Tom yum goong maybe the most famous soup of Thailand, but its milder creamier sister, tom kha gai, is my personal favourite. This comforting Thai coconut chicken soup recipe is infused with the classic Thai herbs: lemongrass, galangal, and makrut (kaffir) lime leaves. It's so easy yet so loveable that when someone asks, "I'm new to Thai food, what should I try/make first?" Tom kha gai is my answer.
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What is Tom Kha Gai?
Tom kha gai ต้มข่าไก่, which is sometimes spelled tom ka gai or tom kha kai, is one of the most popular soups amongst Thai food lovers. Tom means to boil, kha means galangal, and gai means chicken. So it's a chicken soup whose main flavour comes from galangal, but another key component not mentioned in the soup is coconut milk.
Tom kha gai soup is available at nearly every Thai restaurant overseas, but because it's such an easy recipe, it's a dish that's perfect for simple weeknight home cooking. Though chicken is the original version, you can make tom kha using other proteins. Typically in Thailand, alternative proteins are fish or seafood, as they pair best with the flavour profile of tom kha soup.
Tom kha gai is a great dish to make for a party because it is gluten-free, not too spicy, has easy-to-love flavours, and it can be made vegan with modifications I provide later on in this article.
Ingredients and Notes
Here are all the ingredients for my tom kha gai recipe and important notes about them. For the amounts, see the full recipe card below. There aren't that many, but each one is critical to the flavour of the soup. Kha in the soup name refers to the galangal, so that's the the one ingredient that cannot be substituted.
If you want to learn more about some of the Thai ingredients listed below, simply click the link to watch my "101" videos on them!
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs (chicken breast is okay to use, but the methods need to be modified as per the notes in the recipe card)
- Chicken broth or stock, unsalted, preferably homemade
- Coconut milk
- Lemongrass
- Galangal.
- Makrut lime leaves (aka kaffir lime leaves)
- Thai chilies
- Oyster mushrooms or another Asian mushroom
- Fish sauce
- Palm sugar (or light brown sugar)
- Cilantro or green onions for garnish
- Fresh lime juice
How to Make Tom Kha Soup
Here's a bird's eye view of how to make tom kha gai, but to ensure success, be sure to watch the video tutorial in the recipe card below as it's always good to see how it's done, and I often include extra tips you don't want to miss!
- Bring chicken stock and salt to a boil, add the chicken and simmer for 15 minutes until tender.
- Add coconut milk.
- Add the herbs and chilies.
- Add the mushrooms.
- Add about half of the fish sauce and sugar and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and add most of the lime juice, holding back a little. Taste and add more of the reserved fish sauce and lime juice to taste.
- Stir in chopped cilantro and/or green onions.
- Serve on its own or with jasmine rice!
Vegan Adaptability
Even though chicken is at the heart of this soup ("gai" in tom kha gai means chicken), there is a way to make a vegan version that's equally satisfying. Here are some simple modifications:
- Use vegetable broth instead of chicken. I recommend checking out the veggie stock I made for my mushroom tom yum recipe. I don't recommend Western-style store bought vegetable broth as those tend to have a flavour that doesn't work here.
- Instead of chicken, I love using just a fun mix of Asian mushrooms. Oyster, shimeji, fresh shiitake, or maitake are all great candidates. Of course you can substitute tofu instead if you like it.
- Add some tomatoes. Since there's only mushrooms, to add some variety and extra umami, I love to add tomatoes. Using halved cherry tomatoes are better as they are less likely to turn to mush in the soup. The combination of tomato and coconut is divine.
- Use soy sauce instead of fish sauce.
Shortcut: Making Tom Kha Gai Without Chicken Stock
If you don't have any chicken stock, you can make tom kha gai with water, but obviously you will be giving up some flavour. But there is a trick that will not result in any flavour compromise! Instead of boneless chicken thighs, use chicken drumettes. The bones and collagen will make the broth rich and delicious, you're basically making chicken stock WHILE making the soup itself! The methods will remain the same, but if your drumettes are large you will need to increase the initial simmering time to 20 minutes.
