Tom Kha Gai

Name: Tom Kha Gai
Yield: 3 servings
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: Chicken thighs, 400g sliced into bite-sized pieces; Coconut milk, 400ml full-fat canned; Chicken stock, 300ml; Galangal, 30g thinly sliced (or substitute ginger if unavailable); Kaffir lime leaves, 6 leaves torn in half; Lemongrass, 2 stalks bruised and cut into 5cm pieces; Oyster or straw mushrooms, 150g roughly torn; Thai bird's eye chillies, 3-4 lightly crushed; Fish sauce, 3 tablespoons; Fresh lime juice, from 2 limes

ต้มข่าไก่/tom khah guy/

Also known as: Tom Kha Kai, Coconut Chicken Soup, Galangal Chicken Soup

About this dish

A fragrant coconut milk soup with chicken, galangal, and lime leaf.

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History & Origin

Tom kha gai balances the heat of Thai chili with the richness of coconut milk and the citrusy bite of galangal — a gentler, creamier cousin to the sharper tom yum.

Ingredients

🍗Chicken thighs, 400g sliced into bite-sized pieces

🥥Coconut milk, 400ml full-fat canned

🍲Chicken stock, 300ml

🌿Galangal, 30g thinly sliced (or substitute ginger if unavailable)

🍋Kaffir lime leaves, 6 leaves torn in half

🌾Lemongrass, 2 stalks bruised and cut into 5cm pieces

🍄Oyster or straw mushrooms, 150g roughly torn

🌶️Thai bird's eye chillies, 3-4 lightly crushed

🐟Fish sauce, 3 tablespoons

🍈Fresh lime juice, from 2 limes

Method

Serves 3

Pour the chicken stock and coconut milk into a medium saucepan and place over medium heat. Add the galangal, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, and crushed chillies to the pot.

Bring the broth to a gentle simmer over medium heat — do not boil rapidly or the coconut milk may split. Let the aromatics infuse for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the sliced chicken to the simmering broth and cook for 8-10 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked through with no pink remaining.

Add the mushrooms and cook for a further 2-3 minutes until just tender. Season the soup with fish sauce, tasting as you go to balance the saltiness.

Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the fresh lime juice. Taste and adjust with more fish sauce for saltiness or more lime for sourness — the soup should be a balance of creamy, sour, and savoury.

Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh coriander leaves and a few extra chilli slices if desired. The galangal, lemongrass, and lime leaves are left in for presentation but are not eaten.

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