Best Ever Tom Kha Gai (Printable)

Creamy Thai coconut soup infused with lemongrass, galangal, lime, and tender chicken breast pieces.

# What you'll need:

→ 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

# How to make it:

01 - Bring chicken stock to a gentle boil in a large saucepan. Add lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, chilies, garlic, and shallots. Simmer for 5 minutes to develop aromatic flavors.
02 - Add thinly 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 the coconut milk while stirring gently. Add mushrooms and cherry tomatoes. Simmer for another 5 minutes without allowing the soup to boil.
04 - Season with fish sauce, lime juice, palm sugar, and salt. Taste and adjust seasonings to achieve desired balance of salty, sour, sweet, and spicy notes.
05 - Remove lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, and garlic with a slotted spoon before serving, if desired.
06 - Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with fresh cilantro, green onions, lime wedges, and additional sliced red chili if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert suggestions:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than you'd expect, yet tastes like it simmered for hours.
  • The balance of creamy, tangy, spicy, and savory hits all your craving notes without any dairy guilt.
  • One pot means less cleanup and more time actually enjoying the soup.
02 -
  • Never let this soup boil hard once the coconut milk goes in—it breaks the cream and separates into sad-looking puddles, which I learned the frustrating way.
  • The fish sauce might smell intense on its own, but trust it; it's the ingredient that transforms good Thai soup into unforgettable Thai soup.
03 -
  • Invest in a good fish sauce—the quality difference between cheap and decent is night and day, and it's worth the extra dollar or two.
  • Toast your lemongrass and galangal lightly in a dry pan before smashing to unlock even deeper aromatics, though regular smashing works too.
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