Thai Chicken Coconut Soup (Tom Ka Gai Recipe)
When I was in Los Angeles a few years ago, I stopped by the now-closed (sniff sniff) The Cook’s Library Bookstore and picked up a copy of 
Tessa Kiros’ Apples For Jam, A Colorful Cookbook fully intending it to be a gift for a friend, but after an afternoon alone with the cookbook, I decided to keep it for myself and bought her a bag of donuts instead. What a good friend I am. (WHAAAT? Hey, at least I didn’t arrive empty-handed!)
Tessa’s publisher, Andrew McMeel sent me a copy of her latest book, 
Falling Cloudberries, A World of Family Recipes which is part of Gourmet’s Cookbook Club. Tessa Kiro was born in London to a Finnish mother and Greek father, has lived in South Africa and worked as chef in Sydney, Athens, Mexico and London. Her life of global travels inspired this book with nearly 400 pages of recipes, stories and stunning color photographs (170 recipes, 185 color photos).
I wanted to share a recipe with you from her Falling Cloudberries book – Tom Ka Gai Soup, or Thai Chicken Coconut Soup. I’m sure you’ve had this soup before if you’re a fan of Thai food. The Tom Ka Gai soup is warm, tingly and creamy.
About Kaffir Limes Leaves (or Makrut)
Thai Chicken Coconut Soup (Tom Ka Gai) uses fresh kaffir lime leaves to give it that unmistakable Thai flavor and aroma. It’s citrusy, bright and its aroma is as exuberant as its taste.
And I’m lucky enough that in Florida the Kaffir Lime Tree grows like crazy. Even neglected, it looks like this:
While my tree doesn’t bear any fruit (I think something called “neglect” might have something to do with it) the leaves are plentiful. And the leaves are the valuable part of the tree, anyways. Another name for Kaffir Lime Leaves is “Makrut,” as I just found out that the word “Kaffir” is a deragatory term (I’m off to research and find out the details on that to confirm).
How to use Kaffir Lime Leaves
The Kaffir Lime Leaves come in doubles. It’s a pretty thick leaf with a tough spine in the middle. The Kaffir Lime Leaf is used whole and discarded after cooking, unless you cut into very thin slivers.
For Thai Chicken Coconut Soup (Tom Ka Gai), fold the Kaffir Lime Leaf in half along the spine and then tear, stopping at the tough spine.
So that when you open it, the Kaffir Lime Leaves stays whole. This makes it easy to pick out and discard after cooking. Tearing the Kaffir Lime Leaves opens the aroma and flavors. Now scratch the screen and a whiff…WOW!
Just throw the leaves, torn and whole into your soup, cook, then pick out and discard. Well, I guess you don’t have to. You can leave the Kaffir Lime Leaves in the soup and make your guests pick it out, or just push it aside with your spoon.
Substitutions for Kaffir Lime Leaves
If you don’t have access to fresh Kaffir Lime Leaves, you can find them at the Asian markets frozen or dried whole. You can also substitute Kaffir Lime Leaves with thick strips of lime peel. Take a whole lime and a vegetable peeler. Peel thick strips, avoiding the white bitter pith. You just want the green. Use your hands to tear a few places along the strip or just crush/fold the strip to bruise it a bit to release its flavor and aroma. Discard after cooking. Use one 2-inch x 1-inch strip of lime peel for every Kaffir Lime Leaf the recipe calls for.
Thai Chicken Coconut Soup (Tom Ka Gai Recipe)
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 inch piece of galangal or ginger peeled and sliced
- small bunch fresh cilantro with stem about 8 stems worth of cilantro, reserving some cilantro leaves for serving
- 4 kaffir lime leaves makrut, torn
- 1 stem lemongrass halved lengthways
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- juice of 2 small limes
- 1-3/4 cups coconut milk
- 1/2 pound skinless chicken breast cut into thin strips
- 1 red chile seeded and sliced
Instructions
- Put the galangal, cilantro roots, lime leaves, lemongrass and 4 cups of water in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the fish sauce and lime juice, decrease the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the cilantro and discard.
