Easy Thai Tom Yum Recipe with Chicken
Tom yum is one of Thailand's most beloved dishes, and for good reason. It hits you with heat, sourness and aromatics all at once, and somehow it all works perfectly together. If you've never made tom yum soup at home, you're missing out on one of the easiest, most rewarding Thai dishes you can cook.
This chicken tom yum comes together in about 20 minutes. Here's everything you need to know, from what makes it taste so good to how to make it your own.
What is Thai Tom Yum?
Tom yum (ต้มยำ) is a hot and sour Thai soup made with lemongrass, galangal, makrut lime leaves, chilies, lime juice and fish sauce. The name literally means "boiled" (tom) and "mixed" (yum), which undersells it dramatically. It comes from Central Thailand and has been warming hearts and clearing sinuses for generations.
Walk into any home, street stall or restaurant across Thailand, and you'll find tom yum on the menu. It's the dish people crave when they're under the weather, the one they order when they can't decide what to eat, and the soup that turns a simple meal into something special.
Whenever I'm in Thailand and we're sitting around a restaurant table, someone always asks, "So, what are we ordering?" My answer is always the same: "Tom yum!" For me, it's a staple at dinner alongside all the other amazing dishes.
The most famous version is Tom Yum Goong, made with shrimp. But the beauty of this soup is its versatility. Chicken, mushrooms, seafood, tofu or a combination of everything all work. The broth is the star, and it welcomes whatever you want to add.
The Flavor Profile: A Beautiful Balancing Act
What makes tom yum so addictive is the interplay of flavors. It's a masterclass in balance:
Sour: Lime juice and tamarind give the soup its signature tang.
Spicy: Thai bird's eye chilies warm you from the inside out.
Aromatic: Lemongrass, galangal and makrut lime leaves add layers of fragrance that make your kitchen smell like a Bangkok street market.
Savory: Fish sauce adds depth and grounds everything together.
The first spoonful is always a revelation. Your taste buds don't know whether to focus on the heat, the sour or the fragrance. By the second spoonful, you've stopped analysing and started slurping.
Clear or Creamy: Tom Yum Nam Sai vs Nam Khon
There are two main styles of tom yum soup, and both are completely authentic.
Tom Yum Nam Sai (clear tom yum) is bright, light and sharp. The broth stays clear, so the sour and spicy flavors come through at full strength. This is the version in our recipe below.
Tom Yum Nam Khon (creamy tom yum) adds evaporated milk or coconut milk at the end for a richer, rounder soup. The creaminess softens the heat, which makes it a great choice if you prefer a milder bowl. To make it, stir in about 60ml of evaporated milk or coconut milk per two servings just before serving.
Both are delicious. Both are correct. Thai cooking doesn't do rules; it does what tastes good.
Why Tom Yum is Easier Than You Think
Here's the thing about tom yum that surprises people: it's genuinely quick to make. We're talking 15 to 20 minutes from start to finish, including prep, and most of that is just waiting for the stock to boil.
Traditional recipes call for fresh lemongrass, galangal root and makrut lime leaves. These can be tricky to find in the shops and intimidating to prep if you're not familiar with them. You're smashing lemongrass stalks, bruising galangal, tearing lime leaves and hoping you've got the proportions right.
That's where a good tom yum paste changes everything. Our Tom Yum paste is stone-ground in Southern Thailand, with all those aromatics and spices already balanced and ready to go. We've done the hard work of sourcing authentic ingredients and getting the ratios right. You get to focus on the fun part: adding your protein, adjusting the heat and making it your own.
Tom yum also works year-round. In winter, it warms you up with its spice and heat. In summer, the bright, sour notes feel refreshing and light. When you're feeling under the weather, it clears your head. And when you want to impress someone, it looks and tastes restaurant-quality with minimal effort. It's the kind of dish that makes you look like a much better cook than you actually are.
Tom Yum Variations (and Tom Yum vs Tom Kha)
Once you've made this chicken version, try swapping the protein. The method stays the same, only the cooking time changes.
Tom Yum Goong (shrimp): Add peeled shrimp in the last 2 to 3 minutes, just until pink.
Seafood tom yum: Mix shrimp, squid and mussels. Add the mussels first, as they take longest.
Vegetarian or vegan tom yum: Use vegetable stock, extra mushrooms and firm tofu, and swap fish sauce for soy sauce. Check the paste label if you need it fully vegan.
Milder tom yum: Make the creamy Nam Khon version, or start with less paste and add more to taste.
Tom yum vs tom kha: Both are classic Thai soups built on lemongrass, galangal and makrut lime leaves. Tom yum is hot and sour, with a clear or lightly creamy broth. Tom kha is gentler and rich with coconut milk, with galangal (kha) as the star. If you love the aromatics but want less heat, try our Tom Kha recipe.
From Jum’s Kitchen
Tom yum is the soup that appears on every table in Thailand, the one nobody argues about, the dish that tastes like home. It works with whatever you have on hand, comes together faster than you'd expect, and proves that authentic Thai cooking doesn't demand hours at the stove.
In Thailand, there's a saying: "ยิ่งเผ็ด ยิ่งอร่อย" (yîng phèt yîng à-rɔ̀ɔy), which means "the spicier, the more delicious." It's not about heat for heat's sake. It's about bringing flavors to life, and tom yum does exactly that.
With Mae Jum's stone-ground Tom Yum paste doing the heavy lifting, you're cooking the way Thai cooks have for generations. Pick up a pack, add chicken and see why this soup brings people together. Your kitchen will smell like a Bangkok night market, and your family will ask for seconds.
Chicken Tom Yum Soup
- 35 g Mae Jum Tom Yum Paste
- 2 tbsp Oil
- 1 tbsp Palm Sugar
- 2 tbsp Fish Sauce
- 500 ml Water or Vegetable Stock
- 250 g Chicken
- 300 g Mushrooms
- 75 g Scallions
- 125 g Cherry Tomatoes
- 3 tbsp Fresh Lime Juice
- 30 ml Evaporated Milk or Coconut Milk (add more if too spicy!)
- — Fresh Cilantro (Garnish)
Thai Tom Yum Paste
