Tom Yum Chicken (Printable)

Aromatic Thai soup with tender chicken, lemongrass, galangal, and bold citrus-spice broth.

# What You 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, or 2 teaspoons dried galangal
05 - 5 makrut lime leaves, torn into pieces
06 - 4 birds 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 freshly squeezed lime juice
13 - 1 teaspoon sugar
14 - ½ teaspoon salt

→ Garnish

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

# Directions:

01 - Bruise the lemongrass, galangal, and makrut lime leaves with the back of a knife to release their 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.
03 - Add the sliced chicken and onion. Simmer for 8-10 minutes, skimming off any foam.
04 - Add mushrooms and tomato wedges. 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, salt, or fish sauce as desired for a perfect balance of sour, salty, and spicy.
06 - Remove from heat. Discard lemongrass, galangal, and makrut lime leaves if preferred.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with cilantro, spring onions, and extra lime wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 45 minutes but tastes like you've been simmering it all day.
  • The balance of heat, sourness, and aromatic herbs hits something primal that store-bought soup never touches.
  • You can adjust the spice level and intensity to match your mood, making it endlessly customizable.
02 -
  • Don't skip smashing and bruising the aromatics because that's literally the step that transforms dried herbs into flavor explosions.
  • Fish sauce seems wrong at first sniff, but it's exactly what makes this soup taste authentic and craveable rather than just hot and sour.
  • The balance of lime, salt, and fish sauce is deeply personal, so taste multiple times and trust your own palate over any recipe instruction.
03 -
  • Buy makrut lime leaves fresh from an Asian market and freeze them because they keep brilliantly and you'll reach for this recipe constantly once you discover how essential they are.
  • Slice your chicken against the grain and make the pieces small so they cook quickly and evenly without becoming rubbery or sad.
  • Make a big batch and freeze portions because tom yum actually deepens in flavor over a few days as everything infuses together.
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