Chicken and Coconut Soup (Thailand)

Ingredients

• 1 quart coconut milk
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 lb chicken breast
• boneless
• skinless
• cut into 1-inch strips
• 3 lemongrass
• stalks trimmed
• smashed
• cut into 2-inch lengths
• 34 inch fresh ginger
• cut into 10 slices
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 4 fresh lime leaves
• fresh
• roughly chopped
• 1 cup button mushroom
• sliced
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce (nam pla)
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• fresh
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 dash salt
• 1 dash pepper
• 14 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• chopped (optional)

Instructions

1. In a large saucepan, combine coconut milk & chicken stock, bringing to a boil over medium-high heat.
2. Lower the heat, add the chicken pieces & simmer about 10 minutes or until cooked through.
3. Remove chicken with a slotted spoon & set aside.
4. Add lemongrass, ginger, chile & lime leaves & simmer for 15 minutes.
5. Remove larger pieces of spices with a slotted spoon, then return the chicken to the saucepan, along with the mushrooms & heat through, about 3 minutes.
6. Turn off the heat & stir in the fish sauce, lime juice & sugar, then season with salt & pepper, before garnishing with the cilantro, if desired.