Thai Coconut Chicken Soup 🍲🥥 | Easy Authentic Recipe
Creamy, tangy, and deeply aromatic, this Thai Coconut Chicken Soup (Tom Kha Gai) brings authentic flavors to your kitchen with ease. Featuring tender chicken, silky coconut milk, fresh herbs, and a balance of spice and citrus, it's a warm, soul-soothing meal ready in under 30 minutes.
Equipment
- - Medium pot
- - Cutting board & knife
- - Ladle
- - Citrus juicer (optional)
Ingredients
- - 1 tablespoon oil coconut or neutral
- - 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs, thinly sliced
- - 1 can 13.5 oz full-fat coconut milk
- - 2 cups chicken broth
- - 3 slices galangal or 1-inch ginger thinly sliced
- - 2 stalks lemongrass cut into 3-inch pieces and smashed
- - 4–5 kaffir lime leaves or zest of 1 lime
- - 1 cup mushrooms shiitake or button, sliced
- - 2 Thai bird’s eye chilies or 1 jalapeño sliced (adjust to spice level)
- - 1 tablespoon fish sauce or soy sauce for halal/vegetarian
- - 1 tablespoon lime juice plus more to taste
- - 1 teaspoon sugar
- - Fresh cilantro for garnish
- - Green onions or Thai basil optional
Instructions
- **Sauté aromatics:**
- In a medium pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add lemongrass, galangal (or ginger), and kaffir lime leaves. Sauté for 2–3 minutes to release their aroma.
- **Simmer broth:**
- Pour in chicken broth and bring to a gentle boil. Simmer for 5 minutes to infuse the flavors.
- **Add chicken and coconut milk:**
- Add sliced chicken and mushrooms. Reduce heat to a simmer, then stir in the coconut milk. Simmer for 8–10 minutes until chicken is fully cooked and tender.
- **Season the soup:**
- Add fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, and chilies. Taste and adjust salt, spice, and acidity as needed.
- **Serve:**
- Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh cilantro, green onions, or Thai basil. Serve hot with jasmine rice or on its own.