A more-or-less traditional dish that has been on the Vong menu since its opening, this Thai chicken soup with coconut milk and lemongrass combines bright flavors and a lovely combination of colors. The soup is pale yellow with brown shiitake, white chicken, and bright green cilantro peeking through the broth. The broth can be prepared in advance and, in fact, tastes better when it’s done a day ahead. To turn this starter into a main course, increase the amount of chicken to a pound or more and serve with white rice, which can be eaten on the side or spooned into the soup.–Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Mark Bittman
LC Stock For Thai Chicken Soup Note
When Jean-Georges Vongerichten wrote this Thai-minded recipe, he specified Rich Chicken Stock as an ingredient, which you’ll see in the recipe below. It’s not a particular type of stock made in Thailand, per se. It’s simply how Jean-Georges refers to his basic chicken stock recipe that’s made rich with leeks and thyme and…well, heck, we’ll just give you the recipe. Stud 1 medium onion with 6 whole cloves and then toss it in a stock pot along with 3 garlic cloves, 2 pounds chicken wings, 1 carrot, 1 bay leaf, 1 celery stalk, 3 or 4 sprigs fresh thyme, 1 very well rinsed leek, and 10 cups cold water. Bring it to a boil and then immediately reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, skimming any froth or scum that appears on the surface. Cook for a total of 1 1/2 hours. Let cool slightly and then strain. Sorta surprising it isn’t more Asian in nature, although as you’ll taste from the resulting soup, it doesn’t need to be.
Thai Chicken Soup with Coconut Milk and Lemongrass Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 stalk lemongrass
- 1 tablespoon canola, grapeseed, or other neutral-flavored oil
- 1 medium onion, minced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons Thai red curry paste or curry powder
- Six 1/8-inch-thick slices galangal or ginger, not peeled
- 3 kaffir lime leaves, dried or fresh
- 4 cups rich chicken stock (see note above), homemade chicken stock or canned chicken broth
- 12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 2 cups shiitake mushrooms
- One 13- to 14-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
- Juice of 2 limes
- 2 tablespoons nam pla or nuoc mam (Asian fish sauce)
- 3 scallions, trimmed and minced on the diagonal
- 1/4 cup minced cilantro
Directions
- 1. Trim the lemongrass of its outer sheath and its hard ends. Whack the stalk in a few places with the back of a knife, then cut it into 2 or 3 pieces.
- 2. In a deep skillet or medium saucepan, combine the oil, onion, and garlic and turn the heat to medium. Cook a minute, stirring, then add the lemongrass, curry paste, galangal or ginger, and lime leaves. Cook, stirring, for 3 or 4 minutes, then add the stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium, and cook at a moderate boil for about 15 minutes. (You may prepare the recipe in advance up to this point; refrigerate in a covered container for up to 2 days.)
- 3. While the broth cooks, cut the chicken breast into 1/2- to 3/4-inch cubes. Remove the stems from the shiitakes and discard or reserve for stock; cut the caps into quarters or eighths.
- 4. Add the coconut milk, then the chicken and the mushrooms to the broth. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the chicken is done.
- 5. Stir in the lime juice and nam pla; taste and adjust the seasoning. Divide among 4 bowls, then garnish with the scallions and cilantro and serve. You may remove the galangal and lemongrass before serving, or leave them in; they are delicious to gnaw on at the table.
The Fatty Daddy Challenge Variation
- This is David here, and I want to share with you my tweaks to this Thai chicken soup recipe in case, like me, you’re looking to save calories wherever you can. I call it The Fatty Daddy Challenge version of this recipe, and in it I use non-fat chicken stock in place of the rich chicken stock and shrimp in place of chicken. You’ll be coming in at just 9 Weight Watchers PointsPlus. Which is awesome in my book. (I made a few other adjustments to the recipe, which I explain in the David Says below, and I gotta say, it was phenomenal.)
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I loved it! The first batch I made I omitted the chicken breast and curry (since I didn’t have either on hand) but doubled the mushrooms. I used baby shiitakis with the stems on and they were delicious!! Today I made a double batch but this time I added curry powder (I made my own omitting the cayenne pepper because I don’t tolerate spicy) and added some cabbage. It all came together so beautifully. Half of this batch will go into the freezer to be pulled out later when I’m craving it. Next time I’ll probably double the amount of mushrooms and cabbage I used today because I really love a vegetable-dense soup. Thank you for your recipe. It’s definitely going in the permanent-recipe file :)
You’re quite welcome, Tina S. Quite ingenuitive, your tweaks…
I love this soup. It is so healthy and yummy, and not hard to make. I’ve made it thousands of times by now. I’m wondering, how long should it be good in the refrigerator for leftovers?
Anne, so glad you like this as much as we do! As for how long to keep it in the fridge, I tend to err on the side of keeping leftovers for as little time as possible, not just from a food safety perspective but also from a food quality standpoint. I would say two days at most, though I’m certain some would keep it longer. And when you reheat it, be certain to bring it to a bare simmer and heat it through and through.
Feeling lousy today–I thought chicken soup would be the perfect “cure-all.” I appreciated that this soup required few ingredients and most of them I already had at home. The assembly required very little time. The total preparation was less than 15 to 20 minutes and cooking time, maybe 45 if you’re taking your time. I didn’t have lemongrass and used the lemongrass in the tube (purchased after another Thai recipe scavenger hunt in which I went to 3 different stores to find fresh lemongrass–in the Los Angeles area–sorry to say.) The lemongrass in the tube was fine, but I would like to make this soup again to experience the taste difference between the real thing and a processed ingredient. I do wish I had curry paste rather than powder because I think it would have added the kick I was looking for. I used lime leaves from my Mexican lime tree and although I really dislike the smell of fish sauce, it is a necessary ingredient in most Thai dishes and the smell/flavor mellows in the soup. Fish sauce adds a great depth to this soup. Next time, just for color and a bit more kick, I think I would add a chopped red Thai chili (To be honest – I was also craving noodles so I cooked up a very small portion of rice noodles – not seen in the picture of the finished product, but was a nice addition for me.) I enjoyed this dish very much and would definitely make it again. My husband loved every bite.
CherieDe, so sorry to hear you’re under the weather. I think if you use the fresh ingredients, you’ll note a real difference in taste. And I’d avoid lime leaves from your tree. They’re different from kaffir lime leaves, which are used in Asian cooking. Take a look at this article.
Well David, thanks for that article (I think). I’m glad to report I’m alive and well no thanks to those lime leaves I used. I actually questioned whether the recipe should have said kaffer lime leaves (which I have never been able to find in the area of LA where I live). I think I will have to get those lime leaves on line. I will certainly make this soup again with the proper greens and fresh lemongrass. It was very good as it was – I imagine it will taste much better with the real deal.
CherieDe, I’ve changed the ingredient so that it’s clearer. Glad you’re feeling better!