Thai soup with chicken, coconut milk and lemongrass

Ingredients

• 4chicken breast fillets
• 2lemongrass stalks
• 10kaffir lime leaves
• 50 ggalangal (optional)
• 3bird’s eye chillies (or another type of chilli)
• 200 gbutton mushrooms
• 200 gcherry tomatoes
• 750 mlchicken stock or broth
• 2 canscoconut milk
• 4 tbspchilli paste (Thai chilli paste or roasted chilli paste)
• 2 tbsptom yam paste (optional)
• 3 tbspfish sauce
• 4 tbsplime juice
• to garnishcoriander and spring onions, sliced
• cooked, optionaljasmine rice

Instructions

1. 1

   Heat the oven

   Preheat the oven to 180°C.

2. 2

   Cook the chicken

   Put the chicken fillets in a small ovenproof dish, add a little water and cover with a lid or foil. Bake for about 15–20 minutes, until cooked through; the time will depend on your oven and the thickness of the fillets. Leave to rest for 5–10 minutes, then cut into bite-sized pieces.

3. 3

   Prepare the ingredients

   Bruise the lemongrass with the back of a knife, trim the ends and remove the outer leaf. Cut each stalk crosswise into three pieces. Tear the lime leaves into smaller pieces and slice the galangal. Remove the chilli stems, slice the mushrooms and halve the cherry tomatoes.

4. 4

   Simmer the soup

   Bring the stock, coconut milk, lemongrass, lime leaves, galangal and mushrooms to the boil in a large pan, then simmer gently for 10 minutes. Stir in the chilli paste, tom yam paste and whole bird’s eye chillies, then bring the soup back to the boil. Season with fish sauce and lime juice, adding extra chilli paste or sugar if needed. Aim for a balance of sour, spicy, salty and sweet. Add the tomatoes and simmer for about 1 minute.

5. 5

   Add the chicken

   Just before serving, add the chicken pieces to the soup and warm them through if necessary. Ladle into bowls and garnish with coriander and spring onions.

6. 6

   Serve with rice

   Serve the soup with cooked jasmine rice if you like.

What is Thai coconut chicken soup?

Thai soups often layer aromatic herbs, chilli and lime with savoury seasoning. This version pairs those bright flavours with coconut milk and chicken, making a creamy, filling soup that can be served with or without rice.

Lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves perfume the broth, while galangal adds a distinctive, peppery warmth. Chilli paste, fish sauce and lime juice help create the contrast of spicy, salty and sour flavours.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 700 calories, 50g protein, 18g carbs, 45g fat.

The chicken supplies most of the protein, while coconut milk contributes much of the fat and saturated fat. The stock, chilli paste and fish sauce can make sodium a significant part of the meal; rice adds most of the optional carbohydrate. For a more balanced plate, serve with jasmine rice and add a side of vegetables.

Build the aromatic broth

Bruised lemongrass: lightly crush the stalks so they release their fragrance, then cut them into pieces large enough to lift out if desired.

Lime leaves and galangal: tearing the leaves and slicing the galangal exposes more surface to the broth. Simmer them with the mushrooms for the full 10 minutes to infuse the coconut milk and stock.

Season for balance

Chilli paste: it brings heat and savoury depth, so add the stated amount and taste before adding more. Bird’s eye chillies are added whole in this recipe; avoid breaking them if you want a milder result.

Fish sauce and lime: these provide saltiness and acidity. Add them, taste the broth, and adjust with extra chilli paste or a little sugar if the flavours need more heat or sweetness.

Cook the chicken gently

Covered baking: a little water and a lid or foil help keep the chicken from drying out in the oven. Check that the thickest part is cooked through, since fillet size and oven performance affect the timing.

Resting: leave the chicken for 5–10 minutes before cutting it into bite-sized pieces. Adding it near the end keeps it from simmering in the soup longer than necessary.

Watch the vegetables

Mushrooms: they simmer in the broth for 10 minutes, giving them time to soften and take on its flavour.

Tomatoes: add these for just about a minute so they warm through but do not collapse completely.

Choose how to serve it

On its own: the chicken and coconut milk make this a substantial soup, with the broth carrying the fragrant herbs and seasoning.

With rice: serve cooked jasmine rice alongside or in the bowl to make the meal more filling. Keep it separate if you expect leftovers, so it does not soak up the broth.

Recipe notes & tips

• Bruise the lemongrass before simmering to help release its aroma.
• Leave the bird’s eye chillies whole for a gentler heat than cutting or crushing them.
• Taste the broth after adding the fish sauce and lime juice, then adjust gradually.
• Check the chicken at the thickest point, as fillets can vary in size.
• Remove the lemongrass, lime leaves and galangal before eating if you prefer not to have them in the bowl.

Variations

• Milder soup: use fewer bird’s eye chillies and add chilli paste gradually.
• Without galangal: leave it out as the recipe allows, while keeping the lemongrass and lime leaves.
• More vegetables: add extra mushrooms or tomatoes while keeping the broth method the same.
• Rice in the bowl: spoon cooked jasmine rice into each serving before ladling over the soup.
• Less rich broth: use light coconut milk for a lighter texture.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Overcooking the chicken: check it as it bakes, since thinner fillets may cook sooner.
• Skipping the resting time: leave the cooked chicken for 5–10 minutes before cutting so it has time to rest.
• Adding the tomatoes too early: simmer them only for about a minute to help them hold their shape.
• Over-seasoning at once: add chilli paste, fish sauce and lime juice as directed, then taste before making adjustments.
• Eating the aromatics by mistake: remove the lemongrass, lime leaves and galangal from bowls if you do not want to eat them.

How to store

Refrigerate leftover soup in a covered container and use within 3 days. Reheat gently in a pan until piping hot; store cooked rice separately and reheat it separately.

Frequently asked questions