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–+ servings

Tom Kha Gai Recipe (Thai Coconut Chicken Soup)

Authentic tom kha gai soup with chicken breast, lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, dried chilies, and chili oil served in a traditional Thai clay bowl.
This authentic tom kha gai recipe comes together in 30 minutes! A cozy Thai coconut chicken soup that’s simple to make and packed with flavor.
Praew
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Cuisine Asian, Thai
Course Main Course, Soup
Serving Size 2

Equipment

  • Medium pot or saucepan
  • ladle
  • Cutting board & sharp knife
  • Fine-mesh strainer or slotted spoon to remove galangal, lemongrass, and lime leaves before serving (optional but helpful).

Ingredients

US Customary - EU Metric
  • 300 ml water
  • 2 stalks lemongrass, sliced
  • 6 slices galangal, sliced
  • 3 kaffir lime leaves, stems removed
  • 1 large chicken breast, sliced into thin, bite-sized pieces
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1/2 tbsp tamarind paste
  • 1/2 tbsp salt
  • 1/2 tbsp palm sugar
  • 100 g enoki mushrooms, or any type of Asian mushroom
  • 200 ml coconut milk
  • 4 g coriander, to taste
  • 4 g culantro, chopped, to taste
  • 4 green onions, roughly chopped, to taste
  • 4 dried chilies, optional, to taste

Instructions

  • Slice the lemongrass and galangal, remove the stems from kaffir lime leaves, and cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Clean and trim the mushrooms. Set everything aside.
  • Bring water to a gentle simmer. Add the lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime leaves. Let the aromatics infuse the broth until fragrant.
  • Add the sliced chicken to the pot and cook until no longer pink.
  • Season the soup with tamarind paste, fish sauce, salt, and palm sugar. Stir until everything is well combined and the sugar dissolves.
  • Add the mushrooms and simmer until just tender.
  • Pour in the coconut milk and stir gently to combine. Keep the heat low and avoid boiling to prevent the coconut milk from splitting.
  • Turn off the heat. Add chopped coriander, culantro, green onions, and dried chilies if using. Serve warm.

Video

Notes

  • Use the nutrition card in this recipe as a guideline.
  • Galangal, lemongrass, and kaffir lime leaves are not to be eaten, you can choose to take them out of the soup before serving or serve as it is.
  • Garnish with fresh herbs and chilies to taste.
Calories: 451kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 23g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 2547mg | Potassium: 785mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 769IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 82mg | Iron: 6mg
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