Tom Kha Gai (ต้มข่าไก่) is a fragrant Thai soup made with chicken, coconut milk and galangal. Lemongrass, makrut lime leaves, fish sauce and fresh lime juice give it its characteristic balance of creamy, salty, tangy and gently spicy flavors.
This Tom Kha Gai recipe uses the essential Thai aromatics and includes practical alternatives for ingredients that can be harder to find outside Thailand.
At the table with Portail Asie
Traditional Tom Kha Gai
Make Tom Kha Gai, Thailand’s fragrant coconut chicken soup with galangal, lemongrass, makrut lime leaves, fish sauce and fresh lime juice.
- Prep time
- 15 min
- Cooking time
- 25 min
- Total time
- 40 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spice level
- 1/5
- Cuisine
- Thailand
- Dish type
- Soup
About this recipe
Version: Close to traditional
Tom Kha Gai relies mainly on the balance between coconut milk, galangal, lemongrass, makrut lime leaves, fish sauce and fresh lime juice.
Do not substitute: Ginger is not a true substitute for galangal: it noticeably changes the aromatic profile of the soup.
Ingredients
Adjust servings to suit your needs.
For the Tom Kha Gai
- 500 ml Unsalted chicken stockpreferably homemade or mildly flavored
- 400 ml Coconut milk
- ½ tsp Fine salt
- 450 g Boneless, skinless chicken thighscut into pieces
- 1 stalk Lemongrasslower part only, bruised and cut into sections
- 12 thin slices Fresh galangal
- 5 Makrut lime leavesbruised and torn into large pieces
- 1 to 3 Thai chiliesto taste, lightly crushed
- 160 g Oyster mushroomstorn into pieces
- 2 tbsp Fish sauceadjust at the end of cooking
- 1 tsp Palm sugarfinely chopped, or use white sugar
- 2½ tbsp Lime juiceadd off the heat and adjust to taste
- Fresh cilantro or scallionschopped, for serving
- Cooked jasmine riceoptional, for serving
Preparation steps
Bring the chicken stock to a boil in a saucepan. Add the salt and chicken pieces, then reduce the heat and gently simmer for about 15 minutes, until the chicken is tender.
Add the coconut milk, lemongrass, galangal, makrut lime leaves, chilies, oyster mushrooms, about half of the fish sauce and the palm sugar. Stir gently.
Simmer gently for about 5 minutes so the aromatics can flavor the broth and the mushrooms can cook. Avoid a vigorous boil.
Taste and gradually add the remaining fish sauce if needed. Then turn off the heat.
Add about 2 tablespoons of lime juice off the heat, taste, then adjust with the remaining lime juice if needed. Sprinkle with cilantro or scallions and serve immediately, on its own or with jasmine rice.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
The soup is too sour
Probable cause: Too much lime juice was added at once.
Solution: Add the lime juice gradually off the heat and taste between each addition.
The chicken is dry
Probable cause: The heat was too high or the chicken cooked for too long.
Solution: Keep the soup at a gentle simmer and preferably use chicken thighs.
Portail Asie tips
Galangal, lemongrass and makrut lime leaves are mainly used to flavor the soup and are not usually eaten. Remove some of them before serving or let your guests know. Always add the lime juice off the heat to preserve its freshness. Start with only part of the fish sauce, then adjust after tasting. Tom Kha Gai should remain fragrant and balanced without being dominated by acidity, sweetness or chili heat.
Substitutions and alternatives
- Fresh galangal
- Frozen galangal is the best alternative and retains its aroma well. Dried slices can work when necessary. Ginger is not an equivalent substitute and will give the soup a noticeably different flavor profile.
- Makrut lime leaves
- Use frozen makrut lime leaves if fresh leaves are unavailable. They keep very well in the freezer and remain much closer to the traditional flavor than simply using lime zest.
- Oyster mushrooms
- Button mushrooms, fresh shiitake mushrooms or cremini mushrooms can also work. Cut them into evenly sized pieces so they cook quickly.
- Chicken thighs
- Chicken breast can be used, but it dries out more easily. Cut it into pieces and add it later in the cooking process to help keep it tender.
Watch the preparation
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Order this dish in Thailand
Thai name:ต้มข่าไก่
Say it simply:Tom Kha Gai
Show this:ต้มข่าไก่ 1 ที่
Meaning:One Tom Kha Gai.
Where to find the ingredients
Galangal, lemongrass, makrut lime leaves, fish sauce and coconut milk are easy to find in Asian grocery stores and Thai supermarkets. Outside Thailand, look for galangal and makrut lime leaves in the fresh or frozen section; both freeze very well and can be kept for several recipes. Oyster mushrooms are available in many supermarkets and can also be replaced with other fresh mushrooms.
