Tom Yum Gai Thai Chicken (Printer-Friendly)

Spicy, tangy Thai chicken soup with fragrant lemongrass, galangal, and fresh lime juice.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 12 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs, thinly sliced

→ Broth

02 - 5 cups chicken stock
03 - 2 stalks lemongrass, tough outer leaves removed, cut into 2-inch pieces and smashed
04 - 5 kaffir lime leaves, torn
05 - 3 slices galangal or fresh ginger
06 - 2 Thai bird's eye chiles, smashed

→ Vegetables

07 - 5 oz oyster or button mushrooms, sliced
08 - 2 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges
09 - 1 small onion, sliced

→ Seasonings

10 - 2 tablespoons nam prik pao (Thai roasted chili paste)
11 - 2 tablespoons fish sauce
12 - 1 tablespoon sugar
13 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
14 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

→ Garnish

15 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
16 - 1 to 2 Thai chiles, sliced (optional)

# How to Cook:

01 - Bring 5 cups chicken stock to a gentle boil in a large saucepan. Add lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, and smashed chiles. Simmer for 5 minutes until flavors are fully infused.
02 - Add thinly sliced chicken and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until just cooked through. Skim away any foam that rises to the surface.
03 - Stir in sliced mushrooms, tomato wedges, and onion. Simmer for another 3 to 4 minutes until vegetables are tender but maintain their texture.
04 - Add nam prik pao, fish sauce, sugar, and salt. Stir thoroughly and simmer for 2 additional minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
05 - Remove from heat. Stir in 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lime juice. Taste and adjust sourness or salt to your preference.
06 - Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with fresh cilantro and additional sliced chiles if desired. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The broth hits that magical sweet spot where sour, salty, spicy, and just enough sweetness dance together perfectly
  • It comes together in under 40 minutes but tastes like something that simmered all day
  • The nam prik pao is the secret ingredient that transforms this from good to cant stop eating
02 -
  • Nam prik pao varies wildly by brand, start with less and taste as you go because some pack way more heat and sweetness than others
  • The lime juice really must be added off the heat, or you lose that fresh bright pop that makes Tom Yum sing
03 -
  • Freeze your lemongrass trimmings and galangal scraps in a bag, then boil them in water for a quick vegetarian stock base
  • If you can only find kaffir lime leaves dried, rehydrate them in warm water for 10 minutes before tearing and adding to the pot
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