This is the technique I use in my quick and easy tom yum chicken wings recipe, so check that recipe out if you want to see how this technique works!
Frequently Asked Questions
For this dish, nothing. kha means galangal, so you really can't make this soup without it. However, if fresh isn't available, look for frozen galangal which works perfectly, and if needed you can use dried galangal as well.
No, ginger is not a good substitute for galangal. But if you decide to use ginger instead anyway, know that the flavour of the soup is going to be quite different from the galangal version.
Tom kha gai is a great soup to make in advance as it keeps well and reheats well. It will last up to a week in the fridge, and it can also be frozen. Ideally you should leave out the lime juice and green onions/cilantro and add them when ready to serve for the best flavour. I'd also put a note on the container to remind yourself to add the lime so you don't forget!
To reheat, you can simply microwave it or reheat it stovetop.
Authentic Tom Kha Gai (Thai coconut chicken soup)
Ingredients
- 2 cups chicken stock, unsalted, preferably homemade
- 1 ½ cups coconut milk, (see note 1)
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- 1 lb chicken thigh, boneless skinless, cut 1-inch pieces (see note 2)
- 1 stalk lemongrass, bottom half only, smashed and cut in 2-inch pieces
- 12 thin slices galangal, (see note 3)
- 5 makrut lime leaves, twisted to bruise and torn into big chunks
- 1-3 Thai chilies, to taste, smashed until broken or cut into large pieces
- 2 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped palm sugar, or granulated sugar
- 5.5 oz oyster mushrooms, torn into bite-size pieces
- 2 ½ tablespoon lime juice
- chopped green onion and/or cilantro, for garnish
- Jasmine rice, for serving, optional
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Notes
- For a lighter soup, you can add reduce the coconut milk by about ½ cup and increase the chicken stock by the same amount.
- If using chicken breast, cut into ½-inch thick slices and marinate in 1 tablespoon of fish sauce while you're prepping. Skip step #1 as chicken breast does not need to be simmered and is best cooked only briefly, and omit the salt. Reduce the chicken stock to 1 ½ cups and add it at step #2. Add the chicken breast to the soup at the end along with the mushrooms in step #3 and cook for a couple of minutes just until the chicken is done. Be sure to taste and adjust the salt at the end!
- The lemongrass, galangal and makrut lime leaves are meant for infusion only and not meant to be eaten. Please inform your guests or remove them before serving.
FULL VIDEO TUTORIAL
All my recipes come with step-by-step video tutorials with extra tips not mentioned in the blog post, so make sure you watch the video to ensure success. If you enjoy them, consider subscribing to the YouTube Channel to not miss an episode. Thank you!
Subscribe to my YouTube ChannelInstructions
- Bring chicken stock to a boil, then add the salt and chicken thigh. Simmer gently for 15 minutes or until chicken is fork tender.2 cups chicken stock, ½ teaspoon table salt, 1 lb chicken thigh
- Add the coconut milk, lemongrass, galangal, makrut lime leaves, chilies, mushrooms, about half of the fish sauce, and sugar. Simmer for 5 minutes to infuse.1 ½ cups coconut milk, 1 stalk lemongrass, 12 thin slices galangal, 5 makrut lime leaves, 1-3 Thai chilies, 2 tablespoon fish sauce, 1 teaspoon finely chopped palm sugar, 5.5 oz oyster mushrooms
- Taste and add more fish sauce as needed. Turn off the heat and add about 2 tablespoon of the lime juice, then taste and add more as needed. Top with green onions and/or cilantro.2 ½ tablespoon lime juice, chopped green onion and/or cilantro
- Serve with jasmine rice as part of a larger Thai meal, or enjoy on its own. See this video about how to eat a Thai meal for how Thai people serve soup! (Note: the herbs are for infusion only and are not meant to be eaten. Either remove them before serving or inform your guests.)Jasmine rice
Thuy says
This is delicious. I used chicken thighs. The chicken was tender, but it was bland. Should I marinade it in salt or fish sauce? Also, I think there was too much mushrooms. I only used a little over 4 ounces. Might reduce that the next time. thank you for sharing the recipe.
