The Best Tom Kha Gai Soup Ever (Thai Coconut Chicken Soup)

This tom Kha Gai (Thai coconut chicken soup) recipe is really delicious. This Thai coconut chicken soup recipe is full but light, acidic, salty, and just exploding with flavor.

I’ve never made or tried a better tom kha gai recipe. There are also Whole30, paleo, and vegan choices.

Soup that reminds me of Thailand

Let us now discuss the greatest soup of all time.

Tom kha soup, to be precise. Thai chicken soup with coconut milk. Also known as tom kha gai.

So, here’s the deal: this tom kha gai (Thai coconut chicken soup) is very delicious. The chicken is delicate, the mushrooms are hearty, and the fresh cilantro lends the ideal herbaceous edge, and I can’t get enough of this soup.

Because this dish is so amazing, I don’t think you’ll ever need another Whole30 Thai coconut chicken soup recipe, or even a regular non Whole30 Thai coconut chicken soup recipe.

Why is this one of the most delicious soup recipes ever?

• This Thai tom kha gai coconut chicken soup dish has a hidden ingredient that adds savoriness and elevates it to new heights.
• It’s creamy, sweet, salty, spicy, and brilliant all at the same time.
  This tom kha soup recipe is simple to prepare and does not call for any unusual ingredients. A classic Western grocery store should have everything you need.
• I’ve included Whole30 and vegan variations so you can enjoy this tom kha soup all year long, even if you don’t eat animal products or avoid added sweeteners.
• Cheryl’s Message: Years ago, we mislabeled some of the components in this recipe as “strange,” a term we incorrectly applied to harder-to-find products that are foreign to the average American reader. However, by adopting this phrase, we unwittingly contributed to the perception that these components are “abnormal.” That was never our intention, but our influence was, and that’s what counts.

What’s the secret ingredient in this dish?

It turns out that it’s actually fairly simple: red curry paste. To make tom kha soup easier for me to cook on a regular basis, I added a little red curry paste to an otherwise quite typical recipe.

Speaking of simpler… You can also replace the ginger with galangal and the makrut lime leaves with fresh lime juice.

If I have to utilize those difficult-to-find products, I just don’t get to the international market often enough to fulfill my Whole30 Thai coconut chicken soup appetite!

What Stores Sell Lemongrass?

Fresh lemongrass may now be found in practically every grocery store’s produce section. If you can’t locate it fresh, you can generally get a minced version in a chilled tube in the produce section.

Inquire with your clerk and emphasize the importance! Without it, you can’t cook the finest tom kha soup ever!

Is it possible to make this soup vegan?

To prepare this vegan tom kha soup, follow these steps:

• Instead of chicken broth, use veggie broth.
• Soy sauce can be used instead of fish sauce.
• Instead of chicken, use a 1-pound block of tofu, chopped into bite-sized pieces.

If you don’t utilize chicken, it won’t be called “tom kha gai.” You can call it “tom kha tofu” if you want.

Tom Kha Gai – Thai Coconut Soup – Best Ever

This tom kha soup (Thai coconut soup) is incredible. This Thai soup is filling but light and brimming with flavor, rich and creamy yet acidic and salty.

This is the best recipe I’ve ever tried or prepared. There are Whole30, paleo, and vegan alternatives available.

Ingredients For Tom Kha Gai Soup

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• ½ of one onion sliced
• 2 cloves garlic chopped
• ½ of one red jalapeno pepper sliced, or a couple Thai chiles, halved
• 3 ¼-inch slices galangal or ginger
• 1 lemongrass stalk pounded with the side of a knife and cut into 2-inch long pieces
• 2 teaspoons red Thai curry paste
• 4 cups chicken broth see Notes if vegan or on Whole30
• 4 cups canned coconut cream or coconut milk see Notes
• 2 medium chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces, see Notes for vegan/vegetarian or to use shrimp
• 8 ounces white mushroom caps sliced
• 1-2 tablespoons coconut sugar if on Whole30, see Notes
• 1 ½ – 2 tablespoons fish sauce plus more to taste, see Notes if on Whole30 or vegan
• 2-3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2-3 green onions sliced thin
• fresh cilantro chopped, for garnish

Instructions

1. Heat the coconut oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Cook, stirring regularly, for 5 minutes, or until onions are softened, adding the onion, garlic, jalapeño or chile, galangal or ginger, lemongrass, and red curry paste. Bring the chicken broth to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook for 30 minutes, uncovered.
2. Remove and discard the aromatics (garlic, onions, lemongrass, and ginger). Add the mushrooms, coconut cream or milk, and chicken breast (or tofu or shrimp). Simmer until the chicken breasts are just cooked through, then season with fish sauce, coconut aminos (or coconut sugar), and lime juice, as needed.
3. Cook for 2 minutes, then ladle into serving dishes and garnish with fresh cilantro and sliced green onions.

Notes

• Use coconut cream or coconut milk instead of water. Coconut cream/coconut milk is not the same as coco lopez or coconut creamer, hence they will not work in this recipe.
• To use shrimp instead of chicken, simply whisk in 1 pound of uncooked shrimp. Simmer until the chicken is just cooked through, pink, and transparent.
• Make it Whole30 compliant: Use tender chicken broth. Instead of coconut sugar, use 2 tablespoons coconut aminos. Use Red Boat fish sauce, which is the only compliant fish sauce I’ve discovered.
• Use vegetable stock, particularly an Asian kind, to make it vegan/vegetarian. 1 pound firm or extra firm tofu (regular or silken) cubes Use soy sauce (to taste) instead of fish sauce for a vegan option.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 682kcal, Carbohydrates: 18g, Protein: 27g, Fat: 60g, Saturated Fat: 52g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 48mg, Sodium: 1266mg, Potassium: 1125mg, Fiber: 5g, Vitamin A: 374IU, Vitamin C: 17mg, Calcium: 47mg, Iron: 5mg, Net Carbs: 13g.