Best Ever Tom Kha Gai Soup (Thai Coconut Chicken Soup)

Photo from 40Aprons.com

I've made this soup a handful of times. I especially like it when I'm feeling under the weather. Oddly,
I've never posted it and so, here I am posting it. 

Changes I've made to this soup over the years:

1. Lemon zest in place of lemongrass. It's almost impossible to find lemongrass it seems. I got tired of trying to track it down and so just swapped the lemongrass to zest from a full lemon.
2. I almost never use cilantro with this recipe. No reason, just don't. 
3. I dice up the chicken into small pieces and poach it when the broth and what not is boiling for 30 minutes. 
4. Coconut oil isn't necessary. If you have vegetable oil instead, use it.
5. I use prepared ginger (you know the kind in a tube). I use about 2 tsp of that type of ginger. 
6. I put in 1T of brown sugar
7. I put in about 1 T of low sodium soy sauce to round out the bold flavor. 

Each time I've made this I've put notes in the recipe as to what I changed. And tonight I think I got the right combination of everything. 

Best Ever Tom Kha Gai Soup (Thai Coconut Chicken Soup)
Recipe from 40aprons.com

• 1 T coconut oil
• ½ of one onion sliced
• 2 cloves garlic chopped
• ½ of one red jalapeno pepper sliced, or a couple Thai chiles, halved
• 3 ¼-inch slices galangal or ginger
• 1 lemongrass stalk pounded with the side of a knife and cut into 2-inch long pieces
• 2 tsp red Thai curry paste
• 4 c chicken broth
• 4 c canned coconut cream or coconut milk 
• 2 medium chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
• 8 ounces white mushroom caps sliced
• 1-2 T coconut sugar (I haven't a clue what this is, so I've used 1 T brown sugar)
• 1 ½ – 2 T fish sauce plus more to taste (I use 1 T fish sauce)
• 2-3 T fresh lime juice
• 2-3 green onions sliced thin
• fresh cilantro chopped, for garnish

In a medium pot, heat the coconut oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, jalapeno or chile, galangal or ginger, lemongrass, and red curry paste and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes, or until onions are softened. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.

Strain out the aromatics (the garlic, onions, lemongrass, and ginger) and discard. Add in coconut cream or milk, chicken breast (or tofu or shrimp), and mushrooms. Simmer until chicken breast pieces are just cooked through, then add fish sauce, coconut aminos (or coconut sugar), and lime juice, plus more of each to taste.

Cook 2 minutes, then ladle into serving bowls and top with sliced green onions and fresh cilantro.