D says
This is one of my favorite soups. I'm trying to save money by making my own favorite dishes and this is one of the option I chose to do just that. I just tried this recipe and wasn't expecting much as it was my first time making it (you know what they say, third time's the charm). But it came out SO well. The instructions were so easy to follow and now i have a delicious meal prep for the week!
Boris says
The recipe is just awesome ! I am cooking the soup now for the second time in a row in a week ! Thank you so much for this easy and quick delicious meal!
Gen says
We made this soup tonight. So fresh and zingy. My husband and I both loved it.
MJ says
I absolutely LOVE this recipe...though this time I, also, made 1 sub--- 1 tablespoon of chili crunch for the thai chili component b/c that is what i had on hand. It turned out beautifully! I think that this recipe is so fabulous...I even make it camping on the fire! Cheers!
Sam says
This is insanely good! Aside from Pad Thai, I’ve never ventured into Thai food until I had Tom Kha Gai at a restaurant the other day. I was instantly obsessed so I went searching for an authentic recipe and so glad I landed on this! It was so easy to make and was seriously the best soup I’ve ever had. This will be a weekly staple at home for me! 💖
Emma Hawthorne says
This was my first time ever making tom kha gai and it came out perfectly! I followed along with both the written recipe and the YouTube video. The soup was fantastic and everyone loved it!
steven lynch says
I always add canned evaporated milk at the end.
It adds creamy flavour.
Try it!
Note. My thai gf gave me this tip.
Nicole Karazin says
Made this tonight with the papaya salad, turned out great! It was the perfect balance of sweet and sour. I didn't use a protein but think adding tofu or chicken would be very easy. I omitted the shrimp because I didn't have time for that and it was still wonderful.
Heidi says
Thank u for the lovely recipe ,really flavorful -it was uncomplicated to cook and prepare ,perfect on a busy day . Watched your video and u explain it all so well and also you are easy to understand which is appreciated for those of us who don’t have English as our mother tongue.
Chrystal says
Hi! Can’t wait to try this recipe!
Quick question: can I use coconut cream instead of coconut milk? What is the difference exactly? For example, another recipe I’m going to try is sticky rice and mango: most recipes call for coconut milk while others say coconut milk or cream.
Are they good alternatives if we don’t have one over the other?
Adam from HTK says
Hi Adam here and this might help re the difference in cream vs milk? https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/thai-ingredients Cheers!
Amy Palanjian says
This is delicious and very easy!
Jo says
Hi,
I'm wondering why we aren't adding the aromatics with the chicken to give them more than 5 minutes?
5 minutes for galangal and lemongrass seems insufficient.
Does it have a fresher flavour that way?
Thanks
Jo
Dave says
Lemongrass will lose all it's flavour quickly if boiled any longer, I assume the same applies to galangal.
Dee F says
Is it weird that I still eat the galangal even though I know it's not to be eaten? 😝
Niall says
Can't wait to try this! Just watched your updated video tutorial. I'm unable to source fresh lime leaves anymore - the only kind I can get a dried lime leaves from a local South-East Asian grocery store. So annoying as I adore the aroma of fresh! Do you have any tips on how to substitute dry for fresh leaves? Or whether they'll do the job at all?
Any thoughts would be appreciated - thank you!
Pailin Chongchitnant says
You can use dried, I'd probably add a few more as I think the aroma will not be as strong.
Niki says
I've made this soup 3 times in the past couple of weeks. I'm addicted! I love Thai food and this tastes authentic and is so easy! Think I'll make it again today!
