Total time: 29 min • Prep: 18 min • Cook: 11 min • Serves: 4 • Difficulty: Easy

We gave ordinary chicken soup a hint of Thai spice by infusing the broth with freshly chopped lemon grass. It’s an easy weeknight option that’s ready in just 30 minutes. As its name implies, fresh lemon grass lends a lemony flavor with hints of ginger, adding zing to this soup. When choosing lemon grass, look for firm stalks—rubbery, soft ones are a sign of age. The lower portion of the stalk should be pale yellow, almost white, white the upper stalk should be green. To prepare it, cut off the lower bulb of the stalk and remove the tough outer leaves. The yellow main stalk is the section commonly used in Thai cooking. Thinly slice that section for this recipe.