Thai Chicken Meatball Tom Kha Soup
Herb-infused ground chicken meatballs baked until golden, then simmered in a fragrant coconut broth with lemongrass, galangal, and curry paste. Balanced with lime juice, fish sauce, and palm sugar, this Tom Kha variation delivers complex Thai flavors in a comforting bowl.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 teaspoon lemongrass, minced, plus 2 trimmed stalks
- 1 teaspoon ginger, minced
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced, divided
- 2 tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped, plus more for serving
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- 1 egg
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons red curry paste
- 1 13.5-ounce can coconut milk
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 4 slices dried galangal
- 1 lime, juiced, plus wedges for serving
- 1 tablespoon fish saucesoy sauce1.5 tablespoons per 1 tablespoonsoyfish-freeadds glutenadds soy
less umami depth
Full guide → - 1 tablespoon palm sugar
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 400 F.
- 2
Mix chicken, minced lemongrass, ginger, 1 teaspoon garlic, cilantro, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, white pepper, egg, and breadcrumbs until combined.
- 3
Roll mixture into golf-ball-sized meatballs and place on a foil-lined sheet tray.
- 4
Bake meatballs for 20 minutes until slightly browned.
- 5
While meatballs bake, saute remaining garlic in a lightly oiled pot over medium heat until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- 6
Add curry paste and coconut milk, whisking until smooth.
- 7
Add stock, galangal, lemongrass stalks, lime juice, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, fish sauce, and palm sugar. Bring to a boil.
- 8
Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes.
- 9
Transfer baked meatballs to soup and simmer 5 to 10 minutes.
- 10
Remove lemongrass and galangal before serving. Ladle into bowls and garnish with cilantro, peanuts, and lime wedges if desired.
Tips
Use a cookie scoop to roll uniform meatballs.
Do not over-mix the meatball mixture to avoid dense, tough meatballs.
Trim lemongrass stalks by removing dry outer layers and slicing off the top third before adding to broth.
Good to Know
Refrigerate in airtight container up to 3 days. Freeze meatballs and broth separately up to 2 months.
Prepare meatball mixture up to 4 hours ahead, covered. Roll and bake up to 1 day prior. Broth can simmer 1 day ahead; reheat gently before adding meatballs.
Ladle into bowls with lime wedges and fresh cilantro. Serve with jasmine rice or rice noodles on the side.
Common Mistakes
Do not skip the lightly oiled pot step to avoid curry paste burning and becoming bitter.
Do not remove lemongrass and galangal during cooking to avoid losing flavor extraction.
Do not over-bake meatballs before adding to soup to avoid them becoming dry during the final simmer.
Substitutions
Dairy-Free Swaps
Gluten-Free Swaps
General Alternatives
less umami depth
Full guide →