Tom Yum Gai Thai Soup (Printable Version)

Spicy-sour Thai chicken soup with lemongrass, galangal, mushrooms, and lime juice. Bold and aromatic comfort in a bowl.

# List of Ingredients:

→ 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 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

# Directions:

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 to infuse flavors.
02 - Add sliced chicken to the simmering broth and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until just cooked through. Skim away any foam from the surface.
03 - Stir in mushrooms, tomatoes, and onion. Simmer for another 3 to 4 minutes until vegetables are tender but retain their structure.
04 - Add Thai roasted chili paste, fish sauce, sugar, and salt. Stir thoroughly and simmer for 2 additional minutes. Adjust seasoning to preference.
05 - Remove from heat and stir in lime juice. Taste and adjust sourness or salt as desired.
06 - Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh cilantro and sliced Thai chiles if desired. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The broth tastes like it took hours to develop, but you'll have a steaming bowl in thirty-five minutes flat.
  • One pot means cleanup is barely worth mentioning, yet the flavor feels restaurant-worthy and utterly authentic.
  • It's naturally dairy-free and gluten-free without any sacrifice—just honest Thai cooking.
02 -
  • Don't overcook the chicken—it keeps cooking after you remove the pot from heat, and overcooked chicken in soup is a sadness that can't be fixed.
  • Nam prik pao is not optional; it's the ingredient that transforms this from generic chicken soup into actual Tom Yum—hunt down a good brand or make a substitute with roasted chiles and shrimp paste.
  • Lime juice goes in at the very end and off the heat because boiling destroys its fresh character and you lose the point of having it there.
03 -
  • If you want a creamy Tom Yum without making it feel heavy, add a splash of coconut milk or evaporated milk at the very end, but only if you're in the mood—the clear, bright version is the real thing.
  • Toast your spice pastes gently in a dry pan before adding them to soup; it wakes them up and makes them taste more dimensional and intentional.
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