Best Ever Tom Kha Gai (Print)

Creamy Thai coconut soup with tender chicken, mushrooms, and aromatic herbs in a tangy lime broth.

# Ingredients:

→ Chicken & Broth

01 - 14 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced
02 - 3⅓ cups chicken stock
03 - 1 can (13.5 oz) full-fat coconut milk

→ Aromatics

04 - 2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed and smashed
05 - 4 kaffir lime leaves, torn
06 - 3 slices galangal or fresh ginger
07 - 3 Thai bird's eye chilies, crushed
08 - 4 cloves garlic, smashed
09 - 4 small shallots, sliced

→ Vegetables

10 - 7 oz oyster or white mushrooms, sliced
11 - 3.5 oz cherry tomatoes, halved

→ Seasonings

12 - 2½ tablespoons fish sauce
13 - 1½ tablespoons fresh lime juice
14 - 1 teaspoon palm sugar or light brown sugar
15 - ½ teaspoon salt

→ Garnishes

16 - Fresh cilantro leaves
17 - Sliced green onions
18 - Lime wedges
19 - Thinly sliced red chili, optional

# Directions:

01 - In a large saucepan, bring chicken stock to a gentle boil. Add lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, chilies, garlic, and shallots. Simmer for 5 minutes until fragrant.
02 - Add sliced chicken breast to the infused broth. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
03 - Pour in coconut milk while stirring gently. Add mushrooms and tomatoes. Simmer for 5 minutes, ensuring the soup does not reach a rolling boil.
04 - Season with fish sauce, lime juice, palm sugar, and salt. Taste and adjust seasonings to your preference.
05 - Remove lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, and garlic with a slotted spoon before serving, if desired.
06 - Ladle soup into bowls. Top with cilantro, green onions, lime wedges, and additional chili. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours perfecting it, but honest truth—it's ready in forty minutes flat.
  • The balance of creamy, tangy, spicy, and herbaceous hits something your taste buds didn't know they were missing.
  • Once you nail this, you'll make it constantly because it genuinely feels like a warm hug in a bowl.
02 -
  • Never let the soup boil hard once the coconut milk goes in—aggressive heat breaks it and turns it grainy and separated, which tastes nothing like the creamy dream you're going for.
  • The aromatics need those first five minutes to really open up and flavor the stock; skipping this step or rushing it makes a massive difference in depth.
03 -
  • Slice your chicken paper-thin so it cooks in minutes and becomes impossibly tender instead of chewy.
  • Buy pre-made Thai curry paste if you're exhausted and need this fast—stir a spoonful into your stock at the start and you'll still get incredible results.
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