Yoribang
SoupThaiFree to use

Tom Kha Gai

ต้มข่าไก่

A creamy coconut soup with chicken, galangal, lemongrass, and lime. Mild, sour, and soothing.

Serves 4

Prep 10 min

Cook 20 min

Tom Kha Gai
Photo: lydiajoy1, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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Ingredients

  • 1 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 3 stalks lemongrass, bruised and cut in 2-inch pieces
  • 6 slices galangal
  • 4 makrut lime leaves, torn
  • 1 lb boneless chicken, sliced thin
  • 1 cup sliced mushrooms
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 3 tablespoons lime juice
  • 2 Thai chilies, bruised
  • 1/4 cup cilantro leaves

Steps

  1. Step 1. Bring the coconut milk, stock, lemongrass, galangal, and lime leaves to a gentle simmer for 5 minutes.

  2. Step 2. Add the chicken and mushrooms and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink.

  3. Step 3. Stir in the fish sauce, sugar, and chilies.

  4. Step 4. Take off the heat and add the lime juice. Top with cilantro. The lemongrass and galangal are for flavor and are not eaten.

Where this recipe comes from

Yoribang Thai recipes, part two by Yoribang. License: Free to use. View the original (opens in a new tab)

More Yoribang write-ups of Thai dishes. Fish sauce, palm sugar, curry pastes, and coconut milk are sold at Asian grocery stores, as are galangal, makrut lime leaves, and Thai basil. Thai chilies are very hot, so add them a little at a time.