Tom Yum Chicken Soup (Printable)

Tender chicken simmers in a fragrant broth with lemongrass, galangal, and chilies for a warming Thai classic.

# Components:

→ 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 tsp dried galangal
05 - 5 makrut lime leaves, torn into pieces
06 - 4 birds eye chilies, lightly crushed

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

07 - 5.3 oz mushrooms (oyster or button), sliced
08 - 2 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges
09 - 1 small onion, sliced
10 - 3 cloves garlic, smashed

→ Seasonings

11 - 3 tbsp fish sauce
12 - 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice, plus more to taste
13 - 1 tsp sugar
14 - ½ tsp salt, or to taste

→ Garnish

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

# Directions:

01 - Bruise the lemongrass, galangal, and makrut lime leaves with the back of a knife to release their essential 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 with aromatic flavors.
03 - Add the sliced chicken and onion to the simmering broth. Continue simmering for 8–10 minutes, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface.
04 - Add mushrooms and tomato wedges to the pot. Cook for another 5–7 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 juice, salt, or fish sauce as desired to achieve a balanced flavor profile of sour, salty, and spicy notes.
06 - Remove from heat. Discard lemongrass, galangal, and makrut lime leaves if preferred. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with cilantro, spring onions, and extra lime wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The balance of sour, salty, spicy, and sweet feels like a flavor revelation rather than just another soup.
  • It comes together in under 40 minutes but tastes like you've been simmering it all day.
  • Fresh herbs at the end give you this grounding moment where everything clicks into place.
02 -
  • Don't skip bruising the lemongrass and galangal because this single step releases their essential oils and transforms your broth from pleasant to revelatory.
  • Fish sauce smells genuinely offensive on its own, but it becomes completely unrecognizable once it marries with the other flavors, so trust the process and don't reduce it.
  • The balance between lime, fish sauce, and salt is personal, so taste constantly and adjust boldly because this soup demands your active participation.
03 -
  • If you can't find makrut lime leaves, this soup will still be delicious but noticeably different, so track them down in Asian markets or order them online because they're transformative in ways that nothing else can replicate.
  • Make a double batch and freeze the broth base without the chicken so you can have tom yum ready anytime you want it; just thaw and add fresh chicken and herbs when hunger strikes.
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