Thai Coconut Chicken Soup
If You Haven’t Made Thai Coconut Chicken Soup, Let Me Tell You…
Alright, so—Thai Coconut Chicken Soup (aka Tom Kha Gai if you’re feeling posh), is my ultimate “rainy weather rescue,” and honestly, sometimes I make it just for the smell. The first time I tried to make it, I forgot to buy lemongrass and used a sad old lemon instead. My husband still teases me about the “Lemon Not-Grass Soup Incident.” Since then, I’ve gotten the hang of it, but not without a few detours — like the time I substituted coconut milk with that questionable coconut drink from the back of the fridge. Don’t do this. Ever. Anyway, here’s how I make it now, with all my shortcuts, small blunders, and a dash of real-life messiness thrown in.
Why I Keep Coming Back to This Soup
I make this when I want to pretend I’m somewhere warm and dare I say, a little more zen than my kitchen (usually while the cat’s trying to climb the curtains). My crew goes bonkers for it because it’s creamy and tangy and super filling without being heavy. There’s a gentle heat – you can make it as spicy as you like, or leave out the chili if you’re serving spice-shy folks. And honestly, after a long day when my brain feels like mush, the smell of coconut, ginger, and lime together makes me forget I just stepped on three Lego bricks. Not kidding.
Stuff You’ll Need (and a Few Substitutes I’ve Settled For)
- 2 cans full-fat coconut milk (about 800ml total) – I sometimes use light coconut milk, but honestly the rich stuff is best
- 400g (about 14oz) chicken breast, thinly sliced – thighs work too, and if I’m feeling lazy, I’ll use leftover roast chicken
- 2 cups chicken stock (500ml) – homemade is great, but carton stock works just fine. My grandmother insisted on Knorr cubes; up to you
- 3 stalks fresh lemongrass, smashed – or 2 teaspoons lemongrass paste when I can’t track down the real deal
- 4 kaffir lime leaves, torn – if you can’t find these, a little extra lime zest isn’t a crime
- 5 slices galangal (or ginger if you must, but galangal tastes more ‘thai’ to me)
- 200g mushrooms, sliced – I use button or shiitake, honestly whatever’s looking perky at the store
- 3 Thai chilies, halved (or one big red chili, or none, depending how brave you’re feeling)
- 2-3 tablespoons fish sauce – but soy sauce if your pantry’s looking sparse
- 1 tablespoon sugar (palm sugar if you have it; regular old sugar does the trick too)
- Juice of 1-2 limes – I go heavy on the lime, but you do you
- Fresh coriander and extra chili for serving
- Rice for the side, if that’s your vibe (optional)
My Not-So-Perfect Step-by-Step Directions
- Grab a large pot and add chicken stock, coconut milk, smashed lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, and galangal. Whack the lemongrass with something (I use my rolling pin; don’t tell my mum) to release the flavor first.
- Bring it all to a gentle simmer over medium heat – don’t let it boil like crazy or it’ll look kind of split and sad. This is usually when I’m catching up on my texts. Let it do its thing for 5 minutes so the flavors party together.
- Toss in the chicken. Thin slices mean they cook fast! Also add the mushrooms and chilies at this point. Cook until the chicken’s just opaque, about 5-ish minutes. Sometimes I poke a piece just to make sure, science and all that.
- Fish out the lemongrass stalks and lime leaves (if you remember – I forget half the time and it’s not the end of the world if someone gets one in their bowl, just a bonus challenge).
- Add the fish sauce and sugar. Stir, then taste. (This is the bit where I always sneak a spoonful and burn my tongue… every single time.) Adjust with extra fish sauce, sugar or stock if you’re feeling saucy.
- Take the pot off the heat and stir in your lime juice, little by little, tasting as you go. Some of us like it punchy, others (ahem, my youngest) want it mellow.
- Top each bowl with fresh coriander, extra chili if you fancy, and serve it next to a mound of steamy rice. Or just eat it straight up – who am I to judge?
Random Notes from My Kitchen Adventures
- The galangal vs. ginger debate rages on. I’ve used both. Galangal is more floral; ginger is easier to find. The soup still gets devoured either way.
- Try not to boil it hard or the coconut milk gets weird-looking. Learned this one the hard way.
- Lemongrass paste is actually not a terrible shortcut, although if you tell my Thai neighbor I said that, she’ll glare at me again.
Things I’ve Tried (That Kinda Worked… and Didn’t)
- I once tossed in leftover cooked prawns. Surprisingly decent, but they turned a bit rubbery when reheated. Lesson learned.
- Splashing in chili oil at the end for heat worked a treat—if you’re into spicy. My friend Kevin nearly cried, but in a good way?
- I tried subbing out half the coconut milk for oat milk. Nope. Weirdly gluey, don’t recommend!
Do You Really Need Fancy Equipment?
