Tom Kha Soup (Printable version)

Fragrant Thai coconut soup with tender chicken, mushrooms, and aromatic herbs in a creamy broth.

# What You'll Need:

→ Protein

01 - 10 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs, thinly sliced

→ Broth & Base

02 - 13.5 fl oz coconut cream
03 - 2 cups chicken stock
04 - 2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed and bruised
05 - 4 slices fresh galangal or 1 tbsp ginger
06 - 4 kaffir lime leaves, torn

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

07 - 7 oz button mushrooms, sliced
08 - 2 small shallots, thinly sliced
09 - 2 cloves garlic, smashed
10 - 2-3 Thai bird's eye chilies, smashed (optional)

→ Seasoning

11 - 2 tbsp fish sauce
12 - 1 tbsp lime juice, plus extra for serving
13 - 1 tsp sugar
14 - Salt to taste

→ Garnish

15 - Fresh cilantro leaves
16 - Lime wedges

# Directions:

01 - In a large saucepan, combine coconut cream and chicken stock. Add lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, shallots, garlic, and chilies. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
02 - Simmer for 10 minutes to fully infuse the broth with aromatic flavors from the lemongrass, galangal, and lime leaves.
03 - Add sliced chicken and mushrooms to the pot. Continue to simmer for 8-10 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and mushrooms are tender.
04 - Remove and discard lemongrass stalks, galangal slices, and lime leaves from the soup.
05 - Add fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, and salt to taste. Stir well and adjust seasoning to achieve balanced flavors of savory, acidic, and sweet notes.
06 - Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish generously with fresh cilantro leaves and serve with extra lime wedges on the side.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The broth achieves that perfect balance of creamy, tangy, and slightly spicy that makes your tongue dance with each spoonful.
  • Its surprisingly straightforward to make yet feels like youre serving something truly special, even on busy weeknights when I need comfort in a hurry.
02 -
  • Dont boil this soup aggressively or the coconut cream might separate, leaving you with a grainy texture instead of that silky smoothness were after.
  • The aromatics need to infuse properly before adding protein—I once rushed this step and ended up with a flat-tasting broth that missed all the complex layers that make Tom Kha special.
03 -
  • Keep kaffir lime leaves and lemongrass in your freezer—they freeze beautifully and can be used straight from frozen, making authentic Tom Kha possible any night of the week.
  • For the silkiest texture, add the lime juice at the very end after removing the pot from heat—high temperatures can make citrus turn slightly bitter.
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