk and Chicken: Stir in the coconut milk and carefully bring the soup back up to a simmer over medium-high heat. Avoid boiling to prevent the coconut milk from splitting. Add the marinated chicken strips, let the soup return to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for 8 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
- Finish and Serve: Turn off the heat. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons fish sauce, lime juice, and fresh cilantro or scallions. Taste and adjust salt as needed. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve alone or alongside steamed jasmine rice.
Notes
- This soup offers a harmonious blend of sour, spicy, sweet, savory, and salty flavors.
- For a milder version, omit the Thai chilies.
- If galangal is unavailable, fresh ginger can be used as a substitute, though the flavor will differ slightly.
- You can substitute chicken thighs with breasts according to preference; thighs remain juicier.
- Serve with steamed jasmine rice for a complete meal.
- Be careful not to boil the coconut milk to prevent curdling.
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
