Best Ever Tom Kha Gai (Printable View)

Rich, creamy Thai coconut soup with tender chicken, aromatic herbs, tangy lime, and mushrooms. Ready in 40 minutes.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Chicken & Broth

01 - 14 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced
02 - 3⅓ cups chicken stock
03 - 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 as substitute
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 - Extra lime wedges
19 - Thinly sliced red chili, optional

# How To Make It:

01 - In a large saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a gentle boil. Add lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, chilies, garlic, and shallots. Simmer for 5 minutes to develop and infuse the aromatic flavors.
02 - Add the sliced chicken breast to the broth. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
03 - Pour in the coconut milk while stirring gently. Add the sliced mushrooms and halved tomatoes. Simmer for another 5 minutes, maintaining a gentle simmer without allowing the soup to boil.
04 - Season with fish sauce, lime juice, palm sugar, and salt. Taste and adjust seasonings to your preference for balance of umami, acidity, and heat.
05 - Remove the lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, and garlic pieces using a slotted spoon before serving, if desired.
06 - Ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish with fresh cilantro, green onions, lime wedges, and additional sliced red chili if desired. Serve immediately.

# Best Practices:

01 -
  • It tastes like you've been simmering this for hours, but you'll have it on the table in under 45 minutes.
  • The balance of creamy, tangy, spicy, and aromatic somehow feels like a warm hug in a bowl.
  • Once you nail the technique, you can improvise with whatever vegetables or proteins you have waiting in the fridge.
02 -
  • Never let the soup boil hard once the coconut milk goes in—it will separate and look broken, even though the flavor is still there.
  • Taste before serving, because fish sauce, lime, and salt levels vary wildly by brand and your own preference, and this is the one moment you can fix it.
03 -
  • Keep your knife sharp and your hand relaxed when slicing chicken thin—it's easier than you think and makes all the difference in cooking time and texture.
  • If you can't find kaffir lime leaves, add a little extra lime zest and juice, but know you're missing a subtle floral note that's hard to replicate.
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