4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, whole
1 cup white button mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fish sauce
2 kaffir lime leaves, whole
1 tablespoon tom yum paste
3 stalks lemongrass, whole
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 green chili pepper, thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
4 leaves Thai basil, chopped
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper
In a large saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a boil over medium-high heat.
Reduce heat to medium, and stir in garlic and tom yum paste until fully incorporated, about two minutes.
Gently smash the lemongrass stalks, and add the lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves to the saucepan. Reduce heat to low and simmer.
In a small pan, heat the vegetable oil on medium-high heat.
Season both sides of the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, and place them in the pan.
Cook chicken until browned, about three and four minutes on each side. Remove chicken from heat, and cut into thin slices on a bias. Add chicken slices to soup pot.
Add the mushrooms, fish sauce, lime juice, and sliced chili pepper to the pot. Continue to simmer for the flavors to blend together, about seven minutes.
When ready to serve, remove from heat, and remove lemongrass stalks and kaffir lime leaves.
Stir in chopped cilantro and Thai basil until fragrant, for about 30t to 60 seconds. Serve into individual bowls, garnish with more cilantro or Thai basil, and serve immediately.
Pro-tip: You can substitute about 1 pound of shrimp for the chicken if you prefer seafood.
Pro-tip: Remember to remove the lemongrass stalks and kaffir lime leaves! They are not fun to eat.
