Tom Yum Gai Thai Soup (Print Page)

Spicy-sour Thai chicken soup with lemongrass, galangal, mushrooms, and fresh lime in aromatic broth.

# What You 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

# Directions:

01 - In a large saucepan, bring chicken stock to a gentle boil. Add lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, and smashed chiles. Simmer for 5 minutes to fully infuse the flavors.
02 - Add 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 mushrooms, tomatoes, and onion. Simmer for another 3 to 4 minutes until vegetables are tender but retain their texture.
04 - Add nam prik pao, fish sauce, sugar, and salt. Stir thoroughly and simmer for 2 additional minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste.
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 extra chiles if desired. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than you'd expect, yet tastes like you've been simmering it all day.
  • The balance of heat, sourness, and aroma is so intoxicating that one bowl never feels like enough.
02 -
  • Nam prik pao is the secret ingredient that separates good Tom Yum from transcendent Tom Yum—don't skip it or try to improvise with regular chili paste.
  • Add the lime juice at the very end; heating it diminishes its brightness and you lose the essential spark that makes this soup come alive.
03 -
  • Smash your aromatics with the side of a knife before adding them to the broth; this releases their essential oils and multiplies the flavor impact.
  • Don't skip the skimming step when the chicken first hits the broth; removing that foam keeps the broth clear and refined rather than cloudy.
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