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This slow cooker version of my best-ever tom kha soup recipe (or Thai coconut chicken soup) is absolutely perfect… and made to be easier than ever! Light, yet filling and full of tangy flavor, it’s the best tom kha gai recipe I’ve ever made or tried and is so creamy, easy, and delicious.
What Makes This Soup So Good
- This recipe is based on my Best Ever Tom Kha Gai Soup, which is one of my most popular recipes for a reason. It’s creamy, yet light, tangy, yet sweet. It’s the perfect soup when it’s getting cooler outside (or just downright cold), or when you’re craving spicy Thai goodness. And it’s soooo good.
- Slow cooker Tom Kha Gai is full of delicious ingredients. And sure, I’ll admit, this soup was already easy… but the slow cooker makes it even easier! I really love slow cooker recipes. Just toss everything in and come back in a few hours to a delicious meal!
- This recipe can fit a variety of dietary needs! We’ve included specific dietary variations below, but you can adapt this slow cooker Tom Kha Gai to be Whole30-compliant, paleo, vegan, or vegetarian. You could also sub in shrimp for the chicken if you don’t eat poultry!
Key Ingredients
Red Thai Curry Paste – Made from red chilis, this paste is a little sweet, spicy, and savory and adds a major punch of flavor to your Crockpot tom kha gai.
Lime Leaves – Kaffir lime leaves are traditional to Thai cooking and add a delicious citrus and floral aroma.
Galangal or Ginger – Galangal is citrusy, while ginger is sharp and spicy. If you can’t find galangal, ginger will work just fine.
Lemongrass – Citrusy and tangy, lemongrass gives the slow cooker tom kha gai a lemony, minty flavor.
Coconut Milk or Cream – Rich, sweet, and creamy, coconut milk or cream makes this tom kha light, filling, and full of flavor.
Dietary Variations
- If you’re vegan or on Whole30, sub the chicken broth with 2 more cans of full-fat coconut cream or coconut milk.
- For vegan or vegetarian slow cooker tom kha, sub out the chicken with tofu. Use a 1-pound block of firm or extra firm (can be regular or silken) tofu cut into cubes. Use soy sauce to taste instead of using fish sauce.
- If you’re on Whole30, use 2 tablespoons of coconut aminos instead of coconut sugar. You’ll also want to make sure you use fish sauce that doesn’t have sugar. The only one I know of is Red Boat Fish Sauce.
- You can also use shrimp instead of chicken. Add 1 pound of raw shrimp instead of the chicken and heat until it’s cooked through (it’ll be pink and no longer translucent).
Chef’s Tips
- Be sure to use coconut cream or coconut milk. Coco lopez and coconut creamer are not the same as coconut cream/coconut milk and will not work in this recipe.
- Refrigerate any leftover slow cooker tom kha gai in an airtight container. It’ll keep up to a week (it usually disappears way faster than that at my house, though!).
- While the lime leaves are optional, I hiiiiighly recommend using them if you can! They add a ton of this incredible lime flavor to tom kha that’s slightly different than the flavor you get from lime juice alone. Just make sure not to actually serve the leaves – they’re tough and not pleasant to eat.
More Delicious Asian-Inspired Recipes to Try
- Tom Yum Soup
- Hibachi Steak with Fried Rice and Vegetables
- Tofu and Broccoli
- Delicious Baked Tofu
- Hibachi Chicken with Fried Rice and Vegetables
- 15 Minute Spicy Ramen
- Kung Pao Beef
- Keto Ramen
- Whole30 Sushi – Spicy Salmon Roll (Low Carb, Paleo, Keto Friendly)
- Keto Egg Drop Soup
- Beef Pad Thai
Slow Cooker Tom Kha Soup (Thai Coconut Chicken Soup)
This slow cooker version of my best-ever tom kha soup recipe (or Thai coconut chicken soup) is absolutely perfect… and made to be easier than ever! Light, yet filling and full of tangy flavor, it's the best tom kha gai recipe I've ever made or tried and is so creamy, easy, and delicious.
