For years, I ordered Tom Kha Gai every time I went out for Thai food. Rich and intense, the aromatic flavors of this Thai coconut chicken soup convinced me it’d be too complex and time-consuming to make at home. Well, that was the case until I attended a cooking class in Chiang Mai a few years back, and experienced first-hand how simple it is to make this classic (and Whole30, keto-friendly, and gluten-free) Thai soup at home!

An overhead shot of a bowl of paleo and Whole30 Tom Kha Gai in a bowl on top of a plate with sliced limes.

Track down authentic Thai ingredients

Truth be told, in order to make Tom Kha Gai the right way, you need to track down some key aromatic ingredients: galangal, lemongrass, and makrut lime leaves. These ingredients are not super easy to find, but they’re essential to this dish. I’ve been able to find these ingredients at my local Whole Foods Market and at my neighborhood farmers’ market, but if you can’t, I suggest searching out a nearby Asian market that caters to South East Asian customers—you’ll likely find all these items there, too. Take a gander in the produce section and you might strike gold!

Kha = Galangal

I know some of you are thinking, “ginger kind of looks like galangal—so maybe I can use ginger instead!” NOPE. After all, the “kha” in Tom Kha Gai literally means “galangal,” so you can’t have Tom Kha Gai without it. Yeah, I know that some recipes indicate that you can substitute ginger (a similar looking rhizome) for galangal, but it imparts a very different flavor to the dish. Galangal adds a cooling, pine-y flavor, while ginger is sharp and spicy. It won’t taste the same. Trust me.

How to pick galangal

When buying fresh galangal, make sure that it has smooth skin without any blemishes and is firm to the touch. For this recipe, prep the galangal by washing it and chopping it into ¼-inch thick slices. (Don’t bother peeling it ’cause you won’t actually be eating the galangal—or the lemongrass and lime leaves, for that matter.) Thick slices work better—that way, it’ll be easier for you to fish out the galangal coins later.

A hand holding fresh galangal. The picture on the right is someone slicing fresh galangal into coins for Whole30 Tom Kha Gai

No fresh galangal?

Can’t find fresh galangal after going to the ends of the earth to locate it? You can substitute frozen or dried galangal.

Fresh Lemongrass

Next up: lemongrass. In this recipe, the lemongrass is used to impart a citrus-y kick to the soup, but you won’t be eating it. To draw out as much flavor as possible and to make the lemongrass stalk easy to remove at the end, I simply peel and trim the lemongrass and pound it well with a meat pounder

A four-part picture that shows how to trim and smash a piece of lemongrass for keto Tom Kha Gai

…and then tie the smashed stalk into a knot.

A smashed stalk of lemongrass tied into a knot to throw into a pot of healthy Tom Kha Gai

That way, you can easily fish out the whole lemongrass stalk after it has released its lemon-y goodness into the soup. If you have extra lemongrass, check out my tutorial on how to prepare it for other recipes.

Makrut lime leaves

Makrut lime (a.k.a. kaffir lime) leaves are the leaves of a citrus fruit native to tropical Asia. If you can’t find any at a nearby store, you can substitute fresh lime zest to mimic the same flavor.

Two hands holding a pile of Makrut lime leaves, an essential ingredient in Tom Kha Gai

Can’t track down these ingredients?

Trekked all over town and still can’t track down these essential ingredients? I almost think it’s better to leave out the stuff you can’t find and add a teaspoon or two of Thai red curry paste to replace the missing aromatics. It won’t be exactly the same, and will add extra spiciness, but it’ll work in a pinch. Cheaters never win, but you can come pretty close!

Time to make Tom Kha Gai!

Serves 6

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons coconut oil or cooking fat of choice
  • 2 large shallots, thinly sliced
  • ¼ pound shiitake mushrooms, cut into quarters
  • Diamond Crystal brand kosher salt
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 2 (13.5 oz) cans full-fat coconut milk, divided
  • 2 medium lemongrass stalks, trimmed, pounded, and tied in a knot
  • 1 (2-inch) piece fresh galangal, cut into ¼-inch slices
  • 6 makrut lime leaves, torn into large pieces (or zest from two limes)
  • 1½ pounds boneless and skinless chicken thighs, cut into ½-inch strips
  • 2 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges
  • 1½ tablespoons Red Boat fish sauce
  • Juice from 2 medium limes
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro leaves
  • 2 Thai chili peppers or 1 Fresno pepper, thinly sliced (optional)

Equipment

Method

Heat a large saucepan over medium heat, and add the coconut oil once it’s hot. Stir in the shallots and shiitake mushrooms with a sprinkle of salt.

Adding sliced shallots and quartered shiitake mushrooms to a pot to make Whole30 and keto Tom Kha Gai

Sauté until the shallots are softened but not browned, about 3-5 minutes.

Sautéing sliced shallots and quartered shiitake mushrooms in a pot to make healthy Tom Kha Gai

Pour in the broth and one can of coconut milk.

