Tom kah gai is a Thai takeout classic, at least in my house. Between the lush coconut milk, tender chicken, and tangy, lemongrass-laced broth, it's serious comfort food. Katie Chin's version in Everyday Thai Cooking exhibits the perfect balance between the richness of the coconut fat and the sour and salty notes from the herbs, lime, and fish sauce. Using boneless chicken thighs cuts the cooking time down to mere minutes, while the meat stays tender and flavorful. Chin goes so far as to say that this soup is the Thai version of chicken noodle or matzo ball—try it out this cold season and report back!
Why I picked this recipe: Chicken soup equals comfort to me, and I like it even better when it's packed with hot, sour, and sweet flavors.
What worked: I made the red chili paste from scratch, and definitely didn't regret taking the extra 20 minutes to do so. The additional spice, tang, and shrimpy funk added a wonderful level of depth to an otherwise simple soup.
What didn't: No problems here.
Suggested tweaks: You could substitute any other protein (or additional vegetables, like eggplant or peppers) for the chicken.
2–3 fresh hot red or green chilies, preferably Thai, smashed
Fresh coriander leaves (cilantro) for garnish
Procedures
Put the chicken stock, galangal, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves (if using) palm sugar, and roasted red chili paste (if using) in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat.
Add the coconut milk, reduce the heat and bring to a simmer. Add the chicken and mushrooms and continue simmering until the chicken is white and opaque, 5–7 minutes.
Quickly stir in the lime juice and fish sauce. Float the chilies on the soup. Dish out into individual serving bowls and sprinkle with fresh coriander leaves. Serve immediately.
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