My Grandma Taught Me How to Make This Beloved Thai Soup
When I was a kid I’d chant “coconut, coconut, coconut” whenever my grandma asked me what I wanted for dinner. She knew I was really asking for tom kha gai. This Thai classic, which translates to chicken cooked in galangal, is so much more than it sounds. It’s a soup that perfectly balances salty, sweet, spicy, sour, and incredibly savory flavors thanks to a rich broth of creamy coconut milk, earthy galangal, zesty lemongrass, punchy makrut lime leaves, sugar, and umami-forward fish sauce. In my house, we liken the broth to liquid gold and once you try it, you’ll understand why.
There are a ton of ways to make tom kha gai. In Thailand, it’s often prepared with just the broth, chicken, and aromatics — no veg or mushrooms in sight. As long as you have that rich broth, the world is yours. Add some bell peppers, snap peas, bamboo shoots, or really anything else you’d like.
This deceptively simple dish is a comforting hug in a bowl, and is really perfect for any occasion. Had a bad day? Make a pot of tom kha gai. Had a good day? Great occasion for tom kha gai. Feeling sick? Tom kha gai to the rescue. Need an easy, weeknight dinner? Make this soup. Want an impressive main for a dinner party? I think you already know the answer.
Why You’ll Love It
The aromatic broth is everything. Coconut milk, lemongrass, galangal, and makrut lime leaves make an incredibly savory broth that you’ll love.
It’s deceptively easy to make. The ingredients are the hardest part of this recipe to source; otherwise everything comes together in one pot and in just 30 minutes.
Key Ingredients in Tom Kha Gai
Galangal: The ‘kha’ in Tom Kha Gai translates to galangal, which really is the foundation of this coconut soup. Commonly mistaken for ginger, galangal is a rhizome (like ginger) but they are two entirely different plants. Galangal is a bit more peppery and earthy compared with ginger.
Coconut milk: The creamy nature of this soup is all from the coconut milk. It’s important to use a full-fat coconut milk for this recipe to get the most out of its flavor. Pro tip: Look at the ingredient list of your coconut milk and make sure that coconut is listed as the first ingredient, not coconut extracts.
Lemongrass: Incredibly aromatic lemongrass imparts a zesty, citrusy, and earthy flavor to the broth.
Makrut lime leaves: Used similarly to bay and curry leaves, makrut lime leaves add a bold, citrusy flavor with subtle floral notes to the broth.
Fish sauce: In lieu of table salt, the broth gets its strong savory-salty flavor from a hefty dose of fish sauce. I personally use Thai-style Squid brand because it’s harvested much more potent than other varieties, but lighter versions (like Vietnamese fish sauce) also work great.
How to Make Tom Kha Gai
Cook the chicken in chicken broth and coconut milk. Pour the chicken broth and coconut milk to a large saucepan over medium-high heat and cook until the chicken is fork-tender.
Add the aromatics. Lemongrass, galangal, makrut lime leaves give the broth its savory-complex flavor. Smash the lemongrass and galangal a bit before adding to get the most out of its flavor. Let them cook in the broth for at least 10 minutes so the broth can absorb all its flavor.
Season with aromatics and cook the mushrooms until tender. Add mushrooms, fish sauce, and sugar and cook mushrooms until they soften, about 5 minutes.
Season with lime juice and bird’s eye chilies and serve. Add the lime juice, bird’s eye chilies and mix until combined. Garnish with cilantro and scallions if desired.
Helpful Swaps
Sugar: Tom kha gai is traditionally made with palm sugar, but to streamline this recipe at home, I call for regular brown sugar, which works great. If you don’t have brown sugar, equal parts cane sugar or coconut sugar also works.
Galangal: This soup is all about galangal so while you can’t substitute the rhizome itself, you can use frozen varieties instead of fresh. Ginger is not a good substitute for tom kha gai; it’ll still be tasty if you use it, but will be an entirely different soup.
Makrut lime leaves: Finely grate the zest of 1/2 medium lime and add it in with the lime juice at the end.
Mushrooms: Mushrooms are incredibly versatile and interchangeable; I like shiitake mushrooms for the shape, but button, straw mushrooms, and oyster are also great. You can also do a variety!
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
Tom kha gai is very make-ahead friendly as it comes together quickly and heats up easily. Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to four days. Reheat on stove top on medium heat until heated through.
What to Serve With Tom Kha Gai
Tom Kha Gai Recipe
Make this beloved Thai soup in 30 minutes or less for a comforting, flavorful dinner.
Prep time 10 minutes to 15 minutes
Cook time 20 minutes to 25 minutes
Makes about 7 cups
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 (about 13-ounce) can unsweetened full-fat coconut milk
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs (3 to 4), cut crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices
1 (2-inch) piece galangal, peeled and cut crosswise into 1/3-inch thick pieces
4 fresh or dried makrut lime leaves
2 medium stalks lemongrass, bottom half only, halved and smashed
4 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, cut into 1/2-inch thick pieces
3 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons packed light or dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (from 1 medium lime)
3 to 4 bird’s-eye chillies, thinly sliced crosswise (halve lengthwise and scrape out the seeds before slicing if you want less spicy heat)
Thinly sliced scallions, for garnish
Coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
1 medium lime, cut into wedges, for serving (optional)
Cooked jasmine rice, for serving (optional)
Instructions
Bring 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth and 1 (about 13-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk to a full boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Add 1 pound sliced chicken thighs, 1 (2-inch) piece peeled and sliced galangal, 4 dried makrut lime leaves, and 2 smashed and halved lemongrass stalks. Return to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and tender, 10 minutes.
Stir in 4 ounces sliced shiitake mushrooms, 3 tablespoons fish sauce, and 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar. Simmer until the mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes.
Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in 2 tablespoons lime juice and 3 to 4 sliced bird's-eye chilies. Remove and discard the lemongrass, lime leaves, and galangal if desired. Garnish with sliced scallions and chopped fresh cilantro. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing and jasmine rice if desired.
Recipe Notes
Substitutions:
Mushrooms are incredibly versatile and interchangeable; I like shiitake mushrooms for the shape, but button, straw mushrooms, oyster, etc. are also great; You can also do a variety.
If you can’t find lime leaves, finely grate the zest of 1/2 medium lime and add it in with the lime juice at the end.
Fresh lemongrass can be substituted with 1 tablespoon lemongrass paste.
Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Further Reading
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