Tom Yum Chicken Thai Soup (Print Version)

Spicy, sour, and citrusy Thai soup with tender chicken, fresh herbs, and aromatic vegetables in a fragrant broth.

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

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

07 - 5.3 oz mushrooms, 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
13 - 1 teaspoon sugar
14 - 0.5 teaspoon salt

→ Garnish

15 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
16 - 1 to 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
17 - Extra lime wedges

# How-To Steps:

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 -
  • The broth transforms ordinary chicken into something extraordinary with minimal effort but yields restaurant quality flavors that will make you feel like a Thai food expert.
  • Its incredibly versatile and forgiving if you need to substitute ingredients while still maintaining that perfect balance of spicy sour and savory that clears sinuses and warms the soul.
02 -
  • Never boil the soup aggressively after adding the lime juice as the heat will make it taste bitter instead of bright and zesty.
  • Those woody aromatics like lemongrass and galangal are meant to infuse flavor but not necessarily be eaten, so I tell my guests to push them aside as they eat.
03 -
  • If fresh galangal isnt available, dried works surprisingly well if soaked for 10 minutes in warm water before adding to the broth.
  • The flavor improves overnight, so consider making a double batch and saving some for lunch the next day when all those complex flavors have had time to fully meld.
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