A famous dish of Thai cuisine, it literally means ‘chicken soup with galangal.’ The galangal looks like ginger, but don’t be fooled—they’re very different. Look for galangal at the asian market—fresh or frozen both work. This soup comes together quickly and is fairly straightforward, but feel free to let loose when serving by adding as many of your favorite toppings as you like. Some of our favorites are Thai chili paste (nam prik pao) and fresh Thai basil leaves.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups Bare Bones Chicken Bone Broth
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into bite sized pieces
- 1/2 cup button mushrooms, sliced
- 13 oz extra-rich coconut milk (or coconut cream)
- 6-inch piece galangal*, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 stalk lemongrass*, smashed and cut into 3-inch pieces
- 2 Thai chili peppers*, stems removed
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 1/2 tbsps freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1/2 cup cilantro
- 1/4 cup scallion greens, thinly sliced
⚠️ *If these ingredients aren’t at your local grocery store, check your local asian food market.
DIRECTIONS
Cook the chicken
In a medium stock pot or dutch oven, add bone broth and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the chicken pieces. Return to a boil and reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
Make the soup
Add coconut milk, galangal, lemongrass, and chilis and return to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes.
Add fish sauce and mushrooms and simmer, uncovered, until the mushrooms are just tender, about 5 minutes.
Season and serve
Remove from heat, taste and season if necessary. Remove the lemongrass and galangal pieces and discard. Then add lime juice and stir to combine. Serve hot, garnished with cilantro, scallions, and more Thai chili peppers.
Notes
- If fresh galangal is not available, frozen works just as well.
- The galangal doesn’t need to be peeled since it won’t be eaten, it’s just for infusing flavor.
