Easy Thai Chicken Rice Soup (Khao Tom Gai)
Khao Tom Gai, or Thai Chicken Rice Soup, is a simple and comforting dish made with jasmine rice, chicken meatballs, and a light, savory broth. Perfect for breakfast or any meal!
Ingredients
For the chicken meatballs
- 1/2 lb (225 g) minced chicken
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp ginger paste
- 1 tbsp chopped cilantro stem
- 1 tsp fish sauce
- 1/2 tsp white pepper or black pepper
For the soup
- 6 cups (1.4 liter) unsalted chicken stock
- 1 tbsp preserved radish optional
- 2 cups day old jasmine rice
- 1 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- dash white pepper
Garnishes
- thinly sliced ginger sticks
- chopped spring onion
- chopped cilantro
- fried garlic
- garlic oil optional
- fresh lime juice optional
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine minced chicken, garlic, ginger paste, cilantro stem, fish sauce, and white pepper. Mix well until the ingredients are evenly incorporated. Transfer the mixture to a plastic bag, snip off a 3/4-inch corner, and set aside. This method makes it easy to shape the meatballs.
- In a soup pot, bring chicken stock to a gentle boil over medium heat. Add the preserved radish (if using), cilantro roots and stir to combine. Using the prepared plastic bag, squeeze the chicken mixture into 3/4-inch meatballs, trimming them with a dinner knife as you go. Let the meatballs cook until they float to the top, indicating they’re fully cooked.
- Season the broth with light soy sauce and fish sauce to flavor the soup. Add the jasmine rice and give everything a good stir. Simmer for about 5 minutes until the rice and broth are well heated and infused with flavor. Remove the soup from the heat
- Ladle the soup into individual bowls. Top with sliced ginger sticks, spring onions, cilantro, a drizzle of garlic oil, and crispy fried garlic for extra aroma and crunch. For a bright, tangy twist, add a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Serve hot and enjoy!
Notes
You can also use minced pork or shrimp instead of chicken for variety.
Nutrition
Calories: 196kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 1186mg | Potassium: 373mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 8IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg