Best Ever Tom Kha Gai (Printable)

Creamy Thai coconut soup with chicken, lemongrass, galangal, mushrooms, and lime. Gluten-free and dairy-free.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Chicken & Broth

01 - 14 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced
02 - 3 1/3 cups chicken stock
03 - 1 can (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
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 - 2.5 tablespoons fish sauce
13 - 1.5 tablespoons fresh lime juice
14 - 1 teaspoon palm sugar or light brown sugar
15 - 0.5 teaspoon salt

→ Garnishes

16 - Fresh cilantro leaves
17 - Sliced green onions
18 - Lime wedges
19 - Thinly sliced red chili, optional

# How To Make It:

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

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It feels like you're cooking something fancy, but honestly comes together in under 40 minutes with ingredients that aren't as hard to find as you'd think.
  • The soup tastes even better the next day when flavors meld overnight, so it's perfect for meal prep or unexpected guests.
  • One bowl somehow manages to be both deeply comforting and light enough that you don't feel weighed down afterward.
02 -
  • Never let the soup boil once the coconut milk is in—gentle heat keeps the flavors clean and prevents the cream from breaking apart into greasy puddles.
  • The aromatics like lemongrass and galangal need that initial 5-minute simmer to actually work; adding them and serving immediately wastes their potential.
  • Taste constantly as you season because fish sauce is powerful and lime juice's strength varies depending on the fruit.
03 -
  • Keep the heat low and the simmer gentle from start to finish—this isn't a soup that needs aggressive bubbling to taste good, and rushing it with high heat will strip away the delicate aromatics.
  • Make a double batch and freeze half in portions; it reheats beautifully and having homemade tom kha gai in the freezer feels like having a restaurant-quality meal on standby.
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