Luc says
Hi, I left the fat on the chicken thighs and it blended in with the coco milk, the soup did not feel greasy. I wonder if you usually cut the fat from the chicken thighs in certain or all your recipes or leave it on. Thanks
Megan says
This recipe will now be part of our regular meal rotation and we're so happy about it! We tried this tonight and were thrilled with how easy it was to make and how creamy it was. I can't handle much spice, so we altered the recipe by omitting the Thai chilis and replacing it with a spoonful of chili crisp. Thank you for such a delicious recipe!
MJ says
I absolutely LOVE this recipe...though this time I, also, made 1 sub--- 1 tablespoon of chili crunch for the thai chili component b/c that is what i had on hand. It turned out beautifully! I think that this recipe is so fabulous...I even make it camping on the fire! Cheers!
Cara Gonzalez says
Thank you so much for this recipe. This soup is my favorite soup and I’m so glad I can make this myself now. I tripled the recipe as I was pretty confident I’d love it and did not disappoint. Made the Thai chicken stock first and then the soup. I used chicken drum sticks for the stock and then for the mushrooms I used a combo of oyster mushrooms and mixed Asian mushrooms because it was what I had. Very happy and it’s perfect for winter. Thanks Palin!
Samantha says
Extremely easy to follow recipe and the result is an excellent and delicious Tom Ka Gai!! I’ll definitely make this again, and again! I didn’t have any kaffir lime leaves so substituted with three peels of lime rind - works just fine!
Mignon says
This was very good! Added Napa cabbage and used shiitake mushrooms that we had on hand. Will definitely make again 👍
Szandra says
Divine!!!! Just like how I remember having it in Thailand. Chicken thighs are a great call, the meat was perfectly tender and it gave the chicken stock a massive boost of flavour.
Yummm, thanks for the great recipe 😊
Annie Mandelstam says
This is a really tasty quick and easy tom ka Gai recipe ( and I've tried a few!)
Marie says
I made this recipe and I loved it!
Michelle Tan says
I lived in Thailand for about 3 years and loved this soup! I made your recipe and it brought me back !! Thanks!
Nancy says
WOW! This was so delicious and EASY to make. The hardest thing was driving to the Asian grocery store for the specific ingredients. I think it’s better than some Tom Kha I’ve had at Thai restaurants.
Do not sleep on the Galangal and Lime Leaves. They add so much authenticity to the soup!
I cooked vermicelli bean threads directly in the soup and it was perfect. You could also use thin rice noodles if rice itself isn’t your thing or you’re to lazy to cook it separately.
Lev says
Do you have any suggestions for freezing Tom Kah? I was thinking I'd make the soup, and then separate the liquid from the solids so I can freeze the solids in a single layer on a sheet pan, that way more of the texture is preserved.
Any thoughts would be much appreciated. Thank you!
Pailin Chongchitnant says
That sounds like a good plan. The only thing I'd add is maybe leave out the lime juice and add it fresh when you're ready to eat as the flavour will be better that way, but it's not necessary if you think you'd forget or might not have lime on hand.
Lev says
That's so funny. I just made it last night and this is exactly what I did. I made the soup, cooled it down, strained the solids and took the opportunity to pick out the leaves lemongrass and galangal, then froze the solids in a thin layer on a sheet pan. Once frozen I portioned, added the liquid to the portions, and froze the portions. I decided to leave the line out for the same reason you mention. Just wrote a note on the portions to add like!
Larissa says
I’m going to use dried Thai chilis. Same amount? Put them in earlier? Thanks!
Pailin Chongchitnant says
Yup, exactly, and cut them so they can absorb liquid and rehydrate. Good luck!
Larissa says
That’s what I did! It was AMAZING! My guests said they wanted to bathe in it 🤣
Alex says
Id love to make this for a family meal at my restaurant. Can this be scaled up considerably? Needs to feed around 25 people...
Thank you!
