Tom Yum Chicken (Printable Version)

Spicy, sour Thai soup with chicken, lemongrass, galangal, and fresh lime. Ready in 40 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 14 oz boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, thinly sliced

→ Broth

02 - 5 cups chicken stock
03 - 2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed and smashed
04 - 4 slices fresh galangal (about 0.4 oz), or 2 teaspoons dried galangal
05 - 5 makrut lime leaves, torn into pieces
06 - 4 birds eye chilies, lightly crushed

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

07 - 5.3 oz mushrooms (oyster or button), sliced
08 - 2 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges
09 - 1 small onion, sliced
10 - 3 cloves garlic, smashed

→ Seasonings

11 - 3 tablespoons fish sauce
12 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice, plus more to taste
13 - 1 teaspoon sugar
14 - 0.5 teaspoon salt, or to taste

→ Garnish

15 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
16 - 1 to 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
17 - Extra lime wedges

# Steps:

01 - Bruise the lemongrass, galangal, and makrut lime leaves with the back of a knife to release their essential aromas.
02 - In a large pot, bring the chicken stock to a boil. Add lemongrass, galangal, makrut lime leaves, birds eye chilies, and garlic. Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes to infuse the broth.
03 - Add the sliced chicken and onion to the broth. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface.
04 - Add mushrooms and tomato wedges. Cook for another 5 to 7 minutes until the vegetables are tender and chicken is cooked through.
05 - Stir in fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, and salt. Taste and adjust lime, salt, or fish sauce as desired to achieve a perfect balance of sour, salty, and spicy flavors.
06 - Remove from heat. Discard lemongrass, galangal, and makrut lime leaves if preferred.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with cilantro, spring onions, and extra lime wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The broth builds complexity in just 25 minutes, tasting like you've been simmering it for hours.
  • It's naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, making it a crowd-pleaser for almost any table.
  • Each spoonful hits you with spicy, sour, and savory all at once—the holy trinity of Thai flavor.
02 -
  • Fish sauce smells funky in the bottle but transforms into pure umami magic once it hits the hot broth—trust the process and don't back down on the amount.
  • The balance of sour, spicy, and salty is personal; I learned the hard way that adjusting these flavors at the end makes the difference between a good bowl and one people ask you to make again.
03 -
  • If you can't find makrut lime leaves, use the zest of one regular lime mixed into the broth, though the flavor won't be quite the same—the search is worth it.
  • Keep the heat moderate after adding chicken so the broth stays clean and the soup looks as good as it tastes.
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