Tom Yum Chicken (Printable)

Vibrant Thai soup with lemongrass, galangal, lime leaves, and tender chicken in a spicy, sour 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 (about 0.4 oz), or 2 teaspoons dried galangal
05 - 5 makrut lime leaves, torn into pieces
06 - 4 birds eye chilies, lightly crushed

→ Vegetables and Aromatics

07 - 5.3 oz mushrooms such as oyster or button, 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, plus more to taste
13 - 1 teaspoon sugar
14 - 0.5 teaspoon salt, or to taste

→ Garnish

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

# Steps:

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 to 10 minutes, skimming off any foam.
04 - Add mushrooms and tomato wedges. Cook for another 5 to 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's ready in under 45 minutes but tastes like you've been simmering it all day.
  • That perfect balance of spicy, sour, and aromatic hits different when you make it yourself—no delivery app needed.
  • One pot means minimal cleanup, maximum comfort in a bowl.
02 -
  • Don't skip the initial infusion step—those 5 minutes of simmering with just aromatics is the difference between soup and tom yum.
  • Fresh lemongrass, galangal, and makrut leaves make a genuinely noticeable difference; frozen works in emergencies, but fresh is worth seeking out at Asian markets.
  • Overseasoning is an easy trap—add fish sauce and lime gradually because you can always add more but you can't take it back.
03 -
  • Make a double batch and freeze half in containers—it reheats beautifully and tastes even better the next day as flavors deepen.
  • Keep a bottle of good fish sauce, fresh limes, and makrut leaves in your pantry because once you can make tom yum on a whim, you'll make it constantly.
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