Tom Yum Gai (Chicken Soup)
Tom Yum Gai is a citrus and herby chicken soup that’s so comforting and a staple Thai dish. The soup can be served as a main meal with rice or as an accompaniment.
Tom yum gai is the Thai version of chicken noodle soup when you’re feeling under the weather. I usually make this or Tom Kha Gai, the coconut version. This soup comes together quickly; the most challenging part is sourcing the herbs.
I also have a shrimp version, Tom Yum Goong, a common and popular version of this soup.
Ingredients Needed
These are the ingredients needed to make Tom Yum Gai. I find the herbs at my local Asian market and freeze them to have on hand whenever I want to make this soup.
- Chicken– I used sliced chicken thighs, but you can also use chicken breast or bone-in chicken for a more flavorful broth.
- Mushrooms- Beech mushrooms go well in tom yum, but you can also use enoki or sliced shitake mushrooms.
- Chicken Broth– I used a homemade chicken broth, but you can also use a store-bought one (use no salt or low sodium). If you use bone-in chicken, simmer the chicken bones and aromatics for at least 30 minutes to develop your broth.
- Limes- Use fresh lime juice for a punch of citrus.
- Tomato– Sliced Roma or cherry tomatoes add color and acidity to the soup.
- Lemongrass– Use just the bottom portion and peel off any dried layers. Pound the lemon grass with the back of a knife to release its oil and aroma.
- Galangal Root– This is not the same as ginger and has a different flavor profile. Wash it well, leave the skin on, and slice it into 1-inch discs.
- Lime Leaves- These leaves are specific to the Markrut Limes. You can find these leaves dried online or email me, and I can sell you some from my tree.
- Cilantro– Gives a herby flavor.
- Fish Sauce– Adds umami and salt.
- Thai Chile’s– Add a few or a lot if you want the soup spicy. You can also add Thai Chili Paste for more spice and color.
How to Make Tom Yum Gai
Use the back of the knife to pound the lemongrass and chili peppers, and add to a pot with the chicken broth. Wash the galangal root and slice it into discs; add to the pot along with the whole cilantro stems.
Allow the broth to simmer for 10 minutes, then add chicken and sliced onions. Simmer for about 3 minutes, then add the sliced tomatoes, mushrooms, fish sauce, and lime juice. Once the chicken is cooked, taste the broth and see if any additional fish sauce or lime is needed.
How to Serve
The aromatics (lime leaves, lemongrass, and galangal root) are not meant to be eaten and can be removed before serving. Thai people enjoy Tom Yum as a meal, spoon it over Jasmine rice, and then enjoy the broth separately.
Another option is to serve the Tom Yum alongside a meal like Panang, Pad Kra Pao, or something simple like Kai Jeow.
Tom Yum is best enjoyed right after making it. The mushrooms can get overcooked when reheating the soup. If you have leftover soup, it will still taste good; I just do not recommend keeping soup for more than a day.
Tom Yum can also be served with Nam Prik Pao, a Thai Roasted Chili Paste. This will give the soup an orange hue and add more spice. The chili paste can be added with the fish sauce and lime juice. Afterwards, taste the soup and add more if desired.
More Thai Soups
Tom Yum Gai (Chicken Soup)
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Ingredients
- 4 cups Chicken Broth unsalted
- 1 stalk Lemongrass outer layers removed and sliced into 4 inch pieces.
- 6 Makrut Lime Leaves
- 2 inch Galangal Root sliced into discs
- 5 sprigs Cilantro plus more leaves for garnish
- 2-4 Thai Birds Eye Chili's
- 8 ounces Chicken Breast or Thighs sliced
- ¼ Yellow Onion Sliced
- 1 Roma Tomato diced
- 4 ounces Beech Mushrooms
- 2 teaspoon Fish Sauce have more on hand
- 2 tablespoon Lime Juice
- Chili Paste Oil (optional- for more spice and color)
- Jasmine Rice for serving
Instructions
- Use the back of a knife and gently pound the lemongrass to release its oil. Do the same thing with the Thai Chili's or slice them if you want the soup spicy. For fresh lime leaves, tear them lightly to release their aroma. If you are using dried leaves then add them in whole.
- In a medium size pot, add the chicken broth, lemongrass, galangal root slices, lime leaves, Thai Chili's, and cilantro sprigs to the broth. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add the sliced chicken, onions, and mushrooms. Allow the broth to come back to a boil, then add the sliced tomatoes. Simmer for a few more minutes.
- Add lime juice and fish sauce then taste to see if it needs more. If you are using the chili paste oil, then add it in now.
- You can remove the aromatics (lemongrass, galangal, lime leaves, and cilantro stems). Serve the tom yum gai in bowls, garnish with cilantro leaves, and have a side of rice.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as an estimate only and depends on ingredients and amounts used. Thai Caliente makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.