- Add the coconut milk, bring back to a simmer for a couple of minutes. Give the broth a quick taste. Too sour? Add more coconut milk or water. Not salty enough? Add a couple dashes more of fish sauce.
- Add the chicken pieces and cook for just a minute or so, until the chicken is soft and milky looking and cooked through.
- Throw in the chili and stir. Serve in bowls with the cilantro leaves roughly chopped and scattered over the top.
Nutrition
Recipe courtesy of Falling Cloudberries, A World of Family Recipes by Tessa Kiros/Andrews McMeel Publishing
Did you try this recipe? Please leave a star rating in the recipe card below and leave a review in the comment section! I always appreciate your feedback and I know other readers do, too!
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Jaden, your recipes are always the best. I’m half Japanese, born in Tokyo but grew up in the US. I love all Asian food and treat it respectfully. My cousin in Osaka teaches cooking classes not just Japanese food but Western. She found out in the past 10 years she has developed celiac disease and an allergy to certain shellfish that required hospitalization, even though she’s consumed them both for most of her life. She hit a certain age and her autoimmune system just went whacky. But I think it makes her a better, more creative chef. Back to this recipe. I love you do not just automatically start with chicken stock. You’re creating one with the water and the aromatics right off the bat. Thank you for that. If I am making this with bone-in, skin-on chicken, I will very lightly poach them, remove the chicken, let it cool, and remove the meat. If I’m making with shrimp (goong), I will place just the heads/shells in the water to flavor. Of course, you don’t want to poach the shrimp! Lol! All this before adding the aromatics. I usually have all the ingredients on hand and then some! This is such a wonderful recipe and so healthy. For me, I have to forego the fish sauce due to sodium. I’ve come up with a decent homemade substitute that involves kombu and hanakatsuo to make sure all the umami is still there. Thanks so much for your posts. You’re always an inspiration!
Thanks for sharing the amazing recipe.
Really delicious recipe. I love it yummy!!! It’s really awesome
I love this soup and often order it in Thai restaurants. Thank you for posting this recipe, now I can make it at home! I have 2 questions:
(1) In the ingredients, is it one 1 1/2 inch piece of galangal or one 1/2 inch piece of galangal? and (2) Also in the ingredients list, she calls for fresh cilantro with roots, yet in her intro she says to “Keep the cilantro stems in your freezer.” So do we need the stems or the roots for the recipe? How would the home cook even get the roots, unless they are growing it themselves. Cilantro is sold in the grocery store in bunches. The leaves and stems are there but not the roots. Where are we supposed to get cilantro roots? Are they sold in Asian markets? Thanks!
Hi Marcia – The recipe calls for 1-1/2 inch galangal. I think the author means to use cilantro leaves, stem and roots. However, I have difficulty finding cilantro with roots at the supermarket. I just use the cilantro leaves and stems. I’m going to edit the recipe so that it is more clear.
Hi Jaden,
I’ve been so busy I haven’t visited your site for a while. I’m glad I checked in today because I didn’t know of Tessa Kiros and her cookbooks. I will check my local Barnes and Noble today to see if they carry them. Your description of her books sounds absolutely appetizing.
Tom Ka Gai is one of my favorites. I discovered it on my first trip to Thailand. I loved it so much that I asked for the ingredients. That was also the first time that I’ve heard of Kaffir tree. I never saw it in any of the nurseries that I regularly visit. I had to put in my order. You are right about this tree. It survives without much care, but I think I will dig it up and move it to a sunnier location. Hopefully, it will start bearing fruits.
As always, thank you for your blogs…reading them always make me happy.
After reading the comments about Ginger and Galangal above, I thought I would add my 2 cents worth.
“Ka” is the Thai word for Galangal. “Tom Ka Gai”, loosely translated means “Chicken and Galangal Soup”. So the use of Galangal in this soup is much preferable to the use of ginger for obvious reasons.
