Asian chicken noodle soup recipe
Asian chicken noodle soup turns leftover chicken into a flavorful 25-minute dinner with springy noodles, shiitake mushrooms, and crisp-tender bok choy.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 0.5 oz. garlic minced (about 4 medium cloves)
- 2.2 oz. shallot thinly sliced (about 1 large shallot)
- 0.6 oz. fresh ginger grated
- 5 oz. carrot julienned (about 1 large carrot)
- 3.5 oz. fresh shiitake mushrooms sliced
- 15 oz. baby bok choy about 3 heads
- 2 to 3 cups shredded cooked chicken or leftover turkey
- 5 to 6.3 oz. dry rice noodles wheat noodles, or ramen noodles (about 2 bundles or small packets; see notes)
- 2 tbsp. toasted sesame oil
- Coarse sea salt
- 32 oz. chicken stock or bone broth
- 2 tbsp. fish sauce or to taste
- Half one whole lime juice plus more to taste
- Chopped cilantro for garnish, optional
- 1 to 2 jalapeño peppers thinly sliced, optional
Instructions
- Prepare the ingredients: Place the garlic and shallot in one bowl. Place the ginger, carrot, and shiitake mushrooms in a second bowl. Quarter the baby bok choy lengthwise, rinse well, and set aside to drain. Shred the chicken or turkey.
- Cook the noodles: Prepare the noodles separately according to the package instructions. Drain well. If you are not serving them right away, toss them with a small amount of oil to prevent sticking.
- Sauté the aromatics: Warm a medium to large soup pot over low heat. Add the toasted sesame oil. Add the garlic, shallot, and 2 small pinches of salt. Sauté over medium heat until fragrant, about 15 seconds.
- Add the vegetables: Add the ginger, carrot, and shiitake mushrooms. Season with another 2 small pinches of salt. Sauté for about 2 minutes.
- Simmer the broth: Add the chicken stock. Cover the pot and bring it to a simmer over medium heat, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add the chicken and bok choy: Add the shredded chicken or turkey. Nestle the baby bok choy into the broth stem-side down, so the pieces stand upright with the leafy tops above the broth. Simmer for about 1 minute to give the stems a head start. Gently submerge the entire bok choy, including the leaves, and simmer for another 30 seconds. The stems should be crisp-tender and the leaves softened but not mushy.
- Season the soup: Add 1 tablespoon of fish sauce. Taste and add the second tablespoon if needed. Turn off the heat and stir in the lime juice.
- Serve: Divide the cooked noodles among four serving bowls. Ladle the hot soup, chicken, and vegetables over the noodles. Garnish with jalapeño and cilantro, if using. Serve hot.
Notes
- Different noodle options:
- Rice noodles: I use 2 Lotus Foods rice ramen cakes, about 5 oz. total.
- Wheat noodles: Use 2 dry bundles, about 6.3 oz. total.
- Ramen noodles: Use 2 small dry packets, about 4.9 oz. total. Discard any included seasoning packets.
- Cook the noodles separately according to the package instructions. This keeps them from absorbing too much broth or becoming too soft.
- If using larger bok choy: If your bok choy is taller than 8 inches, separate the stems from the leaves. Cut the stems into larger bite-size pieces and simmer them with the chicken for about 1 minute. Add the leaves during the final 30 seconds of cooking.
- If starting with raw chicken: Lightly season the chicken with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Sear it in a heavy-bottomed soup pot or Dutch oven until browned on both sides, then transfer it to a plate. Sauté the aromatics as directed. Return the chicken to the pot with the broth and simmer over medium-low heat for about 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and tender. Remove the chicken, debone and shred the meat, then return it to the soup.
- Storage and reheating: Store the soup and cooked noodles separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat the soup on the stovetop until hot. Add the noodles to individual bowls and pour the hot soup over them. Keeping the noodles separate prevents them from becoming too soft and soaking up the broth.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 397kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 53mg | Sodium: 1080mg | Potassium: 739mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 10681IU | Vitamin C: 53mg | Calcium: 175mg | Iron: 4mg