I use a big, sturdy pot. If you don’t have one, split it between a saucepan and a frying pan—it’s a faff but hey, use what you’ve got. You can bash lemongrass with the back of a knife. Or a rolling pin. Or like, the side of a water bottle if you’re in a pinch (done it, no shame).
How I Keep It (When There’s Any Left)
This keeps in the fridge for up to 2 days, but honestly in my house it never lasts more than a day! Just reheat gently, don’t boil, or the chicken gets grumpy and tough. It’s way better the next day though, trust me; the flavors have a party overnight.
How We Serve Ours (And Why)
Big bowls with fresh coriander and a little slice of chili for the grown-ups. I usually toss some rice in the bottom of the kids’ bowls to fill ‘em up (avoids the evening snack demands—score). My husband likes a drizzle of chili oil over his. Oh, and some random prawn crackers we always seem to have lying around from the last takeout.
If You Like Pro Tips (Or, What I Messed Up So You Don’t Have To)
- I once tried rushing the steeping step; flavors were sad and flat. Sigh. Give the aromatics time to infuse.
- Don’t forget to pull out the tough lemongrass and lime leaves. Actually—if you do, just warn people. Makes for a funny story anyway.
- Don’t boil the soup crazy hard. Unless you want split, curdled coconut soup (it’s edible, but not cute).
FAQ – What Friends Actually Ask Me
Can I freeze this? Eh, you can, but the mushrooms get mushy and the coconut milk goes a bit odd. It’s fine but not fab. I prefer making it fresh.
Is it super spicy? Only if you go wild with chilies! You can totally control the heat. For kids, I just use one de-seeded chili or skip them altogether.
Can I make it vegetarian? Yup—just swap chicken for tofu and use veggie stock! Fish sauce has anchovies, so use soy sauce if that’s an issue.
What if I can’t find kaffir lime leaves? Lime zest plus a little more coriander gets you surprisingly close. Not perfect, but good enough for a Wednesday night.
Why does my soup look ‘split’? Oh, I’ve so been there. It almost always means it boiled too rapidly. Gentle heat is key, promise.
Can we talk about how good this is with a cold beer? Or is that just me? Anyway, enjoy your bowl of comfort!
Ingredients
- 2 cans full-fat coconut milk (about 800ml total) – I sometimes use light coconut milk, but honestly the rich stuff is best
- 400g (about 14oz) chicken breast, thinly sliced – thighs work too, and if I’m feeling lazy, I’ll use leftover roast chicken
- 2 cups chicken stock (500ml) – homemade is great, but carton stock works just fine. My grandmother insisted on Knorr cubes; up to you
- 3 stalks fresh lemongrass, smashed – or 2 teaspoons lemongrass paste when I can’t track down the real deal
- 4 kaffir lime leaves, torn – if you can’t find these, a little extra lime zest isn’t a crime
- 5 slices galangal (or ginger if you must, but galangal tastes more ‘thai’ to me)
- 200g mushrooms, sliced – I use button or shiitake, honestly whatever’s looking perky at the store
- 3 Thai chilies, halved (or one big red chili, or none, depending how brave you’re feeling)
- 2-3 tablespoons fish sauce – but soy sauce if your pantry’s looking sparse
- 1 tablespoon sugar (palm sugar if you have it; regular old sugar does the trick too)
- Juice of 1-2 limes – I go heavy on the lime, but you do you
- Fresh coriander and extra chili for serving
- Rice for the side, if that’s your vibe (optional)
Instructions
-
1Grab a large pot and add chicken stock, coconut milk, smashed lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, and galangal. Whack the lemongrass with something (I use my rolling pin; don’t tell my mum) to release the flavor first.
-
2Bring it all to a gentle simmer over medium heat – don’t let it boil like crazy or it’ll look kind of split and sad. This is usually when I’m catching up on my texts. Let it do its thing for 5 minutes so the flavors party together.
-
3Toss in the chicken. Thin slices mean they cook fast! Also add the mushrooms and chilies at this point. Cook until the chicken’s just opaque, about 5-ish minutes. Sometimes I poke a piece just to make sure, science and all that.
-
4Fish out the lemongrass stalks and lime leaves (if you remember – I forget half the time and it’s not the end of the world if someone gets one in their bowl, just a bonus challenge).
-
5Add the fish sauce and sugar. Stir, then taste. (This is the bit where I always sneak a spoonful and burn my tongue… every single time.) Adjust with extra fish sauce, sugar or stock if you’re feeling saucy.
-
6Take the pot off the heat and stir in your lime juice, little by little, tasting as you go. Some of us like it punchy, others (ahem, my youngest) want it mellow.
-
7Top each bowl with fresh coriander, extra chili if you fancy, and serve it next to a mound of steamy rice. Or just eat it straight up – who am I to judge?
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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