Tom Yum Gai Thai Soup (Printable Version)

Vibrant Thai soup with chicken, mushrooms, and aromatic herbs in a spicy-sour broth with lemongrass and lime.

# What You'll 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 as substitute
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

# Steps:

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 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 not mushy.
04 - Add nam prik pao, fish sauce, sugar, and salt. Stir well and simmer for 2 more minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste.
05 - Remove from heat. Stir in lime juice. Taste and adjust sourness or salt as desired.
06 - Ladle into bowls. Garnish with fresh cilantro and extra chiles if desired. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The whole thing comes together in under 40 minutes, making it perfect for nights when you're tired but hungry for something that feels restaurant-worthy.
  • It's naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, so you can serve it to almost anyone without stress or substitutions.
  • One spoonful tastes like you've been simmering aromatics for hours, even though the magic happens in minutes.
02 -
  • Don't skip the initial 5-minute infusion step—that's what turns plain chicken stock into aromatic broth; rushing it results in a soup that tastes flat and one-dimensional.
  • Fish sauce smells pungent on its own but transforms into umami magic once it's simmering in the broth; trust the process and don't be afraid of it.
  • If you want a creamy version, stir in a tablespoon of evaporated milk after you add the lime juice—it softens the heat slightly and adds richness without making it taste like coconut milk soup.
03 -
  • Make a double batch of the aromatic base (lemongrass, lime leaves, galangal, chiles in broth) and freeze it in portions; then you can make Tom Yum on any weeknight in about 15 minutes.
  • If you find nam prik pao too funky or intense at first, start with a tablespoon instead of two and add more after tasting—you can always add more, but you can't take it out.
  • For extra depth without cream, add a splash of evaporated milk or even a beaten egg stirred in slowly at the end for a silkier, richer texture.
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