servings
Equipment
- Crockpot or similar slow cooker
- Slotted spoon
Ingredients
- half of one onion sliced
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- half of one red jalapeño pepper sliced; or a couple Thai chiles, halved
- 3 quarter-inch-long slices galangal or ginger
- 1 lemongrass stalk pounded with the side of a knife, cut into 2-inch-long pieces
- 10 lime leaves torn, optional
- 1 tablespoon red Thai curry paste
- 4 cups chicken broth see Notes
- 2 13.5-ounce cans full-fat coconut milk or coconut cream
- 2 small chicken breasts approximately 1 pound, cut into bite-sized pieces; see Notes for alternatives
- 8 ounces white mushroom caps sliced
- 2-3 tablespoons brown sugar or coconut sugar, see Notes
- 2-3 tablespoons fish sauce plus more to taste
- 2-3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2-3 green onions thinly sliced
- chopped fresh cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Add onion, garlic, jalapeño or chile, galangal or ginger, lemongrass, lime leaves, red curry paste, and chicken broth to slow cooker. Stir to incorporate, then cover slow cooker with lid.
- Cook on high heat for 2 to 3 hours, or low heat for 4 to 6 hours. After cook time is up, use slotted spoon to remove all aromatics, leaving broth behind.
- Add in coconut cream or milk, chicken breast (or tofu or shrimp), and mushrooms. Cook on high heat 1 hour or low heat 2 hours, or until chicken breast pieces are cooked through.
- After cooking, add sugar, fish sauce, and lime juice. Taste and add more of each ingredient as desired. Ladle soup into serving bowls and top with sliced green onions and fresh cilantro. Serve warm.
- Shrimp Variation: Use 1 pound of raw shrimp instead of the chicken. Cook until shrimp is pink, slightly curled, and no longer translucent.
- Make it Vegan/Vegetarian: Use vegetable broth or a vegan chicken broth. Sub chicken with a 1-pound block of firm or extra firm (can be regular or silken) tofu cut into cubes. Use soy sauce to taste instead of fish sauce, or use a vegan fish sauce.
- Make it Whole30: Use compliant chicken broth. Replace brown or coconut sugar with 2 tablespoons coconut aminos and use a compliant fish sauce without sugar (the only one I know of is Red Boat Fish Sauce).
Approximate Information for One Serving
Serving Size: 1servingCalories: 391calProtein: 22gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 25gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 52mgSodium: 1162mgPotassium: 805mgTotal Carbs: 14gFiber: 1gSugar: 7gNet Carbs: 13gVitamin A: 485IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 55mgIron: 5mg
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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So yummy. What are the macros and calories/serving?
That info’s at the bottom of the recipe card!
This looks yummy!!! I do have one question, why is the slow cooker version so much lower in Calories than the stovetop one
Hi, Kim! The recipes aren’t exactly the same. The stovetop version includes 1 tablespoon coconut oil that isn’t used in the slow cooker version, and the slow cooker version uses 2 cans of coconut milk while the stovetop recipe uses 4 cans of coconut cream (not coconut milk).
Adding oil, doubling the amount of the coconut liquid, and using coconut cream rather than coconut milk all have a significant impact on the calorie count.
Hi. If I use lemongrass paste and add in the beginning , will it become bitter? I see that you need to remove lemongrass stalks, but not sure on lemongrass paste
No, it should be fine as long as you don’t overdo it!
Is it possible to use dried lemongrass and lime leaves in this recipe?
Sure!
One of the best soups ever. I have made this particular one a few times and it’s always delicious! My friends actually ask me to make this soup for get togethers. Thanks, great recipe.
Love that! So glad you enjoy! Thanks for your review, Suzy!
Can I ask what kind of mushrooms are in the photos? My favorite restaurant uses the same and I’d like to replicate if possible!
Hi, Dani! Our recipe calls for and uses sliced white mushroom caps, you could also use sliced Shiitake mushrooms if you prefer that instead. Hope this helps! 😊
I made this soup today in my Dutch oven pot. I added cherry tomatoes and vermicelli noodles. It came out delicious thank you for sharing
Yum, that sounds great! So glad you enjoyed! Thanks so much for the review, Tracy!
How many will this serve as a main?
This recipe is based off of 6 servings!
So tasty. I added a bit of cayenne too. So good. Thank you. Perfect for a cold winter day.
Cayenne’s a great add-in here! So happy you loved the soup so much, Tracie. Thank you for sharing your review!
This was my first time making this soup and it turned out so delicious! I didn’t have the lime leaves, so I used some extra lime zest and juice. I usually only get this soup when we go out to eat, but now I can make it anytime I want! Great recipe!
Yay, so happy you enjoy! Thanks so much for the review!
How long would you cook the soups if you’re making in a Dutch oven on the stove top?
We actually have a stovetop version of this soup! https://40aprons.com/tom-kha-soup-whole30/