Nice recipe by the way. I’m sure there will be many happy faces after making this soup.
I just made this soup today and YUMMY! Tastes just like what is served at the Thai restaurants! It was so easy and inexpensive to make, too! Definitely a keeper.
I have “Falling Cloudberries”, “Apples for Jam”, and “Piri Piri Starfish”. I will be buying “Limoncello and Linen Water” soon, and I have all of Tessa’s other cookbooks on my wishlist as well! So beautiful and inspiring!
Excellent tips & method about recipes, you have a wide range of indian recipes list available, helpful site – thanks
Indian Racipes
I have made this a few times a week for a month now–I am obsessed! SO good! To the other posters, do not make any substitutions. Really. The recipe is perfect as is. I love to make variations by sometimes adding shrimp, various mushrooms, and baby corn, etc. , but I always stick to the basic broth ingredients.
The soup sounds delightful and light. As for the derogatory use of the word kaffir, the South African Caucasian population referred to the black South Africans as “kafirs” which was not a nice thing. Also, kafir is the term that Muslim’s use for anyone not Muslim. It is also a disparaging term. Note that the difference lies in the double “f”. Hope this helped.
I just made the Tom Ka Kai soup with all the usual ingredients but the Kafir lime leaves and lime juice (used lemon). It doesn’t taste like the soup in a Thai restaurant – something is missing!! Would the absence of the lime leaves and juice be the difference?
Hi this is a great recipe, i was just wondering if using lite coconut milk makes a difference in the quality of the soup vs regular coconit milk?
I used to be really against using lite coconut milk….full coconut milk has so much more flavor. However….my waistline has made me rethink 🙂
Just made this tonight using lime peel and ginger, as that’s what I had in the frig or growing (I have a regular lime tree). Do you really leave the slices of ginger in the soup and not pull them out with the cilantro stems? Loved the rest of it but the ginger slices were a bit much for me. Maybe it’s different with galangal…. The rest of it was lovely though. Made this and a Thai rice noodle and chicken salad. Perfectly lovely dinner. Thanks! The broth alone was to die for.
You are so welcome! So happy that these recipes inspire you to cook! 😉
Jaden…you are amazingness. I LOVE this soup more than anything. And I love Pho. And Korean BBQ. and too many of your other recipes to name! And now I can make them in the comfort of my own home. I have so many new ideas for wonderful asian dishes now! Thank youuuuuu 🙂
very appreciative home chef
Love your site!
Just found your site, and looking forward to trying the baby bok choy recipe tonight. I love to cook, but unsure about Asian cooking and how to use many foods we find at the Asian Market.
This looks like fun……!
I’m new to the food blog world and love your blog. Thanks for the great recipe, I can’t wait to try it.
I would cut those bottom branches off, cut off any suckers coming from below the graft line, and fertilize the tree in January (just scratch the fertilizer in around the base of the tree and water well).
I see a lot of neglected citrus trees here; unfortunately, they suffer greatly from our poil soil and lack iron (the leaves turn yellow with dark green veins).
Yours looks much better than the ones I’ve seen here, but suckers will take over your tree if you don’t cut them off.
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I love to bake and can’t wait to check out your recipes!
wow this is a healthy meal I love it thank you for sharing.
please sign me up for your newsletter. You are awesome! My first night visiting Paris, I went to a Thai restaurant for this soup. I was so tired from the trip (from the U.S.) and it was so comforting. Loved your info on the Kaffir leaves. You make it all so easy. I don’t know half of the things in the Asian supermarket near me.
Love your site! Tom Kha Gai is one of my specialties, although I always add mushrooms, and I use 1:1 stock & lite coconut milk. Also, my family likes it HOT, so I don’t seed my Thai (Birds-Eye) chilies and add a small blast of Thai Chili Paste. A friend/fan of my soup recently germinated some of the Birds-Eye Chili seeds, and my plant is thriving and just bloomed its first flower! I am SO excited to be able to grow my own chilies (the nearest Asian market is 17 miles away up a steep, winding road), and I’m attempting to root a stalk of Lemon Grass so I don’t have to pay $6.99/lb. at the grocery store. I can hardly wait to try some of your yummy recipes…Thank you!
