Capstone CrossFit’s first official recipe!

I love Thai food.  Not only is it extremely tasty, easy to cook, and generally good for you, the majority of it can fall under the paleo diet if you omit the jasmine rice, noodles, and occasional peanuts.  Thai Chicken Coconut Soup is rich, buttery, full of flavors, and of course has the classic Thai kick!

Thai Chicken Coconut Soup

There are a couple of ingredients in this recipe that can be difficult to find.  The first is Galangal.  The Thai name for Thai Chicken Coconut Soup, Tom Kha Gai, should indicate how important this ingredient is to the dish.  Galangal (Kha) has a flavor that is distinctive from its cousin ginger, so it really should be used if at all possible.  I was able to find some frozen galangal at Oriental Market on 50th and Quaker in Lubbock (It’s located in the white freezers in the back.)  If you can’t locate galangal, you can use ginger instead.  It will taste different, but will still be delicious!

Another critical flavor contributor to the dish, kafir lime leaves can also be difficult to track down.  These are usually kept in the same freezer as the galangal at Oriental Market in Lubbock; however, I haven’t ever found them to be in stock.  My substitute for these unique leaves was to use lime peel.  Use a bar citrus peeler to peel strips off of one lime avoiding the bitter white pith.  The peel of one small lime will be sufficient for this recipe.

While more easily found than the two previous ingredients, lemongrass appears to be a seasonal item at United.  Fortunately Oriental Market has had lemongrass in stock every time I have visited.  This fibrous grass is extremely fragrant, and a must have for this recipe.

Ingredients

• 1lb boneless skinless chicken breast
• 2c low sodium chicken stock (not broth!)
• 2 15oz cans of coconut milk
• 1 small (2in) piece of galangal or ginger root
• 5 kafir lime leaves or lime peel
• 2 stalks of lemongrass
• 6 red thai chili peppers
• 2Tbsp fish sauce
• 2 ripe roma tomatos
• 1 bunch of cilantro
• 2-3 limes

Preparation

To clean the lemongrass, simply cut off the tips and peel the outer layer before washing thoroughly under running water.  Smash stalks with mallet or under the side of a heavy knife.  Cut in half lengthwise, then cut to size to fit in your sauce pan.  You will be removing these later (or at least avoiding eating them!)  Next, peel and smash galangal or ginger root.  Tear kafir lime leaves if you can find them, otherwise use a citrus peeler to peel strips of lime peel off of one lime.  Twist or pinch each strip to release the citrus oils before adding to sauce pan.  Smash thai chili peppers and then chop into small pieces.

Add lemongrass, galangal, lime leaves, and chili peppers to a 4qt sauce pan along with 2c chicken stock and two cans of coconut milk.  Bring ingredients to a low boil slowly over medium heat, stirring frequently.  The coconut milk will curdle if you get the heat too high, so low and slow is key!

When the mixture comes to a boil, add 2Tbsp fish sauce and the juice of 1/2 lime.  Lower heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.  Remove lemongrass, lime leaves/peel, and galangal with holed spoon if desired.

Trim chicken and cut into small 1/2in cubes or strips.  Optionally peel and dice tomatos.  Return the mixture to a low boil, then add the chicken and tomato pieces.  Cook for approximately 5 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked, but still tender.  Remove from heat and add 1/4c of roughly chopped cilantro leaves.

Garnish with chopped green onion, fresh cilantro leaves, fresh lime juice, and more thai chili peppers (if more heat is desired.)

Serves approximately 6 people.

If you have any questions, comments, or recipe suggestions email me at randall@capstonecrossfit.com.  Enjoy!