Pailin Chongchitnant says
you can scale it up as much as you want 🙂
Sean Hamilton says
Amazing recipe!! Possibly the best Tom Kha soup I have eaten. Next time I will make double so I can eat it longer thank you!
Jason says
Amazing recipe! So much better than what we would get at restaurants in the US!
Kylie says
This recipe was amazing. I browsed through the comments and saw a great suggestion about putting the galangal, lemongrass, and lime leaves in a cheesecloth, and I took that suggestion since unfortunately all I could find was already sliced or chopped lemongrass. This really hit the spot, as do all of your recipes, haven’t had a miss yet. I look forward to trying so many more of your recipes, and sharing them with my family.
Dani D says
This is seriously so amazing! I have made Aunties Pho, green Curry along with this soup and hands down truly amazing! I appreciate the videos so much and also the knowledge on Asian grocery products! I’m a regular now at ours! I also agree the galangal smells like a pine forest! Keep up the great content!
Joanna says
This recipe is a crowd pleaser every time! We follow your tip to keep the freezer stocked with frozen Thai style stock, galangal coins, and lemon grass. This sets us up to be able to make Tom Kha Gui for an easy (and quickly devoured) weeknight dinner. Thank you!!!
Dani D says
Would this work from Amazon? Soeos Galangal Slices 6 Ounces, Non-GMO Verified, Kosher, Great Galangal - Alpinia Galanga, Perfect for Tom Yum and Tom Kha Soups, Authentic Product of Vietnam, Sliced Dried Galangal Root, 6oz. Thank you!
Felix says
Do the lime leaves lose their flavor if cooked for too long? My dish has been lacking that freshly limey flavor sometimes and I think it's because I've occasionally been leaving it to simmer for much too long.
Thanks for an amazing recipe.
Pailin Chongchitnant says
Yes, I think it's definitely part of it. It only takes a few minutes to get the flavour out, and the longer you simmer, the more the aroma exits into the air (and you can smell it) and if it's in the air then it's no longer in your pot 🙂
Chris says
Would this recipe work with pork (tom kha mu)? What adaptations, if any, would you make?
Thank you for this site. It's my go-to source for Thai recipes and cooking tips.
Pailin Chongchitnant says
You totally can, I'd use pork shoulder, cut it into small pieces and you'll need to increase the cooking time as pork takes longer to tenderize. Keep checking until the pork is fork tender 🙂
Cindy M Blazer says
Love this soup! Have made so many times I think I can make this.in my sleep. We love spicy so add 6/8 spicy thais.
Janine says
This was so good! I made it for a friend whose favorite Thai dish it is. I really wanted it to turn out well, and when I tasted it just a bit before the end of completion, I was really disappointed at how coconut-milky it was. Three minutes later, the flavors had all infused and she and everyone else declared it to be perfect. It's super easy, too, so as long as I have the specialty ingredients I know I can make it fast. I did wrap the galangal and lemon grass in cheesecloth so that we would not have to pick them out while eating, and that was a good strategy. I am excited about trying more recipes on your blog, as I have rarely been successful making Thai food that was authentic-tasting. Thank you!
Pailin Chongchitnant says
That's sooo great to hear! THank you!
Wayward Mind says
An excellent recipe!
Meghan says
I'm only able to find ground galangal - how much would you suggest I use?
I'm excited to try this!
Pailin Chongchitnant says
Hi Meghan, unfortunately ground galangal is not a suitable substitute. If you can find dried pieces of galangal, that would work better.
Meghan says
Oh darn! Well thank you for the reply - time to check Amazon!
Rani says
Love this Tom Ka Gai recipe - simple yet very delicious! Thank you!
Michelle says
Hi ,
Thank you for your recipes!!! I love them!
Can I use galangal paste ? How much should I use if its a paste?
I used to live in Thailand and this is my favourite soup!!!
