Thai · Soup

Tom kha gai coconut chicken soup

Galangal, lemongrass and makrut lime leaves perfume a coconut broth with chicken and mushrooms. Lime juice added off the heat keeps the finish bright, balancing the creamy broth with a clean, fragrant acidity.

FlexibleEasy4 servings
Tom kha gai coconut chicken soup serving inspiration

Serving inspiration; this recipe’s finish may vary. Photo: lydiajoy1 · CC BY 2.0. Resized and converted to WebP; display may crop to fit.

Ingredients

Original recipe: 4 servings. Ingredient amounts scale below; the method is written for 4 servings. For larger amounts, use separate batches and check doneness.

  • 600 mlgluten-free chicken stock
  • 400 mlunsweetened coconut milk
  • 600 graw boneless skinless chicken thighs, thinly sliced
  • 200 gmushrooms, halved
  • 40 ggalangal, thinly sliced
  • 2 eachlemongrass stalks, bruised and cut into large pieces
  • 5 eachmakrut lime leaves, torn
  • 2 eachred Thai chilies, lightly crushed
  • 2 tbspgluten-free fish sauce
  • 2 tspsugar
  • 3 tbspfresh lime juice
  • 15 gcilantro, chopped

Make it

  1. Put the chicken stock, galangal, lemongrass, lime leaves and chilies in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 8 minutes to flavour the broth.
  2. Stir in coconut milk and mushrooms and return to a gentle simmer. Add the chicken slices, separating them with a spoon so they cook evenly.
  3. Simmer on medium-low for 8–10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and its thickest pieces reach 74°C / 165°F. Stir in fish sauce and sugar for the final minute.
  4. Remove the lemongrass, galangal, lime leaves and whole chili pieces with a slotted spoon. Turn off the heat, stir in lime juice and divide among bowls.
  5. Finish with cilantro and serve hot. Avoid a hard boil, which can make the coconut broth look oily.
Ingredients, recipe context & sources

Ingredient flags: Fish. Check packaged ingredients and cross-contact.

This is an original Livura home-cooking interpretation, not yet independently kitchen-tested. Source links provide dish and cultural context; the recipe wording and quantities are Livura’s.

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