Chicken in coconut milk recipe

Chicken in coconut milk or tom-kha-gai in Thai, is a favorite Thai dish. This is also one in tom yam soup category popularly served in Thai restaurants throughout the world.

Using coconut milk in place of water to cook meat together with galangal, lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves, the finished dish not only still has the classic tom yum flavor, but also an extra rich flavor provided by coconut milk.

Ingredients

• 300 g chicken, cut into bite-size pieces
• 2 cups coconut milk
• 15 thin slices immature galangal
• 2 stalks lemongrass, diagonally cut into thin slices
• 3 citrus leaves (use kaffir lime leaves if available), midribs removed, torn into pieces
• 5 fresh small chili peppers (use bird’s eye chilies if available)
• 1 tbsp roasted chili paste (optional)
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• Chopped green onion, for garnishing
• Chopped cilantro, for garnishing

Direction

1. In a saucepan, bring coconut milk to a boil (stir occasionally to protect from lumping). Add immature galangal, lemongrass and citrus leaves and cook until fragrant.
2. Add chicken and bring to a gentle boil. Cook until fully done. Remove from heat.
3. Stir in chili peppers, roasted chili paste and season to taste as needed with fish sauce and lime juice.
4. To serve, spoon into a serving bowl. Serve garnished with chopped green onion and chopped cilantro.

Remark: Adding some slices of fresh mushrooms as an extra is also great. To obtain a fresher and a stronger scent and flavor of lime juice, add it last just after the fished soup is removed from heat.