Tom Yum Chicken (Print Version)

Tender chicken in a fragrant Thai broth with lemongrass, galangal, and citrusy lime leaves. Ready in 40 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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 teaspoons dried galangal
05 - 5 makrut lime leaves, torn into pieces
06 - 4 bird's eye chilies, lightly crushed

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

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

→ Seasonings

11 - 3 tablespoons fish sauce
12 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
13 - 1 teaspoon sugar
14 - 0.5 teaspoon salt

→ Garnish

15 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
16 - 1 to 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
17 - Lime wedges for serving

# How to Make It:

01 - Bruise the lemongrass, galangal, and makrut lime leaves with the back of a knife to release their aromatic oils.
02 - Bring chicken stock to a boil in a large pot. Add lemongrass, galangal, makrut lime leaves, bird's eye chilies, and garlic. Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes.
03 - Add sliced chicken and onion to the pot. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface.
04 - Add mushrooms and tomato wedges. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes until vegetables are tender and chicken is fully cooked.
05 - Stir in fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, and salt. Taste and adjust lime juice, salt, or fish sauce to achieve the perfect balance of sour, salty, and spicy flavors.
06 - Remove from heat. Discard lemongrass, galangal, and makrut lime leaves if preferred.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with cilantro, spring onions, and additional lime wedges.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • The bright acidic punch balanced with fragrant herbs creates layers of flavor that commercial soups can never replicate.
  • Once you get comfortable with the technique, you can throw this together in under 40 minutes when youre feeling under the weather or just craving something warming and complex.
02 -
  • Never boil the soup vigorously after adding the lime juice or youll lose its bright acidity and end up with a flat tasting broth.
  • The galangal is meant to infuse flavor but not be eaten, so cut it into large enough pieces that diners can easily spot and avoid it.
03 -
  • For the most authentic flavor, find a Thai brand fish sauce like Squid or Three Crabs rather than using widely available Chinese or Vietnamese versions which have different flavor profiles.
  • Save the tough outer leaves of lemongrass that would normally be discarded and freeze them to drop into future stocks or teas for a subtle citrus note.
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