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+ servings
Instant Pot tom kha soup in a large black bowl

Instant Pot Tom Kha Soup (Thai Coconut Chicken Soup)

My best-ever tom kha soup recipe is already perfect, but it's even better when it's made in the Instant Pot! Rich, creamy, and full of incredible flavors, this Thai coconut chicken soup recipe is easy and delicious. Easily make it Whole30, paleo, or vegan, too.
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 35 minutes
Yield:6

Equipment

  • Instant Pot
  • Silicone spatula or wooden spoon
  • Slotted spoon

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil
  • ½ of one onion sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic chopped
  • ½ of one red jalapeño pepper sliced, or a couple Thai chiles, halved
  • 3 ¼-inch slices galangal or ginger
  • 1 stalk lemongrass pounded with the side of a knife and cut into 2-inch long pieces
  • 10 kaffir lime leaves torn, optional
  • 1 tablespoon red Thai curry paste
  • 4 cups chicken broth see Notes for vegan or Whole30
  • 2 13.5-ounce cans full-fat coconut milk or coconut cream
  • 2 chicken breasts about 1 pound, cut into bite-sized pieces; see Notes for vegan or to use shrimp
  • 8 ounces white mushroom caps sliced
  • 2-3 tablespoons brown or coconut sugar see Notes for Whole30
  • 2-3 tablespoons fish sauce plus more to taste
  • 2-3 tablespoons lime juice fresh
  • 2-3 green onions sliced thin
  • cilantro fresh, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

  • Set Instant Pot to Sauté mode. Add coconut oil and heat over medium heat. When oil is hot, add onion, garlic, jalapeño, galangal (or ginger), lemongrass, lime leaves, and red curry paste. Stir frequently, cooking for 5 minutes or until onions are softened.
    Aromatics in Instant Pot
  • Pour in chicken broth and stir. Secure lid on Instant Pot with vent in sealing position. Set to cook 5 minutes on Manual High Pressure.
    Instant Pot tom kha soup in Instant Pot
  • When 5 minute cook time is up, carefully Quick Release pressure and remove lid. Set Instant Pot back to Sauté mode. Use slotted spoon to strain out garlic, onions, lemongrass, lime leaves, and galangal. Discard aromatics.
  • Add in coconut milk, chicken breasts, mushrooms, fish sauce, coconut sugar, and lime juice. Simmer in Sauté mode until chicken is just cooked through.
    Instant Pot tom kha soup in Instant Pot with wooden spoon
  • Taste soup and adjust as desired. Add more sugar for sweetness, more lime juice for tartness, or more fish sauce for saltiness. Ladle soup into serving bowls and top with sliced green onions and fresh cilantro. Serve warm.

Notes

  • 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.
  • To 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).
  • Make it Vegan/Vegetarian: Use 2 additional cans full-fat coconut cream or coconut milk instead of chicken broth. Sub 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.
  • Make it Whole30: Use 2 additional cans full-fat coconut cream or coconut milk instead of chicken broth. Use 2 tablespoons of coconut aminos instead of coconut sugar and use fish sauce without sugar (the only one I know of is Red Boat Fish Sauce).
 
Recipe yields approximately 6 servings. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using ingredients listed. 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 6. Result will be the weight of one serving.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1serving | Calories: 413kcal | Protein: 21g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 27g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 1162mg | Potassium: 891mg | Total Carbs: 15g | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Net Carbs: 13g | Vitamin A: 485IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 5mg
Recipe By:Cheryl Malik