Description
Follow this recipe to make a rich, creamy, and perfectly balanced Thai coconut chicken soup featuring authentic aromatics like galangal and lemongrass.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, sliced thinly
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 (13.5 oz) can full-fat coconut milk
- 2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed and bruised
- 1 inch piece galangal, sliced (or ginger if galangal is unavailable)
- 6 kaffir lime leaves, torn
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 1-2 Thai chilies, sliced (adjust to your heat preference)
- 8 oz straw mushrooms or white button mushrooms, halved
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Instructions
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the sliced lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime leaves. Sauté for 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Pour in the chicken broth and bring the mixture to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and let the aromatics infuse the broth for 10 minutes.
- Add the sliced chicken to the pot. Cook until the chicken is opaque, about 5-7 minutes.
- Stir in the coconut milk, fish sauce, and brown sugar. Bring the soup back to a gentle simmer; do not allow it to boil rapidly after adding coconut milk.
- Add the mushrooms and sliced chilies. Cook for 3 minutes until the mushrooms are tender.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the fresh lime juice. Taste the soup and adjust seasoning, adding more fish sauce for saltiness or sugar for sweetness, if needed.
- Ladle the soup into bowls, discarding the large pieces of lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime leaves if desired, or leaving them for presentation. Garnish with fresh cilantro.
Notes
- For the best flavor, use fresh galangal instead of ginger. If using ginger, use slightly less.
- If you prefer a clearer broth, strain the broth after step 2 before adding the chicken.
- Adjust the number of chilies carefully; the heat builds as the soup sits.
- Use full-fat coconut milk for the richest texture.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 25 min
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Thai
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 550
- Fat: 25
- Saturated Fat: 18
- Unsaturated Fat: 7
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 10
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 28
- Cholesterol: 85