This easy Easy Chicken Thai Coconut Soup is creamy, tangy,
savory and packed with Thai-inspired flavor.
Tender chicken, mushrooms and a coconut broth come together with lemongrass,
ginger, chile, curry paste and fresh lime for a soup that
tastes special without being difficult to make.
Serve it hot with sliced green onions and fresh cilantro for a comforting meal that’s full of bright, aromatic flavor.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
There are so many things to love about this Thai coconut soup. It’s rich enough to be satisfying, but the lime and fresh aromatics keep the broth from feeling too heavy.
Creamy and flavorful: Full-fat coconut cream or coconut milk gives the broth a smooth, rich texture.
Packed with aromatics: Lemongrass, ginger, garlic, chile and red curry paste build layers of flavor as they simmer together.
Easy to customize: You can make this soup with chicken, shrimp or tofu, with options for Whole30, vegan and vegetarian diets.
Perfect balance: The coconut brings richness while lime juice, fish sauce and chile add brightness, saltiness and heat.
Great for a cozy dinner: The soup comes together in one pot and makes 6 servings, making it an easy choice for a comforting meal.
For Tom Kha Gai Soup
- Coconut Oil – for sautéing the aromatics and building the flavorful base of the soup.
- Onion – thinly sliced and cooked until softened to add a savory foundation.
- Garlic – chopped and added with the other aromatics for extra depth.
- Red Jalapeno Pepper – sliced for a mild chile flavor; you can also use 1–3 Thai chiles.
- Galangal or Ginger – adds the warm, aromatic flavor that is essential to the soup.
- Lemongrass – pounded and cut into pieces so it can release its citrusy aroma while simmering.
- Red Curry Paste – brings the soup its signature spicy, savory flavor.
- Chicken Broth – forms the flavorful base of the soup and gives the aromatics time to infuse the broth.
- Coconut Cream or Full-Fat Coconut Milk – this is what makes the soup rich, creamy, and smooth. Be sure to use unsweetened coconut cream or full-fat coconut milk.
- Chicken Breasts – cut into bite-sized pieces so they cook quickly and evenly in the broth.
- White Mushrooms – sliced and simmered in the soup to add a hearty texture and earthy flavor.
- Coconut Sugar – adds a touch of sweetness to balance the savory, spicy, and tangy flavors.
- Fish Sauce – adds the salty, savory depth that helps round out the coconut broth.
- Fresh Lime Juice – brings acidity and brightness to balance the richness of the coconut.
- Green Onions – thinly sliced and added at the end for a fresh, crisp finish.
- Fresh Cilantro – chopped and used as a garnish for a bright, herbal flavor.
For Vegan or Vegetarian Tom Kha
- Vegetable Stock – use this in place of chicken broth for a vegetarian or vegan version.
- Firm or Extra-Firm Tofu – a 1-pound block, cut into bite-sized cubes, can replace the chicken.
- Soy Sauce – use to taste instead of fish sauce for the vegan version.
For Whole30 Tom Kha
- Compliant Chicken Broth – use a Whole30-compliant broth.
- Coconut Aminos – use 2 tablespoons instead of the coconut sugar.
- Red Boat Fish Sauce – use this compliant fish sauce for the Whole30 version.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Build the aromatic base.
In a medium pot, heat the coconut oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, jalapeno or chile, galangal or ginger, lemongrass, and red curry paste and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes, or until onions are softened. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.
Step 2: Add the creamy ingredients.
Strain out the aromatics (the garlic, onions, lemongrass, and ginger) and discard. Add in coconut cream or milk, chicken breast (or tofu or shrimp), and mushrooms. Simmer until chicken breast pieces are just cooked through, then add fish sauce, coconut aminos (or coconut sugar), and lime juice, plus more of each to taste.
Step 3: Finish and serve.
Cook 2 minutes, then ladle into serving bowls and top with sliced green onions and fresh cilantro.
Expert Tips
Use the right coconut product. Be sure to use coconut cream or coconut milk. Coco Lopez, cream of coconut, and coconut creamer are not the same as coconut cream or coconut milk and will not work in this recipe.
Give the broth time to develop flavor. The aromatics simmer in the chicken broth for 30 minutes before they are strained out. This step helps infuse the broth before the coconut cream, chicken and mushrooms are added.
Don’t overcook the chicken. Once the chicken is added, simmer only until the pieces are just cooked through. This helps keep the chicken tender.
Adjust the final flavors. The fish sauce, coconut aminos or coconut sugar, and lime juice can be increased to taste, so you can adjust the balance of salty, sweet and tangy flavors to your liking.
For shrimp, keep an eye on the cooking time. Use 1 pound of raw shrimp instead of chicken and simmer until the shrimp are just cooked through, pink, and no longer translucent.
