Full of fresh aromatics and flavors, this Chinese chicken noodle soup will warm you through and through on chilly days and comfort you when you’re feeling under the weather.
Chicken noodle soup is the traditional home remedy for colds as well as for warming up on cold days, across many different cultures. I’ve grown to love the American style of this soup after moving to the US from China five years ago. But today I want to introduce you to the Chinese chicken noodle soup.
Back in China, my mom would always make the chicken broth from a whole chicken to guarantee the best flavor. In such cases, very little seasoning would be needed in the soup.
However, now that I’m living in the US at a much faster pace, I do not have time to make chicken broth from scratch every time I crave a bowl of hearty chicken noodle soup. That’s why I decided to develop a recipe that uses packaged broth, using aromatics to make the soup base very flavorful and hearty, yet also keeping the cooking simple. The flavor comes from the aromatics and spices like ginger, cumin, and Sichuan peppercorns, which add a wonderful taste to the soup.
Ingredients
For even greater flavor, I highly recommend using bone-in chicken thighs. Brown them first and then simmer them. The bones and skin add a richness to the broth that is deeply satisfying.
What type of noodles to use
Almost any type of wheat noodles will work well in this recipe, but I personally prefer the thin type in a light broth like this one. You can use Japanese somen noodles or Chinese thin noodles (Gua Mian, 挂面). You can use thicker noodles as well, if you prefer a chewier texture.
Cooking process
There’s very little fuss to making Chinese chicken soup in your own kitchen. You’ll go from prep to fully cooked in just 25 minutes, so you can make it anytime you need it. You can even make a big batch of soup base and freeze it in advance, and heat it up with freshly boiled noodles whenever you want it.
- Lightly brown the chicken with the aromatics
- Add the chicken broth and the rest of the seasonings
- Remove all the solid ingredients
- Shred the chicken
- Cook the vegetables
- Cook the noodles according to the package instructions and add them into the soup
This recipe is quite simple and straightforward. However, if you want to save time or make things even easier, you can skip the chicken thigh step and use leftover rotisserie chicken to top it off.
If you can get your hands on fresh noodles, you can boil the noodles in the broth to make the cooking even faster. But if you use dried noodles, it’s best to cook them separately, otherwise you will end up with very little soup, as the noodles will absorb much of the broth.
I used carrots and baby bok choy because they are two of my favorite ingredients in Chinese chicken noodle soup. However, feel free to replace them with whatever vegetables you prefer. Kale, spinach, chard, bamboo shoots, and mushrooms will work very well in this recipe.
Whichever way you go, you’re going to find yourself with soup so satisfying and delightful, you’ll want this Chinese chicken noodle soup all the time!
Chinese Chicken Noodle Soup
Ingredients
Broth (*Footnote 1)
- 1 teaspoon olive oil (or chicken fat)
- 2 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs (or boneless skinless thighs) (*footnote 2)
- 4 cloves garlic , smashed
- 1 ” ginger , sliced
- 1 green onion , halved
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns (or black pepper)
- 1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
- 4 cups chicken broth (or low-sodium chicken broth)
- 1/2 bunch cilantro , including leaves and stems (about 1 cup packed)
- 1 bay leaf
Soup
- 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce (or to taste)
- 3 oz dried noodles (or 4 oz thick fresh noodles)
- 1 carrot , sliced
- 3 baby bok choy , cut into 6 pieces lengthwise
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro , chopped
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a 3.5 qt pot or dutch oven over medium heat until hot. Add the chicken thighs. Cook undisturbed for a minute or until the bottom turns light golden.
- Flip the chicken thighs. Add the garlic, ginger, green onion, cumin, and Sichuan peppercorns. Cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally, until the spices release fragrance.
- Add the Shaoxing wine, stock, cilantro, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cook covered for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook the noodles in a separate pot according to package directions. (*Footnote 3)
- Remove the chicken with a pair of tongs and transfer it to a plate. Use two forks to remove and discard the chicken skin. Then use the forks to shred the chicken meat.
