Tom Kha Gai (Thai Coconut Chicken Soup)

Tom Kha Gai is a spicy Thai chicken soup with a savory-umami flavor. The soup is sweetened with coconut milk and a small touch of palm sugar. Although Tom Kha Gai contains chicken, there are other popular Thai soup variations, including Tom Yum, in which the coconut milk is left out.

In my last post, I shared my son's Iced Latte recipe. I'm equally as excited to share this Tom Kha Gai recipe that my daughter, Nena, and I developed together last week. If you had told me a few years ago that my kids and I would be creating recipes together, I would have said: "you're crazy!" Yet, here we are killing it!

Unlike Scotty, Nena has never enjoyed cooking. However, after she moved out on her own, she decided to ease into cooking by learning how to prepare various soups.

Soup has always been one of Nena's favorite foods, especially Poblano Soup. But what really blew me away was when she made Stuffed Cabbage (Dolma), All. By. Herself. I couldn't be more proud!

So last week, Nena and I decided to tackle preparing a new favorite, Tom Kha Gai (Tom {soup}, Kha {galangal root}, Gai (chicken). Although the "Gai" stands for "chicken," Nena opted for shrimp instead. She also added carrots and cherry tomatoes. The soup was delicious, especially for our first attempt.

The following day I made a second batch using chicken. I left out the carrots and tomatoes and added scallions and onions instead. This is the recipe I'm sharing today.

Why This Recipe Works

For starters, this Tom Kha Gai recipe is absolutely perfect! It's easy to prepare, yet will impress anyone you serve it to. Although some of the ingredients might be hard to find, you can buy everything you need on Amazon. Once you make the initial purchase, you'll have what you need to make many batches! And believe me, you'll want to make this soup over and over again.

What you need to make Tom Kha Gai

Recipe Ingredients Notes

• Galangal Root — Galangal is a root used in Asian cooking. It is an essential ingredient in making Tom Kha Gai. Although some suggest that ginger can be substituted for Galangal root, they really don't taste the same. Galangal has an earthy, piney flavor and scent. To me, it actually tastes more like spruce tips, which I use to make Spruce Tips Pesto. If you don't have Asian markets near you, you can purchase fresh or dehydrated galangal root on Amazon.
• Kaffir Lime Leaves — Another key ingredient in Thai cuisine is Kaffir Lime Leaves. Similar to the Galangal root, Kaffir Lime Leaves can be hard to find. Luckily, you can find fresh and dehydrated Kaffir Lime Leaves on Amazon. I've also used tender lime leaves off my lime tree and they work just as well!
• Lemongrass — Lemongrass is commonly used in Asian cooking. If you can't find it locally, it can be purchased online. The stalks can also be rooted and even planted. Especially if you live in a warm climate. Otherwise, it can be kept indoors.
• Fish Sauce — Fish sauce adds a savory umami flavor. Sometimes soy sauce is substituted.
• Mushrooms — Nena and I used fresh Shitake mushrooms, but you can substitute your favorite mushrooms. Dehydrated mushrooms may also be used, including the water they rehydrate in, which is loaded with flavor!
• Sugar — Palm sugar is usually used to sweeten Tom Kha, but since we couldn't find it, we used brown sugar. Coconut sugar can also be used.
• Curry Paste — Curry paste comes in three options, red, yellow, and green. For this recipe, you'll need red curry paste.

How to Make Tom Kha Gai

Step 1

Heat coconut oil in a 5-quart Dutch oven, then saute sliced mushrooms, scallions, and garlic.

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Step 2

Meanwhile, chop the lemongrass and Galangal root, and crush or chop the Kaffir lime leaves.

Step 3

Remove mushrooms, scallions, and garlic from the pot and set aside. Add lemongrass, Galangal, and lime leaves. Saute until fragrant (1 to 2 minutes). Add curry paste and cook one more minute.

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Step 4

Add 4 cups of water and the chicken. Bring to a boil, then simmer, covered, for 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

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Step 5

Remove chicken from the pot, strain the broth. Discard lemongrass, Galangal, and lime leaves. Pour broth back into the pot, along with the mushrooms, scallions, and garlic.

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Step 6

Add lime juice, fish sauce, brown sugar, salt, and coconut milk. Shred the chicken and add to the pot. Discard the skin and bones. Simmer for 15 more minutes.

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What to serve with Tom Kha Gai

Tom Kha Gai is usually served with chopped cilantro, lime wedges, and sliced Thai peppers. You can garnish the soup with a few Kaffir lime leaves if desired.

Recipe FAQs and Expert Tips

• Galangal root can be very tough and hard to slice, especially if it's old. The younger the root, the more tender it will be. If you can't slice it, try grating or pounding it. 
• You can make a vegetarian Tom Kha by adding tofu instead of chicken.
• Sometimes Tom Kha is served with chili oil. The strong sesame flavor of some chili oils overwhelms the other more subtle flavors, so I've decided to leave it out. If you do decide to try it, use it sparingly.
• Tom Kha is only slightly spicy from the Galangal root. To add more heat, I recommend serving it with sliced chili peppers on the side.
• To make the soup even more filling, serve Tom Kha Gai over cooked-ramen noodles.

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