I just cut 2 HUGE branches off of kaffir lime tree–the leaves looked all wrong and it turned out the lemon tree it was grafted onto was trying to take over. YIKES! Anyway just wanted to say first it’s nice to see what a lives-outdoors-all-year-round kafir lime tree looks, haha. Second, you aren’t getting fruit because you need a guy plant AND a gal plant. 🙂
“Oh you will LOOOOOVE Apples for Jam. I haven’t seen Twelve yet – let me know how that book is! ~j”
I took a long look through Twelve last night. The twelve chapters are for each of the twelve months in the year. The author talks a bit about the weather, whats growing, how to dress, and what people are eating, each month in Italy.
When I read through the chapters, I was thinking how very similar it all was to the life here, in the Pacific NW. The Mediterranean is located along the same latitude as the Northern US. I hadn’t given it much thought until I started reading this book. No wonder I love Italian food. =)
The pictures and recipes are very simple and dead on for the seasonal timing for alot of us. It is another beautiful book, very well put together. Tessa Kiros is gifted person, who shares her family and foods in very personal books. Now, I can’t wait for the other two books. =)
I have never cooked with kaffir lime leaves before so this is going to be really useful when I do.
As for that wooden (or is it clay?) pot in the first photo.. where didja get it? 🙂
Oh, and Joey’s idea for growing indoors and Darra’s idea for freezeing kaffir limes leaves, curry leaves, lemongrass, and galangal are great tips. =)
I ordered up a copy of Tessa Kiros’ Falling Cloudberries, A World of Family Recipes. While looking at her other books online; Twelve: A Tuscan Cookbook, Apples for Jam: Recipes for Life, and Venezia: Food and Dreams, I decided I wanted them all. They looked like books that I would enjoy reading as well as cooking from. I was hesitant to order all 4 at one time so I added Twelve to my order and bookmarked the others to purchase later if I like these two.
Yesterday, I recieved my copies and I must say that they are beautiful books. The recipes look very doable, the pictures are georgous, and the foods are foods that I am interested in eating. So, guess what? I went back and ordered the other two because I think the books will sell fast once people start looking at them.
Oh you will LOOOOOVE Apples for Jam. I haven’t seen Twelve yet – let me know how that book is! ~j
I am excited to have these books and look forward to cooking from the. =)
By the way, I learned a bit about kaffir leaves today. I never knew any plant to make double leaves and that tearing them would release more of the oils. Well, that makes sense. =)
I love Tessa Kiros!!! I already have both those books so no need to enter me in the contest…I just wanted to say that I also love the lyrical way she draws you into her interesting life 🙂
This is one of my favorite Thai soups…although I haven’t tried her recipe yet…soon!
Very jealous of your kaffir lime tree right now…since I live in a tiny flat I only have a pot with a cutting! But it is growing nicely and seems to be surving toxic-indoor-city living! 🙂
Hey I didn’t know Kaffir grew indoors! That’s great. mini-Kaffir tree ~j
It’s raining in Montreal, and I want nothing more than to curl up with a big bowl of this soup. It looks so warm and comforting and flavorful. And those flowers! Each photo you post is better than the last.
thanks honey! ~j
Great info on the lime leaves. Do you mind if I drop by to pick some leaves to make this lovely soup?
Your posts are always hilarious. You are a bright ray on sunshine in the blogging world!
I LOVE YOU! This is absolutely one of my favorite dishes ever and I’ve always wanted to know how to make it! I always keep saying I’m going to soon! AND I love Tessa Kiro! I was first introduced by my friend who has her cookbook on venice on the tabletop and it really is decadently beautiful! Her books turn me on! (oops did I just say that :/
lol! Yeah her books turn me on too!~j
…I mean lime peel. 😛
I love Tom Ka Gai. Thanks for the tip on how to use lemon peel if Kaffir leaves are unavailable!