Pouring broth and canned coconut milk into the pot to make authentic Tom Kha Gai

Increase heat to medium-high, stirring frequently until it starts to simmer.

An overhead shot of the vegetables and broth in a pot of homemade Whole30 Tom Kha Gai

Add the lemongrass stalks, galangal coins, and torn up makrut lime leaves.

Adding the lemongrass stalk, galangal coins, and Makrut lime leaves to the Whole30 Tom Kha Gai broth

Maintain a simmer, decreasing the heat to medium or medium-low, stirring occasionally. When the aromatics have infused the broth (about 5 to 10 minutes)…

Closeup of a pot of paleo Tom Kha Gai broth simmering on the stove.

…add the chicken.

Adding sliced chicken to a simmering pot of homemade keto Tom Kha Gai

Increase the heat to medium-high to bring back to a simmer and cook until the chicken is no longer pink.

An overhead shot of homemade Whole30 Tom Kha Gai in a pot.

Add the remaining can of coconut milk and the tomatoes.

Adding coconut milk and tomato slices to a pot of home cooked paleo Tom Kha Gai

Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are heated through but not broken down.

A close-up of a pot healthy homemade Tom Kha Gai where the tomatoes are broken down

Fish out the lemongrass, lime leaves, and galangal. (Or you can tell your diners to pick out those items in their bowls.)

Scooping the lemongrass, galangal, and Makrut lime leaves from the Whole30 Tom Kha Gai broth

Remove the pot from the heat and season with fish sauce, lime juice, and cilantro. Taste and adjust with more seasoning if needed.

Adding fish sauce, lime juice, and fresh herbs to healthy Whole30 Tom Kha Gai

Ladle up the soup and add Thai chili peppers to the bowls if desired.

Ladling a bowl of homemade gluten-free Tom Kha Gai and adding sliced red chili peppers

Thai-m to chow down!

A bowl of homemade Whole30 and keto Tom Kha Gai ready to eat


Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes on my iPhone and iPad app, and in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013), Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017), and Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2021).


PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE CARD

Tom Kha Gai

4.92 from 12 votes
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Tom Kha Gai, a popular Thai Coconut Chicken Soup, is super simple to make at home! This Whole30-friendly version is delicious and quick enough to make for a weeknight supper!

Ingredients  

  • 2 teaspoons coconut oil or cooking oil of choice
  • 2 large shallots thinly sliced
  • ¼ pound shiitake mushrooms cut into quarters
  • Diamond Crystal kosher salt
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 2 (13.5 ounce) cans full-fat coconut milk divided
  • 2 medium lemongrass stalks trimmed, pounded, and tied in a knot
  • 1 2-inch piece fresh galangal cut into ¼-inch slices
  • 6 makrut lime leaves torn into large pieces (or zest from two limes)
  • pounds boneless and skinless chicken thighs cut into ½-inch strips
  • 2 medium tomatoes cut into wedges
  • tablespoons Red Boat fish sauce
  • Juice from 2 medium limes
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro leaves
  • 2 Thai chili peppers or 1 Fresno pepper thinly sliced (optional)

Instructions 

  • Heat a large saucepan over medium heat, and add the coconut oil once it’s hot. Stir in the shallots and shiitake mushrooms with a sprinkle of salt.
  • Sauté until the shallots are softened but not browned, about 3-5 minutes.
  • Pour in the broth and one can of coconut milk. Increase heat to medium-high, stirring frequently until it starts to simmer.
  • Add the lemongrass stalks, galangal coins, and torn up makrut lime leaves. Maintain a simmer, decreasing the heat to medium or medium-low, stirring occasionally.
  • When the aromatics have infused the broth (about 5 to 10 minutes), add the chicken. Increase the heat to medium-high to bring back to a simmer and cook until the chicken is no longer pink.
  • Add the remaining can of coconut milk and the tomatoes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are heated through but not broken down.
  • Fish out the lemongrass, lime leaves, and galangal. (Or you can tell your diners to pick out those items in their bowls.)
  • Remove the pot from the heat and season with fish sauce, lime juice, and cilantro. Taste and adjust with more seasoning if needed.
  • Ladle up the soup and add Thai chili peppers to the bowls if desired.

Video

Notes

  • Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days.
  • If you can't find fresh, frozen, or dried galangal, lemongrass, and/or makrut lime leaves, you can season the soup to taste with a teaspoon or two of store-bought Thai red curry paste.

Nutrition

Calories: 436kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 34g | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Like this? Leave a comment below!

About Michelle Tam

Hello! My name is Michelle Tam, and I love to eat. I think about food all the time. It borders on obsession. I’ve always loved the sights and smells of the kitchen. My mother was (and is) an excellent cook, and as a kid, I was her little shadow as she prepared supper each night. From her, I gained a deep, abiding love for magically transforming pantry items into mouth-watering family meals.

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