Sonjachardé Mixon says
Hiiiii! Thanks so much for posting this recipe. So excited to make! If I wanted to omit meat from this, can I just triple the amount of oyster mushrooms (or add shiitake?)
Also if anyone is wondering, 24 Vegan makes a delicious vegan fish sauce for those with family members who have a fish allergy <3
Pailin Chongchitnant says
Yup, just add all the mushrooms you want, but make sure you use a good vegetable broth to instead of water so it's flavourful.
Ken says
Sawasdee Pai - I made your Tom Kha Gai soup recipe several days ago and it is, simply put, outstanding ! My Thai wife and I (she hardly cooks) love the wonderful flavours - FABULOUS !
Thanks so much Pai,
Ken, Toronto
Steph says
I’ve tried a few Tom kha gai recipes over the years and it’s never come out quite right until this recipe. I think the extra level of detailed description really helped get my soup to the right level. I’ll be making it a lot more in the future!
Ken says
I too will be making a lot more of this fabulous soup in the future Steph 🙂
Addie Funderburg says
I want to make this but I’m allergic to lemongrass. Can I just leave it out or should I replace it with something or add more of an item. Thanks!
Pailin Chongchitnant says
I would just leave it out and add more of the galangal and lime leaves.
Seema says
Hi Pai! What might cause bitterness in the Tom Kha? I used frozen galangal and lemongrass stalks (both products of Thailand) from my Asian market. Could it be the lemongrass? Is there some prep step you need when using the frozen stalks?
Pailin Chongchitnant says
Hmmm ...none of the herbs should make it bitter. Frozen lemongrass can be used as is, as can the galangal... I wonder if it's your lime juice?
Melody says
I didn't find galangal or lime leaves, but I did discover a Tom Ka paste next to the Thai curry pastes in the Asian market. Is this paste acceptable, or a tragedy? I bought it... but there are still more shops I can check, too.
Pailin Chongchitnant says
I haven't seen tom ka paste myself so I can't say...but it's probably worth at least giving it a try since you have it. But then you couldn't use the measurements in this recipe because the paste probably includes seasonings of its own, so just keep that it mind.
Ness says
Last month or so, some spirit possessed me and said START COOKING THAI FOOD. I don't know why, but I went with it.
I've watched SO MANY of your videos and made a few good curries, but I think this tom kha gai has been my favourite so far.
It's so powerful, but also delicate in a way curries are not. I might be cooking this once a week now!
Thank you so so much!!
bonnie says
I won't be using this site again because the number and type of ads is egregious.
Adam from HTK says
Hi Bonnie! Adam here and sorry to hear that, but then a lot of that is outside our control. (and also keep in mind you're receiving free content) Cheers!
John says
Love the recipe but it was pretty bland. Will up the aromatics 50%+
I hate to say it, but please drill this into your heads: if the content is "free" YOU are the product. Just know what you're willing to give away.
June Bielsky says
I just loved the tom kai gi recipe hooked for life thank you 😀
Kris says
Delish! I added the ingredients according to the list and not the directions and it still came out amazing. It's been years since I've made this and couldn't find my old recipe. Glad I found this!
John says
Could only get dried galangal - hard as a rock, but it works. Any suggestion as to how much to use? Had to split up the pieces by hitting a screw driver with a hammer, so thin slices not possible.
Pailin Chongchitnant says
Hard to say without seeing what the pieces look like, but about half a cup of dried pieces should be a good place to start!
Kelly Jones says
Best Tom Kha Gai I’ve EVER HAD!! This recipe is SO FAST AND DELICIOUS. I substituted lime zest for the lime leaves and it was great! I doubled the recipe and only had 1 stalk of lemon grass and it was great still!!$
E. Green says
Hi! How can I make this Tom Khai Lobster??
Could I make it in the morning to serve in evening?
Sharon says
How is this soup if I make it a day head? I was thinking of making the broth today and adding the chicken and mushrooms tomorrow. Have you done this? What do you think?
