Tom Kha Gai Recipe: Our Favourite Thai Coconut Milk Soup with Chicken

A delicious hot and sour Thai coconut milk soup with chicken, our Tom Kha Gai recipe is dairy-free, gluten-free, and perfect for a cold day.

As our tom kha gai (Thai coconut chicken soup) simmers, it fills the house with the aromatic fragrance of coconut, kaffir lime, and ginger. One of Thailand’s most popular soups, this Thai coconut milk soup is also a huge hit at our house. Naturally dairy and gluten-free, it can be made vegan with a few alterations.

There is something undeniably special about the mix of chicken, mushroom, coconut milk, and Thai spices. The result is a flawless savory creamy soup that’s light yet filling. Bursting with flavor, it has just the right amount of spiciness to take notice, yet a sweetness that makes it irresistible.

Although not traditional, we make ours as a main course by adding rice noodles and additional chicken beyond what is typical.

Easy to prepare, our chicken tom kha soup is comforting on a cold night. The warming ginger flavor also soothes us when we are sick, almost like the chicken or matzo ball soup my grandma used to make.

Tom kha gai ingredients

Here’s what we use to make this coconut chicken soup, with vegan substitutes noted. The quantities are found in the recipe at the bottom of the page.

• Chicken, thinly sliced (or tofu)
• Button mushrooms, sliced
• Rice stick noodles
• Coconut milk
• Carrot, thinly sliced
• Chicken stock (or vegan stock)
• Vegetable oil
• Fish sauce (or vegan fish sauce)
• Thai red curry paste
• Kaffir lime leaf, thinly shredded
• Ginger root
• Salt
• Optional garnishes: bean sprouts and lemon slices

Steps of our tom kha gai recipe

This tom kha gai recipe ticks all of the boxes

• Naturally gluten-free (celiac safe)
• Dairy-free
• Easy to prepare
• Adaptable to vegetarian or vegan

Authentic tom kha gai vs our recipe

Disclaimer: Statements regarding health benefits are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or health condition.

The two secret ingredients of truly authentic tom kha gai (not really secret) are galangal root and kaffir lime leaves. While our recipe uses ginger instead of galangal root, it does use a kaffir lime leaf. However, we also have a secret ingredient of our own, and that is Thai red curry paste.

Galangal root is related to both ginger and turmeric and can be purchased from an Asian grocer. All three are good sources of antioxidants and have anti-inflammatory properties, according to Healthline.

Taste-wise, galangal is sharper, spicier and slightly more peppery than ginger.

Kaffir lime leaf can also be obtained at an Asian grocery; however, we grow it ourselves. We need only a single leaf to flavor a complete family meal. Its distinctive flavor, essentially a mix of mandarin, lemon, and lime, is a key ingredient in many Thai dishes. We also use it in our Vietnamese grilled chicken.

Thai red curry paste: Like galangal root, our secret ingredient isn’t a very big secret. In fact, it’s available at most grocery stores and even at Amazon. It adds an authentic blend of aromatic spices, including red chili pepper, garlic, and lemongrass, and yes, it has galangal. No wonder it is an authentic flavor!

If you are worried about spiciness – let me tell you that the curry paste adds a small kick without making it too spicy for me, a mild eater. My husband, on the other hand, adds an extra teaspoon to his bowl for that fiery burn. Best of all, the Thai red curry paste is both vegan and gluten-free.

Serving suggestions

Tom kha gai is versatile and eaten differently depending on where you are in the world.

In Thailand, we often saw and ate it served over rice, like a curry dish. In contrast, in New Zealand, where we live now, and in the USA, where we used to live, Thai restaurants offer tom kha gai as a first course.

Alternatively, when we make it at home, it’s a meal in a bowl. With plenty of chicken, mushrooms, and carrots, it is the addition of gluten-free rice noodles that makes it a complete dinner. However, if you want to serve it as an appetizer, you might want to follow it with a delicious chicken pad thai, peanut satay chicken stir-fry. They are all on our list of favorite GF chicken recipes.

We top each bowl with fresh bean sprouts and squeeze on a slice of lemon. Since we love bean sprouts, we tend to go a bit overboard with the quantity. Popular worldwide is lime instead of lemon.

Our tom kha gai recipe

This recipe contributed by Jeff Albom

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