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This Thai Coconut Soup with chicken and shrimp is bold, creamy, and ready in 20 minutes. Made with lemongrass, galangal, red curry paste, and lime juice, it’s fragrant, comforting, and surprisingly easy. Everything comes together in one pot for a cozy weeknight dinner that’s even better than takeout.
Authentic Thai Coconut Soup
I love ordering Thai coconut soup (Tom Kha) at restaurants, but making it at home just hits different, especially when it’s this easy. This one has all the classic flavors—lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, and red curry paste simmered into a rich, savory broth. Then I add juicy chicken breast, plump shrimp, mushrooms, and a little chili for that subtle kick. The coconut milk and fresh lime juice pull everything together. It’s spicy, tangy, creamy, and comforting in all the best ways. And since it’s all done in one pot, cleanup is quick and easy.
Nothing beats a bowl of piping hot, spicy, aromatic and utterly delicious Thai soup such as Tom Yum Goong (Spicy Shrimp Soup) or Tom Kha Gai (Coconut Chicken Soup). This Thai coconut soup is a little bit of both—flavorful, appetizing, and so satisfying. You just have to try my recipe! If you prefer a creamier sauce with shrimp, try my Coconut Chili Shrimp recipe.
What Is Tom Kha
Tom Kha is a classic Thai coconut soup that’s rich, tangy, and fragrant. “Tom” means boiled and “Kha” means galangal, which is one of the key ingredients. The broth is made with coconut milk, galangal, lemongrass, and kaffir lime leaves, giving it that iconic Thai flavor that’s creamy, citrusy, and a little spicy. Traditionally, it’s made with chicken (Tom Kha Gai), but shrimp and mushrooms are also popular. It’s comforting, flavorful, and one of the most-loved soups in Thai cuisine.
When it comes to making Thai soups, there are a few ingredients that are essential: lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, and galangal. They’re the key ingredients that give Tom Kha its signature taste. You can usually find them at Asian or Southeast Asian stores. If you can’t find them, just skip—they’re hard to fully substitute, but the soup will still taste great.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Lemongrass
- Galangal
- Kaffir lime leaves
- Thai red curry paste – I recommend Maesri or Mae Ploy brand red curry paste.
- Coconut milk
- Lime juice
You’ll find all the exact measurements and details down in the recipe card below.
Pro Tip #1: Coconut Milk
Coconut milk gives the broth that rich, silky texture and ties everything together—it softens the heat from the curry paste and rounds out the sharpness from the lime juice and fish sauce. I recommend using full-fat canned coconut milk for the best flavor and creaminess. Avoid the boxed or low-fat versions—they’re thinner and won’t give you that same luscious finish.
Pro Tip #2: Lime Juice & Fish Sauce
These two are the dynamic duo of Thai cooking—lime juice brightens everything with acidity, and fish sauce adds that savory, umami kick. Together, they balance the richness of coconut milk and bring harmony to the soup.
Pro Tip #3: Chicken & Shrimp
I choose chicken breast for tender, juicy bites and shrimp for a pop of sweetness and texture. The combination makes the soup feel hearty but still light—and the best part? They both cook fast, so the whole dish comes together quickly without overcooking the proteins. Perfect for a weeknight dinner.
Extra Tip #1: No Chicken Broth?
If you don’t have chicken broth, you can still make this soup from scratch. Just use a couple of chicken drumsticks instead. Add them in with the water and aromatics, then simmer a little longer—about 25 to 30 minutes—so the broth gets rich and full of flavor. Once that’s done, remove the drumsticks, shred the meat, and add it back in. It’s an easy way to build depth without store-bought broth.
Extra Tip #2: How To Make It Vegan Or Vegetarian
Want to keep it meat-free? Swap the chicken and shrimp for firm tofu and a mix of Asian mushrooms like shiitake, enoki, oyster, or king trumpet. They add great texture and soak up the broth beautifully. Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth, and switch out the fish sauce for soy sauce. It won’t taste exactly the same, but it still gives you a cozy, flavorful soup with all those delicious Thai flavors.
How To Make Thai Coconut Soup With Coconut And Shrimp
Start by pouring the chicken broth and water into a pot and crank the heat to high. Once that’s going, toss in the lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, and Thai red curry paste. Give it a quick stir, and let everything come to a boil—that’s where all the flavor starts to build.
Once the broth is boiling, go ahead and add the chicken, shrimp, mushrooms, and red chili. Let it all simmer until the chicken and shrimp are just cooked through—they don’t take long. Then pour in the fish sauce, coconut milk, and fresh lime juice. Give everything a good stir so the flavors come together, then turn off the heat. That’s it! Ladle it up and serve right away while it’s hot and cozy.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you prefer just one protein, go for it. Just adjust the quantity to keep the soup balanced. Chicken breast or thighs work great, and shrimp adds a nice sweetness.
It has a mild to medium heat from the Thai red curry paste and fresh chili. You can scale the spice up or down depending on your taste. Want it milder? Skip the chili. Want it hotter? Add more paste or toss in some sliced bird’s eye chili.
It’s best fresh, but you can make the broth ahead and store it in the fridge for up to 2 days. Just reheat and add the protein and veggies when you’re ready to serve. That way, nothing gets overcooked.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Just keep in mind that the coconut milk can thicken a bit in the fridge, and the shrimp may get slightly overcooked when reheated. To warm it up, reheat gently on the stove over low heat—don’t let it boil, or the coconut milk can split. Squeeze in a little fresh lime juice before serving to bring the flavors back to life.
No, I don’t recommend it. Coconut milk doesn’t freeze well. It tends to separate and turn grainy when thawed, which messes with the creamy texture of the soup. It’s best enjoyed fresh.
This recipe is only 258 calories per serving.
What To Serve With This Recipe
For an easy and wholesome Thai weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes:
I hope you enjoy this post as much as I do. If you try my recipe, please leave a comment and consider giving it a 5-star rating. For more easy and delicious recipes, explore my Recipe Index, and stay updated by subscribing to my newsletter and following me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for new updates.
Other Thai Recipes You Might Like
Thai Coconut Soup With Chicken And Shrimp
Ingredients
- 14½ oz chicken broth
- 4 cups water
- 3 stalks lemongrass, (white part only, pounded)
- 2 inch piece galangal, sliced
- 12 kaffir lime leaves, bruised
- 2-3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
- ½ lb skinless chicken breast, cut into cubes
- ½ lb shrimp, shelled and deveined, tail-on
- 6 oz fresh white button mushrooms, stems trimmed and quartered
- 1 red chilies, deseeded, cut into thick strips
- 2½ tablespoons fish sauce
- ¾ cup coconut milk
- 1 big lime, juiced
Instructions
- Add the chicken broth and water to a pot over high heat. Then, add the lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, and Thai red curry paste to the broth and bring to a boil.
- Add the chicken, shrimp, mushrooms, and red chili. Once the chicken and shrimp are cooked, add the fish sauce, coconut milk, and lime juice. Stir to combine well, then turn off the heat and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Once again you amazed me with your recipes and how fast 🏃♂️ you respond so people can get the recipes and again looks so good and I have to try this out 💯 looks great 👍 👌 😊.
Hi John, thanks for liking my recipe and giving it a 5-star rating! I really appreciate your awesome comment too!
Very good!
Thank you
I want to try your recipes but I am on a low sodium diet what can I do to get rid, some of the sodium out of the recipe
You can use low sodium ingredients.
Thank you