Tom Yum Chicken Soup (Printable Version)

Aromatic Thai soup with chicken, lemongrass, galangal, and citrusy notes. Spicy, sour, and utterly satisfying.

# What You 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 0.42 oz), or 2 teaspoons dried galangal
05 - 5 makrut lime leaves, torn into pieces
06 - 4 birds eye chilies, lightly crushed

→ Vegetables and 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

# How to Make It:

01 - Bruise the lemongrass, galangal, and makrut lime leaves with the back of a knife to release their 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. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, skimming off any foam.
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 for a perfect balance of sour, salty, and spicy.
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 -
  • It tastes like you've been cooking Thai food forever, even if this is your first time making it.
  • The balance of heat, sour, and salt feels almost meditative once you understand how they play together.
  • You can have it on the table in under an hour, yet it tastes like it simmered for days.
  • It's naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, so it works for almost every table you're feeding.
02 -
  • If your broth tastes flat and one-dimensional after step 2, it means your aromatics weren't bruised enough or your stock isn't simmering at the right temperature—turn up the heat slightly and give those herbs a real 5 minutes to shine.
  • The lime juice goes in at the very end for a reason: it loses its brightness if it simmers too long, so resist the urge to add it earlier.
  • Fish sauce is going to smell intense and funky straight from the bottle, but trust the process—it's what makes this taste authentically Thai and somehow not fishy at all.
  • Tasting as you go is not optional here; tom yum is about balance, and everyone's palate is different, so what tastes perfect to me might need more lime or salt for you.
03 -
  • Slice your chicken thin and against the grain so it stays tender even when it cooks quickly in the hot broth.
  • If you can't find makrut lime leaves anywhere, add extra lime juice and a small piece of lime zest, though it won't be quite the same magical thing.
  • Keep the broth at a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil, once you add the chicken—aggressive heat makes the meat tough and the broth cloudy.
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