I love that coconut milk soup, so gorgeous, I had a few weeks ago prepared by a Thai Chef. Thanks for sharing such a lovely soup, Jaden! 🙂
this is one of my favorite kinds of soup. i would highly recommend a splash of chili oil on top!
hi jaden, love your new pic… and the soup, wow, so much flavor… must be so tasty… 🙂
Great flavors! Perfect soup for today. Since my freezer is stocked with kaffir limes leaves, curry leaves, lemongrass and galangal, I don’t have to run around like a crazy person looking for these ingredients.
This soup looks and sounds amazing.
I’m always waffling about my blog… share more, share less, blog more, blog less… and I don’t really cook either :).
Thanks for the newsletters, and your smiling face always makes my day.
BTW, I hope to meet you IRL at BlogHer Chicago…. squee!
Wonder why your tree isn’t bearing fruit? I always thought that Kaffir limes thrived on neglect. When we lived in Big Sur, we had a wonderful little kaffir lime growing in a pot on the patio. The more we ignored it, the more fruit it produced! Had to leave it behind when we moved though… sigh.
I love this soup! I wish I could grow a Kaffir Lime tree here but I am afraid of what an Oklahoma winter would do it. You are right about the word Kaffir. It’s like using the N word in S. Africa. Have a great day!
oh NO WAY. I read that it was a very bad word. Was going to call my buddy Rasa Malaysia and have to confirm, since I think the word Kaffir in Malaysian is the problem. ~jaden
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this soup, it’s one of my favorite things to order at the thai place around the corner from my office. It’s so comforting and delicious and I can’t help but eat too much of it. Maybe I should plant a Kaffir Lime Tree. Except I’m afraid that unlike tropical Florida, it won’t grow in the unpredictable Dallas climate. We’ll see! Thanks Jaden!
try growing it! let me know if it grows in Dallas ~j
I’m a curry nut – I always love the combination of curry and coconut. So tasty. You should definitely try out this recipe for Red Pepper and Coconut Curry Soup. Its delicious and it works really well for summer because it’s as tasty chilled as it is hot. Enjoy!
How timely – the husband just bought some lemongrass b/c he wants to make some lemongrass soup. Maybe we’ll make this instead…
We’ve never cooked with lemongrass before, but have been wanting to. And this is my favorite soup, too! 🙂
You’ll love this soup! Just use the bottom 4-6″ of the lemongrass ~j
hey lady! love that you are so open and not afraid to let people get to know you….that is what makes your blogs so fun!
and this soup has been my favorite since i worked at Vong and got to taste every bowl that went out to make sure the lime and fish sauce were right on. love love it!
can’t wait for your new restaurant to open – gonna come and visit! ~j
I have that same tree but it bears fruit, must be due to Michael taking care of it. I also have many lemongrass bushes so if you need any, just holler……..I will hear you but I will also require an exchange with some of that soup!!!!
hey girl! haven’t seen you in FOREVER! need to get together soon. ~j
OMG, your kaffir lime tree is sooooo big. What about your curry leave tree???
poor curry leaf tree is soooooo super super small ~j
Hey! He beat me to it and then what is it that I find?!?!?!?!?!?…..well, he’s got good taste in women and he’s right about you.
Heck, if I was into Asian chicks, I’d date ya!
And oh, the curry looks amazing too [stomach growl}.
-diane
LOL!! yeah your man is FAST! ~j
Love this soup too, a nice change from the usual tomyum. Unfortunately, can’t grow kaffir here in Canada but in the summer we get a bag for $2. Kaffir leaves without the spine and julienned finely can be tossed in a salad, or used in the dressing for a whole new dimension.
Freeze the bag and then you can enjoy all winter long.~j
Oh, I made Tom Ka Gai for my boyfriend once. He ended up lying on the living room floor complaining that he was sick, because it was a much richer recipe (1:1 coconut milk and stock) and he ate about three servings.