Pailin Chongchitnant says
Go ahead and make the whole thing in advance including the chicken and mushrooms. Leave out the lime juice and the green onions and/or cilantro and add them fresh when you reheat it. It'll be fine.
Rachel says
Hi, I was unable to find any lime leaves, but did find mandarin with leaves attached. Will these work, or should I omit the leaves all together? Thanks in advance! Looking forward to cooking this tomorrow.
Pailin Chongchitnant says
Hi Rachel, unfortunately other kinds of citrus leaves do not work as a substitute. Leaving the lime leaves out...the soup will still taste good, but it will not taste the way it "should" because the lime leaves provide a key flavour, so I would encourage you to look for them at least in dried or frozen forms!
Patty says
No, if you can't find lime leaves, substitute with lime. Either use cut lime wedges, or my favorite is to grate lime rind.
Henry says
Where is the recipe notes with differences in cooking with chicken filet instead of chicken legs please? thank you!
Helen says
Hi, yes I agree, how do you adjust the recipe using chicken breast instead of thighs?
Pailin Chongchitnant says
Marinate chicken breast in a tablespoon of fish sauce while you prep. Skip the simmering of the chicken in the beginning and omit the salt, then add the breast in the soup at the very end, cooking only for 1-2 minutes or so until the pieces are cooked through. Then add more salt to taste. Hope this makes sense 🙂
Pailin Chongchitnant says
I have added this note to the recipe card, sorry about that!
Ildiko OBrien says
This soup was delicious. I varied it by using a shredded whole chicken including breast meat which was very tender and didn’t therefore have to be cook it as long. I used regular button mushrooms and ginger root and was good even though the recipe says to use galangal only. I will try it with galangal next time! I added a bit more sugar lime juice and fish sauce. So good!
Pailin Chongchitnant says
Apologies I missed this, the note has been added! Thank you!
Jill says
Wow, I’m on a very limited liquid elimination diet due to allergies. I modified slightly based on what I’m allow but I could cry the flavors are so delicious and remind me of a sweet time in Thailand. Thank you for sharing and teaching! Your videos were awesome! My kids helped me make the soup. My daughter wants it instead of pizza! It will be a staple in our home from now on. Thank you!
MooMoo says
My boyfriend is pescatarian is it better to use fish stock or vegetable stock as the base? I plan to use shrimps as the protein
Pailin Chongchitnant says
Fish stock would be better. And add your shrimp at the end and let them cook just for 30 seconds to a minute until done.
Teresa says
Hi I am making this tomorrow night. I have all of the ingredients except galangal ): I live in Mexico so it is not possible to get here! At least I have t found any fresh. At the Asian market I found a jar of ground galangal. Can I use this? I assume the flavor won’t be as strong but hoping it will work cause this soup is my favorite!
Pailin Chongchitnant says
I don't know how ground galangal is going to work as I've never tried it, but if it's your only option then it's probably worth a try. Couldn't be that bad I think!
Shz says
Can you use skinless chicken legs instead? If so, should i cook the chicken in the stock longer?
Pailin Chongchitnant says
Absolutely! But if using whole chicken legs you'd need to cook them for about 30-40 minutes until fork tender.
Gail says
Delicious.
I’ve saved the recipe.
Will be back on your site for more recipes.
April says
If I only have dried kaffir lime leaves, should I put them in whole or grind them into powder first? Do I need to take out the stems if I put them in whole? How many dried leaves should I use? And thank you for your wonderful authentic recipes!! Your instructions are so easy to follow and I love how you explain everything!
Pailin Chongchitnant says
Hi! Thank you! Just put them in whole, and I would double the amount. You don't want to crumble them as they can become too small and then hard to fish out when eating.
Jaja says
I am so so in love with your recipe. Had mine with plain porridge and i'm so mind blown with how nice it is
My brother called it chicken rendang in white sauce soup.
