Is Chicken Thai Soup Keto
Also called Tom Kha Gai, Thai coconut chicken soup is not normally keto-friendly. Its a creamy soup that is sweetened with coconut sugar and usually has lots of vegetables in it, including sweet corn.
Thankfully, its super easy to make a keto-friendly version of this zesty soup! All you have to do is replace the sweetener and use only low-carb vegetables. I used the same curry and lime flavors. In fact, as you enjoy this soup, youll swear it came from your favorite Thai restaurant.
From Learning How To Handle Coconut Milk To Preparing Thai Aromatics This Tom Kha Gai Recipe Will Keep You On Your Toes But The Bright And Creamy Broth Is Worth The Effort
Ive always seen myself as an experienced soup maker, especially in the realm of Thai cuisine. And then it struck me one day that I had never made tom kha gai in my own kitchen.
My parents owned a Thai restaurant, so Ive made this soup in a fast-paced environment, under pressure. But I had never made a small batch made for just a few people, right at home.
You Can Be Keto And Enjoy Thai Food
Good news, friends: You dont have to give up the tastes of Thailand when following a low-carb diet. There are plenty of ways to enjoy this Asian favorite in your keto lifestyle. Whether youre cooking it up at home, ordering in, or dining out at your favorite Thai restaurant, you can still treat your taste buds to this delicious cuisine without going over your carb limit.
By making easy ingredient swaps, watching out for hidden sugars, and using the tips in this handy guide, youll be digging into your fave Thai dishes in no time. For more ideas on how to keep carbs low and flavor high, be sure to check out our growing list of keto recipes featuring low-carb, high-protein immi ramen.
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First Lets Talk About Coconut Milk
Coconut milk is a staple in my home and many Thai homes. Be sure to use pure coconut milk and not coconut cream or cream of coconut for this broth.
I tend to stick with Thai coconut milk brands if I can help it, which you can source from a website like Temple of Thai if you cant find it at your local grocer. Since tom kha gai is silky and light, use boxed or fresh coconut milk since its more emulsified, while canned milks tend to separate. Be sure youre choosing coconut milk that is meant for cooking and not a beverage.
Easy Creamy Chicken Soup
Bust out of the chicken soup rut and try something refreshingly different! This soup only takes about 45 minutes to make from start to finish.
If you want, you can also make this in your slow cooker. Just add all the ingredients and let it cook on low for 6-8 hours. You will be able to smell the soup as it cooks all day!
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What Does Tom Kha Gai Mean
Tom Kha Gai translates to Chicken Soup with Galangal. Tom means SOUP, Kha means GALANGAL and Gai means Chicken.
So Galangal root is the star of the dish. And believe me, it will elevate. Galangal is hard to find at regular grocery stores and may require a trip to your local Asian Market, but trust me when I tell you, youll love yourself for it. So will your family.
And what is nice is, you can buy extra galangal root and kaffir lime leaves and freeze them for future use, because I promise youll want to make this soup again. Soon!
The rich, fragrant coconut broth is especially comforting when feeling under the weather.
Is Tom Yum Keto Friendly
4.1/5Tom YumTom KhaKetofriendlyThai
Thereof, is Tom Yum Keto?
Ketogenic diet has become a rage of sorts in the world of health and nutrition. In this diet, one is supposed to up their fat intake and cut down on their carb intake. The classic tom yum soup has two varieties one is the clear soup, and the other is the creamy version.
Subsequently, question is, what can I order at a Thai restaurant that is low carb? Fortunately enough, Thailand has plenty of carb-free and low-carb dishes, and here are the best of them.
- Saku Sai Moo.
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Nutritional Stats & Variations
This is a great vegan dish, that can be consumed as a light lunch, as a starter, or as a side dish. It can also be combined with chicken for a keto-friendly meal: Tom Kha Gai . For a vegetarian or non-meat option, I pair it with a few slices of fatty cheese to keep my macros in check.
The ratios below are for the entire tom kha soup recipe , which means that each serving has under 4 grams of sugar. Keeping in mind that we are actually removing the solids, the amount of carbs number would technically be much lower, but for purposes of not mis-representing the calculations, I have included stats as if you ate the ginger/lemongrass/peppers/leaves.
- 31 grams of protein
- 273 grams of healthy fats
- 107 grams of carbs
Creamy Keto Thai Chicken Soup
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This creamy keto Thai chicken soup has just 4g net carbs in each serving. Rich coconut broth with curry and garlic, its undeniably good!
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Ingredients In Aip Tom Kha Gai
This AIP version of Tom Kha Gai is just perfect: Youll never miss the nightshades!
Rich and so delicious that even kids will ask for seconds, this is one soup that everyone I know loves. It was a privilege to create the nightshade-free version. Theres just no reason this soup needs peppers. So much flavor and perfection happens without them.
The ingredients in AIP Tom Kha Gai are:
- chicken
- water The water, chicken and sea salt combine to create a rich meat stock.
