Spicy Chicken Coconut Soup
Submitted by betyboop
Creamy Thai-style coconut chicken soup with lemongrass, galangal, fish sauce, and enoki mushrooms. A fragrant, spicy bowl inspired by tom kha gai that’s ready in about an hour.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
35 minREADY
1 hrsClose your eyes with a spoonful of this soup and you could be sitting at a street stall in Bangkok.
Rich coconut milk simmers with lemongrass, galangal, and chicken broth until it becomes deeply aromatic, then tender poached chicken, delicate enoki mushrooms, and a bright lemon-fish sauce-chile mixture get stirred in at the end.
The balance is everything here: creamy coconut, sour lemon, salty fish sauce, sweet sugar, and fiery red pepper flakes all working together in a single bowl.
This is comfort food, Thai-style.
Chef Tips
- Poach the chicken gently. Keep the water barely rippling, never at a full boil. This gives you moist, tender meat instead of tough, stringy shreds.
- Simmer the lemongrass long enough for it to soften and release its citrusy oils into the broth. A full 15 to 20 minutes makes a real difference.
- Add the lemon-chile mixture at the very end. The fresh, bright flavors lose their punch if they cook too long. Three minutes of gentle heating is all they need.
Variations
- Use shrimp instead of chicken for a seafood version. Add them in the last 3 minutes so they don’t overcook.
- Swap enoki mushrooms for oyster or shiitake if you can’t find them.
- Finish with fresh cilantro and Thai basil for an extra layer of herbal fragrance.
Ingredients
Directions
Place chicken breasts in pan with just enough cold water to cover.
Bring to a boil over medium heat; immediately reduce heat so water barely ripples.
Simmer uncovered, until done, about 12 minutes.
Meat should be moist and opaque throughout; cook only to just beyond pink stage.
Remove breasts and drain well.
Cool to room temperature; remove and discard skin and bones.
Shred meat into bite-sized pieces. Reserve.
Combine slivered lemon, fish sauce, chile pepper, green onion and sugar; set aside.
Combine coconut milk, chicken stock, lemon grass, mushrooms and galangal in a sauce pan over medium-high heat.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until lemon grass is tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Add reserved chicken and lemon mixture and heat through, about 3 minutes.
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