- Use a mesh colander to remove the solid ingredients and discard them.
- Add the soy sauce and taste the broth to adjust the seasoning. Heat over medium-high heat again, to return to a boil.
- Add the carrots and cook for 3 minutes. Add the bok choy for another minute or until it reaches the desired texture. Add back the shredded chicken and give it a stir, so it warms up again.
- Transfer the noodles, the broth and vegetables to serving bowls. Garnish with a sprig of cilantro and serve hot.
Notes
- For a quicker version: the garlic, ginger, green onions, and cilantro can be halved and minced, and the spices can be powdered and halved. Skip the straining step.
- Bone-in skin-on chicken thighs are highly recommended because they add more flavor to the broth, but boneless skinless chicken works too. For an even easier approach, use 2 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken at the end, topping it on the noodles and skip the chicken thighs all together.
- If you use fresh noodles, you can add them to the broth at the end of the cooking. However, I highly recommend you cook your dried noodles separately because they will absorb a lot of your broth if you cook them directly in the soup.
Nutrition
Lilja Walter is a part of the Omnivore’s Cookbook team and worked closely with Maggie to develop and test this recipe.
Can this be made in the IP without out noodles? If so how long to cook everything but noodles which would be cooked in separate pot but short of al dente. They would then be added to IP on saute for 2 -4 minutes to finish cooking the noodles.
Made this recipe a few times! Absolutely the best comfort food on a cold day!
Which brand of chicken broth do you like the most?
Made a vegan version of this tonight. I hate posts that don’t follow the recipe but here I am. Lol. Shredded king oyster mushrooms to replace the chicken and a great veggie broth. Charred the bok choy and mushrooms and veggies. Super great dinner.
This is a great dinner or lunch to make on short notice..I usually keep things low sodium for my toddler and once I scoop his portion out I finish by adding soy and seasonings. Everyone loves it and it’s great after a hard day’s work 😌
Can I leave out the garlic?
Yes you can. I would add one more slice of ginger or 1 more green onion if you decide to omit garlic.
What type of noodles do you buy ? Or which ones would be good to use ? Thank you
I like to use thin noodles in this recipe because they soak up flavor better. You can use Somen, dragon whiskers and Gua Mian. Other thin types of noodles work as well if the main ingredients are made with wheat and water.
Because it is winter here, and we haven’t seen the sun in over a week–it was time for soup! I used the baby bok choy (because I love bbc) and fresh lo mein noodles I always keep on hand. This was so easy to make and just as easy to eat! LoL I did leave out the sichuan peppercorns only because I am not a fan and had none on hand. I used white pepper and added a broken up dried red pepper for a bit of heat when I cooked the chicken. Really yummy soup.
I make Chinese noodle soup frequently, often without a recipe. But this is a winner, definitely worth following it. Have made with and without sauteing the chicken, and it is delicious both ways. I add lots of vegetables, very filling.
The soup came out great, I doubled the recipe so that we’d have more for another night.
Delicious and so easy! I skipped searing the chicken and didn’t strain broth. Luved it and will definitely make again. The cumin seeds add a nice flavor – might try adding star anise too next time. I added tofu and eggs for extra protein.
When do you add the shredded chicken back if using chicken thighs?
After all the vegetables are cooked, so you can warm it up without overcooking it.
Sorry for the confusion. I have updated the recipe to reflect the correct order.
Can I use this without bay leaves and cumin? Are there good alternatives?
I think it’s fine to skip both. The soup is quite light. If you think it needs more flavor, you can add more soy sauce and some white pepper (or black pepper).
Really enjoyed this Maggie. Absolutely superb. Just to make it even better though, I added half a dozen unpeeled raw prawns and a chilli to spice it up a little tight at the end.
I never knew that bay leaf and cumin could be used for Chinese style soups ! It totally transformed my soup and I loved every mouthful of noodles . I drank the soup to the last drop.
I just want to say this recipe was so easy and delicious. We all enjoyed it a lot.