Tom Yum Chicken (Printer-Friendly)

Aromatic Thai-style soup with tender chicken, fragrant herbs, and balanced spicy-sour flavors.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 14 oz boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, thinly sliced

→ Broth

02 - 5 cups chicken stock
03 - 2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed and smashed
04 - 4 slices fresh galangal (about 0.4 oz), or 2 teaspoons dried galangal
05 - 5 makrut lime leaves, torn into pieces
06 - 4 birds eye chilies, lightly crushed

→ Vegetables and Aromatics

07 - 5.3 oz mushrooms (oyster or button), sliced
08 - 2 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges
09 - 1 small onion, sliced
10 - 3 cloves garlic, smashed

→ Seasonings

11 - 3 tablespoons fish sauce
12 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice, plus more to taste
13 - 1 teaspoon sugar
14 - 0.5 teaspoon salt, or to taste

→ Garnish

15 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
16 - 1 to 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
17 - Extra lime wedges

# How to Cook:

01 - Bruise the lemongrass, galangal, and makrut lime leaves with the back of a knife to release their essential oils and aromas.
02 - In a large pot, bring the chicken stock to a boil. Add lemongrass, galangal, makrut lime leaves, birds eye chilies, and garlic. Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes to allow flavors to infuse the broth.
03 - Add the sliced chicken and onion to the broth. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface.
04 - Add mushrooms and tomato wedges. Cook for another 5 to 7 minutes until the vegetables are tender and chicken is cooked through.
05 - Stir in fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, and salt. Taste and adjust lime juice, salt, or fish sauce as desired to achieve a balanced combination of sour, salty, and spicy notes.
06 - Remove from heat. Discard lemongrass, galangal, and makrut lime leaves if preferred for cleaner presentation.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with cilantro, spring onions, and extra lime wedges before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It balances four distinct flavors in one bowl so perfectly that your taste buds will celebrate.
  • You can make this in under an hour which is a lifesaver on busy weeknights.
02 -
  • Boiling the lime juice for too long can make the broth taste slightly bitter.
  • Do not skip the galangal because regular ginger will change the profile into something completely different.
03 -
  • Tear the lime leaves instead of cutting them to maximize the surface area for the oils.
  • If the soup is too spicy a pinch more sugar can help neutralize the burn.
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