Tom Yum Gai Thai Soup (Printable version)

Aromatic Thai-style soup with chicken, mushrooms, and bold spicy-sour flavors infused with lemongrass, galangal, and fresh lime.

# What You'll 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, plus extra for serving

→ Garnish

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

# How to Make:

01 - In a large saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a gentle boil. Add lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, and smashed chiles. Simmer for 5 minutes to infuse the flavors.
02 - Add the chicken slices and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until just cooked through. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface.
03 - Stir in the mushrooms, tomatoes, and onion. Simmer for another 3 to 4 minutes until the vegetables are tender but not mushy.
04 - Add nam prik pao, fish sauce, sugar, and salt. Stir well and simmer for 2 more minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste.
05 - Remove from heat. Stir in lime juice. Taste and adjust sourness or salt as desired.
06 - Ladle into bowls. Garnish with fresh cilantro and extra chiles if desired. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • That first sip hits you with an incredible dance of spicy, tangy, and aromatic flavors that wake up every part of your palate
  • It comes together faster than you can order takeout but tastes like it simmered all day
02 -
  • I once forgot to remove the lemongrass stalks before serving and my guests kept trying to eat them, so fish out the tough aromatics or warn people to avoid them
  • Adding lime juice while the soup is still boiling makes it lose its bright punch, so always take the pot off the heat first
03 -
  • Freeze extra lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves when you find them fresh, since they can be hard to locate sometimes
  • If you cannot find nam prik pao, a teaspoon of chili garlic paste plus a dash of tomato paste works surprisingly well
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