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Easy Thai Coconut Chicken Soup (Tom Kha Gai)

A close-up bowl of creamy coconut soup filled with shredded chicken, mushrooms, and garnished with fresh cilantro and red chili slices.
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This is the best Thai Coconut Soup recipe, Tom Kha Gai style. You get a creamy, aromatic broth with tender chicken, perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or a comforting meal.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cans (13.5 oz each) full-fat coconut milk
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed and bruised
  • 1 inch piece fresh ginger, sliced thinly
  • 4 slices galangal (or substitute with more ginger)
  • 4 kaffir lime leaves, torn
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • 1 cup sliced mushrooms (cremini or shiitake)
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish
  • 1 small red chili, sliced (optional, for heat)

Instructions

  1. Combine the coconut milk and chicken broth in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer, but do not boil.
  2. Add the lemongrass, ginger, galangal, and kaffir lime leaves to the simmering broth. Let this infuse for 10 minutes to build the aromatic base.
  3. Add the chicken pieces to the pot. Cook until the chicken is opaque and cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes.
  4. Remove and discard the lemongrass stalks, ginger slices, galangal, and kaffir lime leaves using tongs or a slotted spoon. This is your aromatic broth base.
  5. Stir in the fish sauce, brown sugar, and salt. Taste the broth and adjust seasoning as needed. You want a balance of salty, sweet, and sour.
  6. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes until they soften slightly.
  7. Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the fresh lime juice. Adding lime off the heat preserves its bright flavor.
  8. Ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish generously with fresh cilantro and sliced red chili, if using. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • For a Vegan Thai Coconut Soup, substitute the chicken with firm tofu cubes and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
  • If you want a richer flavor, use only the thick cream from the top of the coconut milk cans for the initial simmer, then add the rest of the liquid.
  • This soup freezes well if you omit the fresh lime juice until reheating.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://kitchenslang.com/easy-thai-coconut-soup-tom-kha-gai-recipe/