Let’s Make a Long Story Short…
Thailand (specifically Bangkok) has got to have the best food in the world. We always knew we enjoyed Thai food but we didn’t know what was in store for us. We spent a mere 10 days in Bangkok (most of which we spent sick and at home from the 24-hour long commute to Asia) and we couldn’t find a place that didn’t serve show-stopping food. We ate at top-rated restaurants as well as random “hole in the walls” we found on our way to and from our sightseeing trips.
Our favorite places to eat, it turns out, were outdoor stands/food carts which served traditional, homemade Thai dishes for cheap. Those blew even the highest-rated restaurants in Bangkok out of the water. We learned that you can’t beat a meal being made fresh right before your eyes.
My favorite dish out of all the marinated meats, fresh fruits, spicy soups and curries was this Tom Kha Gai, which is a Coconut Chicken Soup. It’s very simple to make, requires only a pot, and tastes like it’s straight out of a restaurant (or in this case, a food cart!).
Be warned, it really comes together only with the addition of coconut cream. It’s traditionally made with coconut milk, but unfortunately, in the states, coconut milk is usually heavily watered down and lower in fat than natural coconut milk. Plus, for our keto purposes, full fat is better, so I decided to make this traditional dish with coconut cream instead. If you can’t find coconut cream, try to find the most authentic looking coconut milk you can. That means no ‘Silk’ brand coconut milk. You’re looking for something in a can or a small cardboard box. Try the ethnic section of your supermarket.
I really hope you give this soup a try! It’s one of my all time favorite things to get at restaurants. Now that I know how to make it at home, nothing can stop me from enjoying this weekly. 
• 325 Calories
• 20g of Fat
• 29g of Protein
• 7g of Net Carbs
- 6cups chicken broth
- 2stalks lemongrass
- 10 kaffir lime leaves(or 1 lime)
- 1inch fresh ginger(grated)
- 1/2tsp sea salt
- 1lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 10oz. mixed mushrooms(we used white, oyster and shiitake)
- 1.5cups coconut cream
- 1tbsp fish sauce(optional)
- 1 chili pepper(optional)
- cilantro(to taste, for garnish)
- Start by heating the chicken broth in a soup pot on medium-high heat.
- Whack the lemongrass stalks with the blunt end of a knife a few times to help release its aroma. Then cut it into about 4 1-inch pieces. Add them to the chicken broth along with the kaffir lime leaves, grated ginger and sea salt. (If you don't have kaffir lime leaves, you can use the juice of 1 lime plus its zest).
- Let the broth simmer for about 20 minutes. Then strain out the solids.
- Into the now-strained broth, add the chicken thighs and mixed mushrooms. You can use 10 oz. of just white mushrooms but using mixed mushrooms adds some different flavors to the soup that are very pleasant.
- Let the chicken and mushrooms cook for 20 minutes.
- Once the 20 minutes are up, take out the chicken thighs and shred them. Add them back in along with the cup of coconut cream and fish sauce.
- Let this cook for about 5 minutes. Taste it and add more salt if necessary.
- To serve, split among 4 bowls and garnish with chopped chili pepper (optional) and cilantro or parsley to taste. Enjoy!
Loved this recipe? Let us know! Something didn’t quite turn out right? Ask us in the comments below or contact us– we respond to comments every day and would love to hear from you and help you out! And check out all our low carb dinners to learn to make more delicious and healthy meals!