Fragrant, creamy, and deeply soothing, Chicken Tom Kha Soup (ต้มข่าไก่) is one of Thailand’s most beloved comfort foods. With its gently spiced coconut milk broth infused with galangal, lemongrass, and kaffir lime leaves, this dish captures the essence of Thai cuisine—warmth, balance, and freshness.
Let’s explore the story behind this aromatic Thai soup and learn how to make a restaurant-worthy version at home using Mae Jum’s authentic Thai ingredients.
Contents Table
“Tom Kha” translates to “boiled galangal”, and this fragrant root is the soul of the dish. Originally from central Thailand, Chicken Tom Kha combines ingredients traditionally used for their medicinal properties—galangal for digestion, lemongrass for its calming aroma, and coconut milk to soothe and nourish.
This soup is often enjoyed as a starter or light meal, served alongside jasmine rice or Thai curries. It’s gently spiced and subtly tangy, making it ideal for those who enjoy the flavours of Thai cuisine but prefer milder heat.
What's make Tom Kha Special?
Where Tom Yum is fiery and sour, Tom Kha is creamy, comforting, and aromatic. It offers layers of flavour in every spoonful—coconut sweetness, herbal sharpness, citrusy brightness, and a tender bite of chicken or mushrooms.
Tom Kha strikes a perfect balance between indulgent and light. The coconut milk adds creaminess without being heavy, while lime juice and fish sauce cut through with zing and umami.
Its appeal lies not only in its taste but in how it engages the senses—the scent of lemongrass rising from a hot bowl, the smooth texture of the broth, the burst of lime on the finish.
4 Expert Tips for Cooking Tom Kha Soup
Making authentic Chicken Tom Kha Soup at home is easier than it looks. With Mae Jum’s high-quality Thai pastes and a few fresh ingredients, you can have this flavourful soup on the table in under 30 minutes.
Here’s how to ensure your Tom Kha turns out fragrant, fresh, and full of Thai soul:
1. Simmer Gently, Don’t Boil
Once the coconut milk is added, reduce the heat and simmer gently. Boiling can cause the milk to split and lose its smooth texture. A low simmer keeps the soup creamy and well-blended.
2. Add Chicken Thinly Sliced
For even cooking, slice your chicken thinly and against the grain. Add it after your broth is fragrant, and let it gently poach—this keeps it tender and juicy, not dry or rubbery.
3. Balance the Flavours
Tom Kha is all about subtle balance. Mae Jum’s base provides the essential Thai flavours, but you can adjust to taste. Add a touch of fish sauce for savouriness, a squeeze of lime juice for tang, and palm sugar if you'd like a little sweetness. Add these ingredients right at the end after the coconut milk.
4. Don’t Skip the Garnishes
Top your bowl with fresh coriander, Thai basil, and sliced red or green chillies for colour and complexity. A dash of chilli oil is also nice if you want to add some heat to the dish.
🌟 Did You Know?
Tom Kha Gai was traditionally made as a side dish, often served with sticky rice or grilled meat.
Galangal (ข่า) is not interchangeable with ginger - it has a sharper, more citrusy flavour and is a defining note in the soup.
The creamy base of Tom Kha makes it a favourite among both Thai locals and international diners looking for a milder alternative to spicy Thai soups.
Try It Yourself
Recreate the magic of Chicken Tom Kha Soup in your own kitchen with Mae Jum’s Tom Kha pastes and our step-by-step guide. Light, creamy, and utterly fragrant—it’s the Thai soup that’s sure to become a household favourite.
Final Thought
There's something profoundly comforting about a bowl of tom kha on a grey British afternoon. While we might reach for a cuppa to warm us through winter, this creamy coconut soup does something deeper—it soothes not just from the outside, but from within. The galangal (khà) in Mae Jum's paste works the way my mother always explained it: not just to flavour, but to settle, to calm, to help your body find its balance. That's the samunprai way—food as medicine, as care, as an act of love wrapped up in a warm bowl.
Tom kha gai was never meant to be fancy or fussy. In my family's kitchen in the South, it was the soup you made when someone needed looking after, or when you had good chicken and wanted to honour it. The recipe hasn't changed in decades because it doesn't need to—it's already perfect. With Mae Jum's paste doing the honest work, you're not approximating Thai cooking; you're genuinely cooking the way my mother taught me. Just add your chicken, let it simmer gently, and let the kitchen fill with that unmistakable aroma of lemongrass and galangal. That's when you know you're doing it right.
Chicken Tom Kha Soup
- 35 Mae Jum Tom Kha Paste
- 400 ml Water or Chicken Stock
- 400 ml Coconut Milk
- 450 450g Chicken Thigh
- 150 Mushroom
- 50 Cherry Tomatoes
- 2 tbsp Fish Sauce
- 1 tbsp Palm Sugar (or light brown sugar)
- 1 Fresh Lime
- — Fresh coriander Leaves
- — Kaffir Lime Leaves
- — Red or Green Chilli
- — Chilli Oil
Thai Tom Kha Paste
How much paste do you need for one dish and how long does paste last when opened?