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1 Comment This delicious Thai coconut chicken soup (Tom Kha Gai soup) makes you feel like you are in Thailand. Having been to Thailand a couple of times now, smelling some of the flavors of this Thai coconut soup instantly transport me back to hot and humid back alleys in Bangkok where the best dishes were made!
Thai coconut chicken soup
We had this Tom Kha Gai recipe for the first time a few weeks ago and it was love at first sight. Or first taste. Whatever you want to call it. I love the flavors of Thai food (like this easy Pad Thai recipe) or the green mango salad!) and this Tom Kha Gai soup is no exception. When you visit a Thai restaurant, it is likely to be on the menu, as it is a true classic.
Ingredients needed
Now if you take a look at the ingredient list in the recipe card you will find a couple of ingredients that you might not be able to find in a general grocery store. So I have listed a few replacements where possible;
- onion – you need both green onions for sprinkling on top and regular yellow onions for in the soup
- garlic
- shiitake mushrooms – this can be replaced by oyster mushrooms or button mushrooms
- coconut cream – I always use the full fat version here but you can use light coconut milk if you prefer to have less fat content
- chicken broth – you can use a stock cube but the best flavor would be making your own chicken stock (in the slow cooker)
- chicken breasts – these will be cooked and shredded. You can also use leftovers if you had a rotisserie chicken. You add the shredded chicken to the soup
- lemon grass – fresh lemongrass is quite a distinct flavor and crucial for the flavor of the soup. But if you cannot find it in the produce section of the Asian store you can replace it with lime zest and fresh lime juice. It’s not the same but it would be a reasonable replacement
- galangal – fresh galangal root is another typical Asian ingredient which you can replace with fresh ginger. It’s similar although not the same
- kaffir lime – this is one of those flavors that is so typical Asian. But not always easy to find fresh. I tend to buy a large bag of the leaves and freeze them. That is the ideal way to always have stock of this particular ingredient. You can omit when needed and serve the soup with lime wedges
- tomatoes
- red chilies – I’ve also seen recipes where the soup was made with red bell pepper. Which I guess is an option too but without the spicyness.
- fish sauce – Fish sauce should be easily available in most stores that have any Thai ingredients
- cilantro – you use fresh cilantro for the topping
Questions asked about making thai coconut chicken soup
Yes you can but be careful when adding it in. The fresh lemon grass stalks are taken out of the soup before eating, so you have the taste and aroma but it is more subtle. Adding lemon grass paste is stronger as you can’t take it out.
You can if you want. Leave out the cooked chicken, the chicken broth and the fish sauce and the soup is instantly vegan. Replace the chicken for tofu, the chicken stock for vegetable stock.
Yes but be careful for the coconut as the texture might change or the coconut milk could potentially split
It’s pretty delicious all on it’s own but if you wanted to add more carbs to the dish you can add something like Jasmine rice or rice noodles
You can store the soup for 3-4 days in an airtight container in the fridge. But add fresh cilantro and other toppings at the last minute to keep them fresh. Also reheat the soup at medium-low heat to prevent the coconut milk from splitting.
Thai coconut chicken soup (Tom Kha Gai)
Ingredients
- coconut oil for baking
- 1 onion sliced
- 150 gr shiitake sliced in small pieces
- 500 ml chicken stock
- 1 piece lemongrass bruised
- 1 pcs galangal or ginger, few slices
- 2 kaffir lime leaves
- 200 gr chicken fillet
- 2 tomatoes chopped
- 375 ml coconut milk
- 2 red chili peppers in small rings
- juice of 1 lime
- 1,5 tbsp fish sauce
- fresh coriander for serving
How to make the chicken soup
- Take a large pot and heat the coconut oil. Bake the onion and the shiitake until soft. Add the stock.
- Add the lemon grass, galangal and kaffir lime leaves and leave to simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Add the chicken and cook until the chicken is done. About 10 minutes. take the chicken out of the soup and shred the chicken with two forks.
- Add the tomatoes and coconut milk and leave this to heat up but don’t boil them to a pulp. Add the shredded chicken back in.
- Take of the heat and stir the lime juice, fish sauce and the fresh coriander through the soup.
- Serve with some fresh coriander and the chili on top.
Notes
- Lemongrass Paste vs. Fresh? Yes, but use less—paste is stronger and can’t be removed like fresh stalks.
- Vegan Version? Replace chicken with tofu, chicken broth with vegetable broth, and skip fish sauce.
- Freezing? Yes, but coconut milk may split or change texture.
- Serving with Rice Noodles? Delicious on its own, but Jasmine rice or rice noodles can be added.
- Make Ahead? Keeps 3-4 days in the fridge. Add cilantro & toppings fresh, and reheat gently to avoid splitting.
Nutrition Information per portion:
Disclaimer:
The nutritional values above are calculated per portion. The details are based on standard nutritional tables and do not constitute a professional nutritional advice.
Super easy to make at home, can be prepped in advance and just has bags of flavor!