This is my take on a Tom Kha Gai chicken noodle soup! It’s creamy, rich and delicious, served over rice noodles making it super satisfying.
It is made with coconut milk, chicken and a bunch of delicious, fragrant aromatics like galangal, garlic, lemongrass and chilli. Instead of starting with a random oil, the aromatics are cooked into the natural coconut oil from the coconut milk, creating a rich, creamy and big flavoured base.
This recipe is definitely not 100% traditional at all, but it is delicious and genuinely one of the best dishes I have ever made. It took about 20 minutes, uses simple ingredients and tastes like so much more effort went into it.
Next time you’re looking for a bold, satisfying dinner, try this recipe and I promise you will love it!
The whole point of this recipe is building flavour from the ingredients you are already using. Coconut milk naturally has fat in it, so once it heats up, you can use that to release all of the flavour from the galangal, garlic, lemongrass and chilli instead of adding another oil that does not really belong there.
Fat is flavour, and there are so many natural sources you can use in your meals instead of a standard cooking oil. In this soup, the coconut milk makes sense because it is already part of the dish, it tastes amazing and it helps create the creamy broth that makes this recipe so good!
Why This Tom Kha Gai Chicken Noodle Soup Works
Any soup that starts with delicious, fragrant aromatics sautéed in rich fat is going to be good, and there’s no real other way to start a soup without losing flavour.
The galangal, garlic, lemongrass and chilli make the broth so fragrant, chicken stock brings a rich, deep flavour, and coconut milk and lime balance it all out to make it silky and creamy.
I love serving mine over rice noodles to make it more of a ‘main’ meal, and every time I make this I am completely satisfied afterward.
I’ll add my full video and recipe card so you can see exactly how I make it.
A Few Things Before You Start
Taste as you go, and adjust as you need! Although this recipe is less traditional and uses ingredients that are easier to find, I would recommend NOT to skip the galangal if you really want that delicious, Tom Kha flavour!
Tom Kha Gai Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
Below is the full recipe card with the ingredients, coconut milk broth method and rice noodle instructions. Once the aromatics have cooked into the coconut milk and the broth is full of flavour, serve it over rice noodles and enjoy.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Add 2 tablespoons of the coconut milk to a large pot or deep pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 3 minutes, stirring frequently and keeping an eye on the heat to prevent burning.
- Add another tablespoon of coconut milk along with the galangal, lemongrass, chilli and coriander root. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring regularly and reducing the heat if needed.
- Add the lime zest and fish sauce and stir well to deglaze the bottom of the pot, as well as salt and pepper to taste.
- Add another few tablespoons of coconut milk and continue stirring until everything is fragrant and well combined.
- Place rice noodles in a separate bowl and cover with warm water to soak for 10 minutes – not boiled water!
- Back to the main pot…Slowly pour in the chicken stock and add the brown sugar. Stir well and bring the mixture to a simmer to slightly reduce.
- Add the remaining coconut milk and simmer for another few minutes.
- Add the cooked chicken and greens, until warmed through and wilted.
- Serve over cooked rice noodles and top with fresh chilli and coriander, and enjoy!
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