Stanley Yu says
Hi, Pailin, I have been following your YT videos for months and love all of them. For this soup, can I replcae chicken with something like shrimps? If so, how much cooking time would you recommend for your step 1? 15-20 mins seem a bit long for cooking shrimps.
Pailin Chongchitnant says
Hi! Thanks for watching! If using shrimp, put them at the very end after the soup is done and cook them for literally 1 minute. Keep everything else the same.
Matt says
I love Tom Kha and have tried many recipes. This is by far the best and I now use this recipe exclusively. I prefer to use homemade chicken only using garlic (the American version with carrots, celery, etc adds too much western flavor). I wanted to ask about the infusion time. I always feel like 5 min is too short. Would you set me straight on this? Thanks for all the great recipes!
Pailin Chongchitnant says
Hi Matt, so glad to hear you love it! With these herbs, traditionally they're always infused only for a few minutes, and I find I get the flavours I need in that time, plus the remaining time on the stove with cooking the mushrooms of course. You can do it for longer if you're not sure, it's not going to hurt it, but just watch your liquid volume as you'll be losing more due to evaporation.
Emily Belanus says
I always love your recipes! This is a favorite in our house. Thanks for sharing.
Marcella says
Hi Pailin,
This looks so good! We love Thai soups like tom ka gai and tom yum, but my husband is allergic to mushrooms. Is there anything you can recommend replacing them with?
Pailin Chongchitnant says
You don't have to replace them with anything, it can be an all-chicken soup, but adding onions and letting them cook till tender is pretty good 🙂
Marcella says
Hi Pailin,
Thank you so much! I’ll try this then.
Hendrik says
I wonder is there a 101 on rhizomes?
In this particular case can I substitute krachai for galangal? Are galangal and krachai more similar to each other than they are to ginger? While these things are not on obtainable in Western Europe they are rather expensive. So if I can cut down on the number of ingredients that keep in the fridge or freezer that's a good thing. If however that would be detrimental to the taste of the dish I'd rather go whole hog.
Pailin Chongchitnant says
I hear you about the freezer! But unfortunately grachai and galangal taste very different from each other, so I think it's best to go whole hog!
Rachael says
Delicious! I tasted this in Thailand and couldn’t get enough. Visiting my home country Norway, I saw a spice package mix and was mortified to see that their Tom Kha Kai had no kha (galangal) in it 🙈🙈🙈 They substituted ginger, I think 😬🤦♀️
Thankfully I found a good Asian food store with everything I needed to make the real deal 💪🏻
Noshini says
This was delicious!
Being vegan, I omitted the chicken/ chicken stock and fish sauce. Then I substituted it with mushroom stock, kombu sheets and filled it up with a variety of veggies and tofu.
Thank you for such a simple yet delicious recipe!
Jennie says
I made it last night. It was so easy & delicious!
Rafal says
thank you - love your style and your personality - greetings from Poland
Peter says
Well-balanced spice and creaminess. Warms the soul!
Andrew Lisitsky says
Thanks Pat. Best homemade recipe I've found. I usually double it because 4 servings just isn't enough its so good!
Stephen Chan says
Tom Yum may be the most world renowned Thai soup, but to me, Tom Ka got my love even more, so comforting and satisfying. I usually don't just eat it straight up as a soup, but turn it into a noodle soup, equally good.
corean_mama says
I’m excited to make this today! If we sub seafood for chicken, do we still need 2 cups of broth or just 1.5? Thanks!
Stephen Chan says
If you’re making seafood, you may want to have a look at this:
https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/coconut-lemongrass-clams/
Pailin Chongchitnant says
Hi! You'd probably need a little bit less because the broth won't have time to evaporate, so start with 1.5 and and you can add more if it tastes too strong at the end. Add the seafood at the very end, cook it just a few mins until done and turn off.
Michael says
One of my favorit Thai soups.
The freshness because the lime leaves, lemongras and lime juice is great.