(Thai chicken coconut soup)
YIELD: 4 to 6 servings | PREP TIME: 20 minutes | STOVETOP: 30 minutes
• 6 cups Chicken Broth
• 1 stalk lemongrass, white part only, bruised with the dull side of a knife and chopped
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro, stems and leaves separated
• 2 serrano or Thai chiles or 1 jalapeño pepper, halved and seeded
• 1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, sliced into ¼-inch-thick rounds
• 3 fresh kaffir lime leaves or zest of ½ lime
• 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 pound shiitake, maitake, or oyster mushrooms (or a combination), stemmed and sliced
• 2 (14-ounce) cans full-fat coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon coconut sugar
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves (from above)
• Chili paste, for serving (optional)
1. In a large pot, combine the broth, lemongrass, cilantro stems, chiles, ginger, and lime leaves and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer and discard the aromatics.
2. Add the chicken to the broth and cook for 5 minutes, or until just cooked through.
3. Add the mushrooms, coconut milk, fish sauce, and coconut sugar and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes, until the mushrooms are soft. Stir in the cilantro leaves.
4. Serve the soup with chili paste on the side for guests to add to their bowls, if desired.
Lower-Carb Modification: Omit the coconut sugar.
Chef’s Tip: To make straining easier, bundle the aromatics in cheesecloth or a mesh tea bag.
AIP Modification: Omit the serrano chiles and chili paste.
