Thai
Thai Tom Kha Gai with Coconut, Galangal, and Lime
This soup keeps the classic hot-sour-creamy balance by infusing coconut milk and stock with galangal, lemongrass, and lime leaves before the chicken and mushrooms go in. The flavor lands bright, aromatic, and deeply Thai without getting overly sweet or muddy.
Gluten-FreeDairy-FreeHigh ProteinQuick WeeknightOne PanComfort Food
At a Glance
- Time
- 45 mins
- Serves
- 4
- Cost
- Medium
- Cuisine
- Thai
- Dietary fit
- Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free
Instructions
- Combine the coconut milk, chicken stock, lemongrass, galangal, and lime leaves in a saucepan and bring just to a simmer over medium heat. Let the aromatics infuse for about 10 minutes so the broth smells citrusy and floral before any protein goes in.
- Add the chicken, mushrooms, fish sauce, and Thai chiles and simmer gently for 8 to 10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the mushrooms soften. Keep the heat moderate so the coconut milk stays smooth instead of breaking.
- Turn off the heat, then stir in the lime juice and sugar so the lime stays bright instead of turning bitter, and taste. The soup should hit salty, tangy, and creamy at once, with the galangal and lemongrass leading the aroma. Add more fish sauce for depth or more lime juice if it needs brightness.
- Remove the toughest lemongrass pieces, galangal slices, and lime leaves if you want a tidier bowl. Finish with scallions and cilantro and serve hot while the broth still smells vivid and the mushrooms are silky.
Adaptations
Works As Written- Gluten-Free: Works As Written Works as written; verify packaged ingredients as noted below.
- Dairy-Free: Works As Written Works as written; verify packaged ingredients as noted below.
- Vegetarian: Not Vegetarian Not adaptable; this recipe is built around meat, poultry, or seafood.
How to adapt: Naturally gluten-free and dairy-free as written if you use a gluten-free fish sauce. Coconut milk gives the soup its body, so no dairy substitutes are needed.