Thai Coconut Chicken Soup

Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence

Show: Food 911Episode: Soups on!

Rated: 5 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (56)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(56)

Cook Time:
1 hr 30 min
Level:
Intermediate
Yield:
2 quarts

Times:

Prep: --
Inactive Prep: --
Cook: 1 hr 30 min
Total:: 1 hr 30 min

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Ingredients

1 quart chicken stock, recipe follows
1 stalk lemon grass, white part only, cracked open with the flat side of a knife
3 kaffir lime leaves, fresh or dried, hand torn
1 (3-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
2 small Thai chilies, halved lengthwise
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 (13-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk
2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce (nam pla)
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 (8-ounce) can straw mushrooms, rinsed
4 limes, juiced
1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Directions

Bring the stock to the boil over medium heat in a soup pot. Add the lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, ginger, chilies, and garlic. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and gently simmer for 10 minutes to let the spices infuse the broth.

Uncover and stir in the coconut milk, fish sauce, sugar, mushrooms, lime juice, and chicken. Simmer for 5 minutes to heat the chicken through; season with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into a soup tureen or individual serving bowls. Garnish with cilantro. Be careful to avoid chewing the lemongrass, ginger, or lime leaves.

Yield: 4 servings

Chicken Stock:

1 whole free-range chicken (about 3 1/2 pounds), rinsed, giblets discarded
2 carrots, cut in large chunks
3 celery stalks, cut in large chunks
2 large white onions, quartered
1 head of garlic, halved
1 turnip, halved
1/4 bunch fresh thyme leaves
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

Place the chicken and vegetables in a large stockpot over medium heat. Pour in only enough cold water to cover (about 3 quarts); too much will make the broth taste weak. Toss in the thyme, bay leaves, and peppercorns, and allow it to slowly come to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low and gently simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, partially covered, until the chicken is done. As it cooks, skim any impurities that rise to the surface; add a little more water if necessary to keep the chicken covered while simmering.

Carefully remove the chicken to a cutting board. When its cool enough to handle, discard the skin and bones; hand-shred the meat into a storage container.

Carefully strain the stock through a fine sieve into another pot to remove the vegetable solids. Use the stock immediately or if you plan on storing it, place the pot in a sink full of ice water and stir to cool down the stock. Cover and refrigerate for up to one week or freeze.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Thai Coconut Chicken Soup
Laura Lodi, CA 01-22-2010
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Fabulous - just like the restaurants make it!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I'm so glad that I read the previous review that recommended you cut the lime in half. That amount is perfect. (2 limes)... The only other changes I made (besides adding tomato and cauliflower) were to add one teaspoon of red pepper flakes and 1/4 c. of brown sugar. With a little jasmine rice on the side this dish is complete!Read more
recipe Thai Coconut Chicken Soup
anne decatur, GA 12-30-2009
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love it
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

We make this all the time BUT cut the lime juice in half. WAY TOO limey. You can always add more, but it's hard to take away... afterward.Read more
recipe Thai Coconut Chicken Soup
Meg Myrtle Beach, SC 12-06-2009
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Awesome and So Easy!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Wow! I never thought I'd be able to make this at home without it being really difficult. This tasted just as good as at the... Thai restaurants I've been to and it was incredibly simple to make. I went to an Asian grocery to buy the lemongrass and the kaffir lime leaves. As soon as I cracked the lemongrass and broke the leaves into pieces, I could smell that wonderful aroma of Tom Kha Gai that I love so much. I will be making this all of the time from now on! Thanks for the great recipe, Tyler!Read more
recipe Thai Coconut Chicken Soup
Jisun Goose Creek, SC 11-23-2009
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Great Recipy!!!
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

I'm a big fan of Tom kai gai so I was looking for a recipy, and this recipy was almost same as the one from a Thai... restaurant. But like other reviews say, it's too sour if you put all 4 lime juices. I think 2 could be enough, you can taste it then put another one. And it's lighter than what you get at the restaurant, so if you like that creamy texture like the restaurant one, it's better to put one more coconut milk. I usually put it over a cooked rice, it's HEAVENLY!!!! Read more
recipe Thai Coconut Chicken Soup
marty san antonio, TX 09-27-2009
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Great thai flavor
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

This soup was very easy to make. I could not find fish sauce so i used soy sauce instead.Also i used lime zest instead of... lime leaves.I added waterchestnut and bean sprouts. Garnished with cilantro and mint . This is a keeper Read more
recipe Thai Coconut Chicken Soup
Haylee El Dorado Hills , CA 08-20-2009
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I can't say enough to tell how awesome this is!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

My favorite Thai food place is now in a different state then me and I had accepted that I would never have my favorite panang... kai again. But with this, all the memories come flooding back! It's so tangy and full of lemongrass and ginger infusion! My husband freaked out when he took his first bite. We ladled this soup over our rice (which we made in our rice cooker with a few cloves and lime juice, which only added more flavor). So good...I need to make this all the time now!!!Read more