How to make Chicken Coconut Soup and the recipes of Chicken Coconut Soup

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Chicken Coconut Soup (Tom Ka Kai)

This soup is deceptively easy to make, but boasts all the wonderful flavors Thai cuisine is beloved for. Serve as a first course, or with a bowl of rice or rice noodles for a complete meal. Omit the coconut milk for a lighter-tasting soup.

Time: 45 minutes
Makes: 6 to 8 first-course servings or 4 main-course servings

Ingredients:

  • 13½-ounce can coconut milk
  • 2 cups chicken stock (recipe on page 42)
  • 2 plump stalks lemongrass, trimmed, bruised (see page 10), and halved
  • 1-inch piece (1 ounce) young galangal, cut into 6 coins
  • 5 kaffir lime leaves, torn in half
  • 1 pound chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • ½ cup fresh or canned mushrooms (button, straw, or shiitakes), sliced (optional)
  • ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • ½ teaspoon sugar
  • 6 red Thai chilies, smashed with the butt of a knife (if you don’t like it too spicy, use less), plus more for garnish
  • ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons lime juice (from 3 large)
  • Cilantro leaves for garnish

Instructions:

  1. In a large pot, bring the coconut milk, stock, lemongrass, galangal, and lime leaves to a gentle boil over medium-high heat.
  2. Add the chicken, mushrooms, fish sauce, sugar, and chilies and return everything to a boil.
  3. Reduce the heat to medium and add the lime juice. Simmer until the chicken is fully cooked (cut into a piece to test), 3 to 4 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings if desired.
  4. Fish out the herbs and discard. Ladle the soup into individual bowls and garnish with cilantro leaves and 1 chili per bowl.

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