Recipe Variations
Shrimp Tom Kha:
To use shrimp, simply stir in 1 pound of raw shrimp instead of chicken. Simmer until just cooked through, pink, and no longer translucent.
Whole30 Tom Kha:
Use compliant chicken broth. Use 2 tablespoons coconut aminos instead of coconut sugar. Use Red Boat fish sauce – this is the only fish sauce specified as compliant for this recipe.
Vegan or Vegetarian Tom Kha:
Use vegetable stock, preferably an Asian variety. Use a 1-pound block of firm or extra firm tofu (regular or silken) cut into bite-sized cubes. For vegan, use soy sauce (to taste) instead of fish sauce.
Storage & Reheating
To store: Let leftover soup cool, then transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate.
To reheat: Warm the soup gently on the stovetop until heated through. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave.
For the best texture: Reheat gently rather than bringing the coconut-based broth to a vigorous boil.
Serving Suggestions
Ladle the soup into bowls while hot and finish with plenty of sliced green onions and fresh cilantro.
For extra brightness, serve with fresh lime wedges so everyone can add more lime to taste. The soup can also be paired with rice for a more substantial meal.
The creamy coconut broth, tender chicken, mushrooms and aromatic herbs make this soup satisfying enough to serve on its own, especially when you’re looking for something warm and comforting.
Recipe FAQs
Can I use ginger instead of galangal?
Yes you can definitely use ginger if you can’t find galangal. The flavor will be a little different, but the soup will still be delicious and full of flavor.
What kind of coconut milk should I use?
Make sure to use unsweetened, full-fat coconut milk or coconut cream. You don’t want to use cream of coconut, coconut creamer, or Coco Lopez since these are different products and won’t work the same way in this soup.
Do I need to leave the lemongrass, ginger, and garlic in the soup?
No, you don’t need to. These ingredients are simmered in the broth to infuse it with flavor, then strained out before adding the coconut cream, chicken, and mushrooms. This makes the soup easier to enjoy without having to pick the aromatics out of your bowl.
Can I use shrimp instead of chicken?
Yes, you can definitely use shrimp. Simply stir in 1 pound of raw shrimp instead of the chicken and simmer until the shrimp are pink, cooked through, and no longer translucent.
Can I make this soup vegetarian or vegan?
Yes, you can easily make a vegetarian or vegan version. Use vegetable stock instead of chicken broth and replace the chicken with a 1-pound block of firm or extra-firm tofu cut into bite-sized cubes. For a vegan version, use soy sauce to taste instead of the fish sauce.
Easy Chicken Thai Coconut Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- half of one onion, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- half of one red jalapeno pepper, sliced; or 1-3 Thai chiles, halved
- 3 ¼-inch slices galangal or ginger
- 1 lemongrass stalk, pounded with the side of a knife and cut into 2-inch long pieces
- 2 teaspoons red Thai curry paste
- 4 cups chicken broth, see Notes if vegan or on Whole30
- 4 cups unsweetened, full-fat coconut cream from a can; or full-fat unsweetened coconut milk; see Notes
- 2 medium chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces, approximately 1 pound
- 8 ounces white mushroom caps, sliced
- 1-2 tablespoons coconut sugar, see Notes for Whole30 option
- 1 ½ – 2 tablespoons fish sauce, plus more to taste, see Notes if on Whole30 or vegan
- 2-3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2-3 green onions, sliced thin
- fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- In a medium pot, heat the coconut oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, jalapeno or chile, galangal or ginger, lemongrass, and red curry paste and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes, or until onions are softened. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.
- Strain out the aromatics (the garlic, onions, lemongrass, and ginger) and discard. Add in coconut cream or milk, chicken breast (or tofu or shrimp), and mushrooms. Simmer until chicken breast pieces are just cooked through, then add fish sauce, coconut aminos (or coconut sugar), and lime juice, plus more of each to taste.
- Cook 2 minutes, then ladle into serving bowls and top with sliced green onions and fresh cilantro.
Notes
- Use coconut cream or coconut milk. Coco Lopez, cream of coconut, and coconut creamer are different products and are not suitable substitutes.
- To use shrimp, stir in 1 pound of raw shrimp instead of chicken. Simmer until just cooked through, pink, and no longer translucent.
- Whole30: Use compliant chicken broth, 2 tablespoons coconut aminos instead of coconut sugar, and compliant fish sauce.
- Vegan/vegetarian: Use vegetable stock, preferably an Asian variety. Use a 1-pound block of firm or extra-firm tofu (regular or silken), cut into bite-sized cubes. For vegan, use soy sauce to taste instead of fish sauce.
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