Chicken Tom Kha Soup

A Creamy, Fragrant Thai Comfort Soup

Tom kha gai (ต้มข่าไก่) is a creamy Thai coconut soup with chicken, flavoured with galangal, lemongrass and makrut lime leaves, and finished with lime juice and fish sauce. It’s gently spiced, subtly tangy and one of Thailand’s best-loved comfort foods. With Mae Jum Tom Kha Paste, you can make it at home in under 30 minutes.

At a glance

• Name: tom kha means “boiled galangal”. Galangal is the soul of the soup

• Heat: mild and gently spiced, much milder than tom yum

• Key ingredients: Tom Kha paste, coconut milk, chicken, mushrooms, lime juice, fish sauce

• Ready in: under 30 minutes

• Serve with: jasmine rice, as a starter or a light meal

Tom Kha vs Tom Yum: What’s the Difference?

Tom kha and tom yum are Thailand’s two most famous soups, and they share many aromatics, but they taste quite different:

In short: tom yum is fiery and sour, while tom kha is creamy and comforting. If you prefer milder heat, tom kha is the one to start with. Craving the hot and sour version? Try our Tom Yum Paste or Chicken Tom Yum Soup.

What Makes Tom Kha Special?

Tom kha balances indulgent and light: the coconut milk adds creaminess without heaviness, while lime juice and fish sauce cut through with zing and umami. Every spoonful has layers: coconut sweetness, herbal sharpness, citrus brightness and tender chicken or mushrooms.

It’s thought to come from central Thailand, and it’s often served as a starter or light meal alongside jasmine rice or Thai curries.

How to Make Chicken Tom Kha

1. Make the broth. Gently heat the Mae Jum Tom Kha Paste with coconut milk and stock until fragrant.

2. Add the chicken. Add thinly sliced chicken and mushrooms, and simmer gently until cooked through.

3. Season at the end. Add fish sauce, lime juice and a little palm sugar to taste.

4. Garnish and serve. Top with coriander, Thai basil and sliced chillies.

4 Tips for the Best Tom Kha

1. Simmer gently, don’t boil. Once the coconut milk is in, keep it at a low simmer. Boiling can make it split and lose its smooth texture.

2. Slice the chicken thinly. Slice it against the grain and let it poach gently in the fragrant broth, so it stays tender and juicy.

3. Balance at the end. Add fish sauce for savouriness, lime for tang and palm sugar for a touch of sweetness, right at the end.

4. Don’t skip the garnishes. Fresh coriander, Thai basil and sliced red or green chillies add colour and freshness. Add a little chilli oil if you’d like more heat.

Did You Know?

• Tom kha gai was traditionally served as a side dish, often with sticky rice or grilled meat.

• Galangal (ข่า) isn’t interchangeable with ginger. It’s sharper and more citrusy, and it’s the defining flavour of the soup.

• Its creamy, gentle base makes tom kha a favourite with anyone who prefers milder Thai food.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does tom kha mean?

Tom means boiled and kha means galangal, so tom kha means “boiled galangal”, named after its star ingredient. Tom kha gai is the chicken version.

Is tom kha spicy?

It’s mild and gently spiced, much milder than tom yum. Add fresh chillies or chilli oil if you’d like more heat.

Can I use ginger instead of galangal?

Not really. Galangal is sharper and more citrusy, and it’s what gives tom kha its signature flavour. Mae Jum Tom Kha Paste already includes it.

Can I make tom kha vegan?

Yes. Swap the chicken for mushrooms or tofu, and the fish sauce for soy sauce.

Try It Yourself

Make this creamy, fragrant Thai soup in your own kitchen with Mae Jum Tom Kha Paste, and explore more recipes made with different Mae Jum pastes.

Chicken Tom Kha Soup

Course

Tom Kha Gai Soup

Cuisine

Thai

Season / Occasion

Quick Weeknight

Winter Warmer

Calories

489.2

A recipe by Jatuporn (Jum)gluten-freedairy-freeegg-free

Serves − 3 +

Metric Imperial

Prep

10 min

Cook

30 min

Total

40 min

Difficulty

Easy

Cooking times shown are for the base recipe — allow extra time when making larger quantities

This is the tom kha I grew up with—creamy coconut soup that warms you from the inside out. My stone-ground paste does the heavy lifting, so you can have a restaurant-quality bowl on your table in just 40 minutes.

Ingredients

• 35 g Mae Jum Tom Kha Paste
• 400 ml Water or Chicken Stock
• 400 ml Coconut Milk
• 450 g Chicken Thigh
• 150 g Mushroom
• 50 g Cherry Tomatoes
• 2 tbsp Fish Sauce
• 1 tbsp Palm Sugar (or light brown sugar)
• — Fresh Lime

Garnish Suggustions

• — Fresh coriander Leaves
• — Kaffir Lime Leaves
• — Red or Green Chilli
• — Chilli Oil

Method

Preparation

1

Slice the chicken thighs into even strips or pieces of roughly the same size so they cook through at the same rate.

2

Slice the mushrooms into pieces thick enough to hold their shape during simmering. Also halved the cherry tomatoes.

3

Finely slice the kaffir lime leaves for the garnish, removing the central stem first. Slice the chilli into thin rounds and set both aside until serving.

Cooking Method

4

Pour the water or chicken stock into a saucepan and bring to a light boil. Add the Tom Kha paste and stir well, breaking up any clumps until the paste is fully dissolved into the liquid and the broth is smooth and even.

5

Add the sliced chicken thigh and reduce to a steady simmer. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is completely tender and cooked through.

6

Pour in the coconut milk and add the mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, 1 tbsp fish sauce, and the palm sugar. Stir to combine and simmer on a low heat for 5 minutes, allowing the coconut milk to infuse with the broth and the vegetables to soften gently. Keep the heat low at this stage — a hard boil will cause the coconut milk to split.

7

Taste the broth and adjust with more fish sauce if it needs more depth and saltiness. Turn off the heat and squeeze in the juice of half a lime. Taste again and add more lime if you want a brighter, sharper finish. The lime goes in off the heat to preserve its freshness rather than cooking out.

8

Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh coriander, sliced kaffir lime leaves, and chilli. Add a drizzle of chilli oil if you want an extra layer of heat. Serve with jasmine rice as part of a wider Thai meal or on its own as a soup.

Nutrition per serving

489.2kcal

Calories

28.5g

Fat

18.5g

Carbs

42.8g

Protein

1.5g

Fibre

2045.3mg

Sodium

Used in this recipe

Thai Tom Kha PasteAdd to basket