Aromatic Thai soup with chicken, mushrooms, and bold spicy-sour broth flavored with lemongrass, galangal, and fresh lime.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 12 oz boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs, thinly sliced
→ Broth Base
02 - 5 cups chicken stock
03 - 2 stalks lemongrass, tough outer leaves removed, cut into 2-inch pieces and smashed
04 - 5 kaffir lime leaves, torn
05 - 3 slices galangal or fresh ginger
06 - 2 Thai birds eye chiles, smashed
→ Vegetables
07 - 5 oz oyster or button mushrooms, sliced
08 - 2 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges
09 - 1 small onion, sliced
→ Seasonings
10 - 2 tablespoons nam prik pao Thai roasted chili paste
11 - 2 tablespoons fish sauce
12 - 1 tablespoon sugar
13 - 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
14 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice plus extra for serving
→ Garnish
15 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
16 - 1-2 extra Thai chiles, sliced optional
# Steps to Follow:
01 - Bring chicken stock to a gentle boil in a large saucepan. Add lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, and smashed chiles. Simmer for 5 minutes to infuse flavors into the broth.
02 - Add sliced chicken to the simmering broth. Cook for 3-4 minutes until just cooked through. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface.
03 - Stir in mushrooms, tomatoes, and onion. Simmer for 3-4 minutes until vegetables are tender-crisp, avoiding overcooking.
04 - Add nam prik pao, fish sauce, sugar, and salt. Stir thoroughly to incorporate the chili paste. Simmer for 2 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
05 - Remove from heat. Stir in fresh lime juice. Taste again and adjust sourness or salt levels to achieve the signature sweet-sour-spicy balance.
06 - Ladle hot soup into serving bowls. Top with chopped fresh cilantro and sliced Thai chiles if desired. Accompany with lime wedges for additional seasoning.
