Tom Kha Soup (Printable)

Rich coconut soup with chicken, mushrooms, and aromatic Thai herbs in a balanced, comforting bowl.

# What you'll need:

→ Protein

01 - 10 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs, thinly sliced

→ Broth & Base

02 - 13.5 fl oz coconut cream
03 - 2 cups chicken stock
04 - 2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed and bruised
05 - 4 slices fresh galangal or 1 tablespoon ginger
06 - 4 kaffir lime leaves, torn

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

07 - 7 oz button mushrooms, sliced
08 - 2 small shallots, thinly sliced
09 - 2 cloves garlic, smashed
10 - 2 to 3 Thai bird's eye chilies, smashed (optional)

→ Seasoning

11 - 2 tablespoons fish sauce
12 - 1 tablespoon lime juice, plus extra for serving
13 - 1 teaspoon sugar
14 - Salt to taste

→ Garnish

15 - Fresh cilantro leaves
16 - Extra lime wedges

# How to make it:

01 - In a large saucepan, combine coconut cream and chicken stock. Add lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, shallots, garlic, and chilies. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
02 - Simmer for 10 minutes to fully infuse the broth with aromatic flavors.
03 - Add sliced chicken and mushrooms to the pot. Continue simmering for 8 to 10 minutes until chicken is cooked through and mushrooms are tender.
04 - Remove and discard lemongrass, galangal, and lime leaves from the soup.
05 - Add fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, and salt. Stir thoroughly, taste, and adjust seasoning as needed.
06 - Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve with extra lime wedges.

# Expert suggestions:

01 -
  • It feels indulgent and restaurant-worthy but comes together in under 40 minutes, which means you can actually make it on a weeknight without stress.
  • The aromatic infusion step does all the heavy lifting for you, creating depth that tastes like you've been simmering this for hours.
  • Naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, so you're not sacrificing flavor or texture for dietary needs—it's genuinely better this way.
02 -
  • Don't skip the infusion step—rushing it or just throwing everything in at once will give you decent soup, but the 10-minute gentle simmer is what transforms it into something that tastes authentic and layered.
  • Fish sauce smells pungent when you first open the bottle, but once it's in the hot broth, it becomes an invisible backbone that deepens everything—if you're suspicious, add it gradually and taste as you go.
03 -
  • Bruise your lemongrass and galangal gently with the flat of your knife rather than crushing them—you want to wake up their oils, not pulverize them into bitter pieces.
  • Always taste and adjust seasoning just before serving, not before, because the salt from fish sauce and brightness from lime are meant to be the final notes that tie everything together.
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