I’ll try this one and see if he can cope better…
oh NO! poor baby! well, yeah 1:1 is pretty rich! ~j
This is one of my very favorite soups! Now I am dying with jealousy that you have Kaffir Lime growing in your yard. My stepsister send me the leaves from California and I keep them in the freezer, but the fresh leaves are much better!
Mmmm…thanks for this recipe. I just picked up a case of lite coconut milk for curry but this looks great! We have a fantastic asian market here but I have yet to see fresh leaves…I’ll keep looking tho or try the frozen.
frozen is just as good honey! ~j
I still have some of the kaffir lime leaves from your tree in my freezer! This is great, now I have an excuse to use them yet again. I love the fact that you’re open about who you are and what you care about (and not). Keep it going, please.
Great picture! I love those little flowers, and the soup looks fabulous!
I’m one of those who hides my real identity (photo) though most pple shd know my name by now via intelligent googling. Even facebook does not have my “face”….LOL! So what does that make me? ;p
Jaden, glad to hear from you. Hv been following your blog, your fame even though I may not be leaving comments as often as I wish to.
I’m a fan of Thai food but don’t think I have had this soup before. It’s just always Tom Yam Soup when it comes to Thai soup, nothing else :O
HEYYY!!! You are one of my very very first blogfriends…did you know that? Love all your friendliness. Coming to Bay Area in Oct for book tour. You around? Would love to meet. ~j
Love kaffir lime and leaves ! Thanks for the tips.
I love how open you are about your family!!! This post just reminded me of something. You gave me some of those Kafir Lime leaves and when my fridge and freezer died I threw them out. I need to come and get some more from you!!! The soup looks great and once I get those lime leaves maybe I’ll make it???
come over anytime! ~j
wow. didn’t know the trick about tearing the lime leaves. That probably makes a huge difference between being able to use four of them and say… forty. Haha. Luckily they don’t cost much. I will try it next time.
Oh my lord I love this stuff, and could not be happier to have a recipe for it! I adore Kaffir lime leaves…I pick them up in chinatown in bulk and then freeze them so I have them on hand whenever I need a Thai curry, which is often.
great tip to freeze them when you have access to fresh ~j
You are crazy, but in that sexy, food goddess sort of way. Don’t tell Diane I said that. Oh wait. She’ll probably read this too. Damn. T.
OMG HOW FUCKIN’ SCANDALICIOUS!!!! ~j
Thank you for the ideas! impossible for me to find,in my town, kaffir lime leaves (nent time in Paris perhaps!). I’ll use as you say green lime peel…
I absolutely LOVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVE your blog! You are magnificently hilarious!!!!!! Enjoy your recipes and commentary. I am thrilled that I found your blog – I am telling all my friends to read it – fabulous recipes, beautiful pictures and that winning commentary! Kudos to you!
Thank you Susan! I always giggle when I get love notes.
😉
jaden
How funny that you say that about “stealth” blogging. My fiance is always telling me to stop putting so much stuff about myself on the internet… but I think it makes me more “normal”!
Thanks for the recipe, I love that soup when i go out!
lol yeah my huzb thinks i’m crazy too ~j
Thanks for all the info on the lime leaves… I have been searching like crazy for these leaves for what feels like forever, and do not know why they are so elusive to me… I am jealous of the big, abundant tree you have!
where do you live? ~j
Mmmmm, that looks really good. Your picture is gorgeous! I’ve never really worried about saying too much on my blog or hiding my identity. I’ve had a couple stalkers before I started a blog so I guess I figure been there, done that, not going to live in fear. But I also know some people who are very shy in person and love the anonymity of blogging. I can respect that. Anyway, I love blogs that let people into the writer’s life.
oh I’ve had my share of stalkers too! even had to send a cease and desist to one. but then again i have crazies that LIVE in my neighborhood just down the street too ~jaden