Tom Yum Gai Thai Soup (Printable Version)

Aromatic Thai soup with chicken, mushrooms, and bold spicy-sour broth flavored with lemongrass and lime juice.

# What You 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
06 - 2 Thai birds 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)

# How to Make It:

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 sliced chicken and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until 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 retain their structure.
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 and stir in lime juice. Taste and adjust sourness or salt as desired.
06 - Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh cilantro and extra chiles if desired. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than you'd expect, yet tastes like it simmered for hours.
  • The balance of spicy, sour, salty, and sweet feels like a small revelation in a bowl.
  • You can adjust the heat to your comfort without losing the soul of the dish.
02 -
  • Never boil the broth hard after adding the chicken or vegetables; gentle simmering keeps everything tender instead of tough and stringy.
  • The soup tastes better the next day as flavors deepen, so making a batch ahead is a quiet win.
  • Nam prik pao isn't optional—it's what separates a decent Thai soup from the real thing.
03 -
  • Prep your aromatics the night before and store them together in a small container so assembly the next evening takes just five minutes.
  • If you accidentally make the broth too salty, a squeeze of lime and a splash of stock can bring it back into balance without starting over.
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