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Tom Yum Chicken Soup
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Ingredients
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Step by step
Method
5 steps
- 1
Heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil in a medium soup pot over medium-high until shimmering. Add 12 oz boneless skinless chicken breast thinly sliced, ½ medium sliced onion, half of 2 smashed lemongrass stalks (cut into 3-inch pieces), and half of 3 tablespoons minced fresh ginger. Sauté until the chicken is mostly opaque and the onion softens, about 4 minutes.
- 2
Pour in 6 cups chicken stock. Add 2 tablespoons fish sauce, the remaining lemongrass and ginger, optional 4–6 torn makrut lime leaves, and optional 1–2 smashed Thai or serrano chiles. Cover and simmer gently 10–15 minutes — small bubbles, not a hard boil. Chicken should be tender and opaque through.
- 3
Stir in 1 teaspoon sugar, optional 1–2 teaspoons Thai chili paste (nam prik pao), 2 medium tomatoes cut into wedges, and 6 oz halved button or straw mushrooms. Simmer 2–3 minutes until the mushrooms are tender and the tomatoes just start to soften.
- 4
Lower heat. Stir in 2–3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, half of ¼ cup chopped cilantro, and 2 sliced green onions. Taste — it should hit sour, salty, and spicy. Add more fish sauce, lime, or chili paste as needed.
- 5
Ladle into bowls and finish with remaining cilantro and lime wedges. You want hot, bright tom yum with tender chicken and mushrooms — not a flat chicken broth or a mouth-puckering lime bomb.