- veggies Ideally zucchini and mushrooms, but also celery, and its okay to use other veggies you like or have on hand.
- water chestnuts These are optional but have such a nice crunch. Leave them out for the Keto version.
- coconut milk Full fat .
- lime juice Fresh.
- coconut aminos
- fish sauce Use Red Boat brand such a wonderful ingredient. If you havent used fish sauce before, its not fishy in the soup, but imparts an important flavor profile to this authentic tasting dish.
- ginger Fresh is best, but you can use ground in a pinch .
- sea salt This recipe uses a fair bit of sea salt, because the stock base of the soup is made from chicken, water and sea salt. The product is rich, balanced, buttery and delicious.
- fresh cilantro, for garnish
Creamy Keto Thai Chicken Soup Recipe
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Instructions:
1. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium high heat.2. Add the chicken, season with salt to taste, and saute until cooked through. Remove and set aside.3. Reduce the heat to medium, and add the onion to the skillet. Saute until softened.
4. Mix in the garlic and saute for 30 seconds.
5. Add in the red curry paste, brown sugar, juice from one lime, ginger paste and fish sauce. Stir to combine.
6. Pour in the chicken broth and coconut milk.
7. Bring to a boil, and simmer covered for 20 minutes.
8. Stir the spinach into the pot and cook until wilted.
9. Return the chicken to the pot and simmer for another 5 minutes before serving.
10. Garnish with chopped peanuts, diced red bell pepper and chopped parsley before serving.
Pin for later!
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Can We Eat Keto Thai Coconut Chicken Soup Tom Kha Gai On Keto
Traditionally Tom kha gai is served at restaurants with high sugar contents, extra lime juice plus rice, which is a complete no on a keto diet. But in this recipe, we are fixing the recipe a little bit with coconut milk, chicken broth, herbs, and spices, and make it rich and creamy coconut-based soup with a sour and spicy punch.
Keto Creamy Chicken Soup
This is the perfect soup to enjoy when you are craving something with some spice to it. The Thai red curry isnt super hot, so if you want it to be even spicier, I suggest adding some Sriracha and fresh ginger.
Since this has chicken, coconut milk, and spinach, its basically an entire meal in a bowl. I like to enjoy this soup for lunch.
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Whole30 Paleo Keto Coconut Soup
This coconut soup recipe uses unsweetened coconut milk, a thick creamy liquid that comes from white inside meat of mature brown coconuts. This is not to be confused with coconut water which is the liquid from green immature coconuts. The version you want for this recipe comes in a can and is often found on the Asian food aisle.
The original recipe for this coconut milk soup called for a tablespoon of honey or organic sugar. I omitted it because I found that when I made it at home, I didnt find it necessary. Plus without the added sugar, this Thai coconut soup becomes keto, paleo, and Whole30 friendly.
Pin This for Later.
The original recipe also calls carrot tops for the Gremolata garnish. Most people throw carrot tops out, but they can be used just like parsley. I will often use them to make carrot top pesto. If you dont have them, just substitute with fresh parsley.
I did add a touch of lime juice in the garnish. I found that a drizzle really make the flavors pop in this soup. Lime actually brings a lot of the flavor out in many Thai dishes.
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What Is Dirty Keto
Dirty keto is defined in several different ways, depending on where you look. The Facebook group The Dirty Keto Life defines it as a version of keto that focuses on keeping your carbohydrate intake below 20 grams per day, but allowing yourself to eat foods that other keto practitioners might avoid.
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What Kind Of Soup Do They Have In Thailand
There are usually at least two soups listed on the menu at a typical Thai restaurant: Tom Kha and Tom Yum. The former is a creamy, slightly sour coconut soup, usually featuring some sort of mushroom, cilantro, and very light veggies like baby corn. If it contains chicken, its called Tom Kha Gai. With shrimp, its Tom Kha Goong.
Cook With Healthier Oils
Whether youre whipping up chicken pad thai or some other delectable Thai recipe, be sure to cook with healthier oils such as coconut oil, olive oil, or avocado oil. Not only do these oils add flavor and a better mouthfeel, but they also contain essential nutrients like omega fatty acids, which fight inflammation and obesity.
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What To Eat With Thai Chicken Soup
If you are going to eat this for lunch, eat it with a low-carb grilled cheese. Its a light and easy lunch that is incredibly satisfying!
This also makes a perfect starter for a Thai dinner. Serve it with keto chicken pad Thai. Thats one of my favorite Thai dishes. For those of you that like lots of spice, make some spicy Thai noodleswith this soup.
Can You Eat Fried Chicken On Keto
To make a Keto Friendly fried chicken we skipped the flour and went for pork rinds and Parmesan. Almond flour helps adhere everything together as well for a perfectly crisp chicken. We also baked this chicken to skip all of the unnecessary oil, but it still bakes into a chicken breast that you would swear was fried.
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How To Make Authentic Tom Kha Soup
Do you ever wish you could make your own restaurant-quality Thai food at home? There are a lot of great Thai curry recipes online, but its hard to know what will end up tasting authentic. And theres always the time consideration: Which authentic Thai recipes have a short enough cook time that you can reasonably give them a try on a weeknight?
