Vibrant Thai Tom Yum Gai (Printable)

Aromatic Thai soup with chicken, mushrooms, lemongrass, and lime in a spicy-sour broth. Ready in 35 minutes.

# 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 bird's 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

# How To Make:

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 chicken slices and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until just 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 the vegetables are tender but not mushy.
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. Stir in lime juice. Taste and adjust sourness or salt as desired.
06 - Ladle into bowls. Garnish with fresh cilantro and extra chiles if desired. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 40 minutes, making it perfect for weeknight cooking when you want something that tastes like you've been working all day.
  • The broth is naturally aromatic and complex, so you'll feel like you're ordering from your favorite Thai restaurant without leaving home.
  • It's naturally dairy-free and gluten-free, which means you're not sacrificing flavor for dietary needs—this soup is bold regardless.
02 -
  • Don't skip smashing the lemongrass and chiles—it's not laziness, it's essential for releasing the volatile oils that make this soup special.
  • The fish sauce is your friend even though it smells funky in isolation; once it hits the hot broth, it transforms into depth and umami that makes people ask what you did to make it taste so good.
03 -
  • Smashing the aromatics before simmering releases essential oils and makes the broth taste infinitely more complex and vibrant.
  • Fresh lime juice squeezed just before serving keeps the brightness alive; lime that's been sitting in the pot gets muted and loses its pop.
Go Back