Thai Chicken & Coconut Soup

This soup is one (not at all traditional) version of tom kha gai, a very popular Thai soup, adapted so you don't need things like fresh galangal and kafir lime leaves. I pretty much always get tom kha gai when I go to Thai restaurants, so I've been working on different home versions for a while. 

It's such a light, tasty soup. And like most soups, it's flexible. This time I added in cubed tofu, green onions and baby bok choy to make it even more filling. You could also try brocoli, carrots, radishes, definitely mushrooms... Or just add in everything in the produce section of Lotus, the Asian store at the Strip where you can get the lemongrass and fish sauce.

I've made another shrimpy version where I did a shrimp broth with the shrimp shells, and it was really really good but I'm not sure where I got that recipe from. If I find it, I will make it again and post it!

1. THAI CHICKEN AND COCONUT SOUP
2. From Food & Wine
3. 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 3), cut into 2 1/2-by-1/4-inch strips
4. 3 tablespoons Asian fish sauce (nam pla or nuoc mam)
5. 1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice
6. 1 quart plus 3/4 cup canned low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock
7. 3 stalks lemongrass, bottom third only, peeled, smashed, and cut into 2-inch pieces, or three 3-inch-by-1/4-inch strips lemon zest
8. 1 1-inch piece peeled fresh ginger, cut into thirds
9. 1/2 cup long-grain rice
10. 1 3/4 cups unsweetened coconut milk (15-ounce can)
11. 2 fresh red chiles or jalapeño peppers, seeds and ribs removed, cut crosswise into thin slices (or Sriracha hot sauce to taste)
12. 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

1. In a medium glass dish or stainless-steel pan, combine the chicken strips with the fish sauce and lime juice. Set aside.
2. In a large saucepan, bring the broth, lemongrass, and ginger to a simmer. Add the rice; simmer until the rice is almost done, about 15 minutes.
3. Add the coconut milk and bring back to a simmer. Stir in the chicken and marinade and cook until the chicken is just done, about 2 minutes. Stir in the chiles and cilantro.