Tom Kha is a great place to start. There are usually at least two soups listed on the menu at a typical Thai restaurant: Tom Kha and Tom Yum. The former is a creamy, slightly sour coconut soup, usually featuring some sort of mushroom, cilantro, and very light veggies like baby corn. If it contains chicken, its called Tom Kha Gai. With shrimp, its Tom Kha Goong. Tom Yum is a clear, brothy soup, much more sour, sweet, and spicy, and is usually made with shrimp.
Were going to create a hearty Tom Kha Goong, featuring Kettle & Fire bone broth and a few more veggies than the more traditional recipes. This way, youre making a one-pot meal with everything you need to leave you feeling full and satisfied, without a ton of kitchen clean up or fuss. This recipe feeds six to eight, so youll have leftovers for another night.
How To Make Tom Kha Gai
Malina Syvoravong for Taste of Home
I recommend mise en placing your ingredients before starting, which means to have all ingredients, in the right portions, ready in bowls and ramekins before the cooking begins. Keep in mind that not every Thai home, restaurant or street food vendor makes every Thai dish exactly the same. Ive given you a range of some ingredients to make this recipe to your personal taste.
Plus, this dish should be accompanied by a side of garnishes and condiments, so every individual will end up adding their own flavors as they please.
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Is Pad See Ew Bad For You
It has a mono-unsaturated fat content similar to olive oil, so its healthy, Duyff says. Still, leave a few high-calorie peanuts on the dish when youre done. The ultimate comfort lunch, pad see ew combines thick, flat rice noodles and heaps of Chinese broccoli with egg, garlic, soy sauce, and a little sugar.
How To Make The Instant Pot Or Stove Top Versions
INSTANT POT
If you have an Instant Pot, thats the easiest and fastest way to make this recipe. Its what we call a Dump and Cook recipe with very little hands on work. And the cook time is just 15 minutes.
You place about half of the ingredients into the insert: chicken, water, salt, veggies and cook. When the timer goes off, the chicken, water and sea salt have actually created a rich, flavorful stock full of gelatin, and no broth was needed to make this soup!
After opening the lid, youll add the fresh-tasting ingredients that make this soup famous: coconut milk, fresh lime juice, fresh ginger and optional lemongrass essential oil. Also the fish sauce and coconut amino acids, which we want to stay strong and rich they shouldnt be cooked, just warmed.
About lemongrass
This AIP Tom Kha Gai recipe gives you the choice: You can use fresh lemongrass, if you know where to buy it. Its REALLY easy to work with, and I give that option below .
Or you can use 2 shakes of lemongrass EO, and of course, thats easiest route. The high fat coconut milk in Tom Kha Gai absorbs the herbal oil and equally and gently distributes the flavor throughout the soup. But not everyone likes to cook with essential oils, so please look for lemongrass at your natural food or Asian grocery store, if you prefer.
STOVE TOP
The stove top version takes about 30 minutes of cooking, but no more prep work than the Instant Pot version.
Then, same next step, youll add the fresh ingredients.
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How To Make Thai Chicken Soup With Coconut Milk
Thai Chicken Soup is packed full of bold ingredients like mushrooms, Thai red chili paste, garlic, ginger, Lemongrass, lime juice, and coconut milk.
Lets get started!
In a dutch oven over medium heat, add the avocado oil, onion, garlic, lemongrass, ginger, and carrots.
My favorite shortcut ingredient is frozen diced onion. Onions make me cry like a baby so I hate chopping onion!
Another shortcut ingredient I love is ginger paste and lemongrass paste. These 2 ingredients provide so much flavor without having to grate a ginger root, or chop a lemongrass stalk. These 2 ingredients are found in the produce section of most grocery stores.
Sauté until carrots begin to softenabout 8 minutes You could buy these frozen as well!
Once youre finished with that add in the sliced mushrooms and sauté for 5 minutes more.
Now we add in chicken and continue to sauté until the chicken is no longer pink.
This should take about 5 minutes.
Now you can add in the chicken broth, coconut milk, fish sauce, lime juice and red curry paste.
These ingredients add so much flavor so I wouldnt skip them.
Stir and let that simmer for 20 minutes uncovered.
Serve in bowls with cilantro as your garnish! I like to use lots of cilantro!
This Thai Chicken soup was absolutely delicious!
Keto Thai Coconut Chicken Soup Notes
Soy Sauce Use any low carb soy sauce or liquid aminos, to avoid soy and gluten, use coconut aminos.
Flavor Red boat fish sauce brings a great flavor, but if you want, you can omit the fish sauce
Add lemongrass stalk if you have in hand, you will love it!
Use full-fat coconut milk, but you can use lite coconut milk to reduce calories from fat.
Make it vegetarian by adding vegetable stock and omitting the chicken.
Addition add chopped or spiralized vegetables, zucchini noodles or even chayote.
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