Description
This Homemade Chinese Style Chicken Noodle Soup is a comforting and flavorful dish featuring tender chicken thighs, fresh vegetables, and flavorful broth combined with egg or rice noodles. Perfect for a cozy meal, this soup balances savory soy sauce and aromatic ginger and garlic with the nutty aroma of sesame oil, topped with fresh green onions for a classic taste of Chinese-inspired cuisine.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein
- 1 pound Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs (Cut into bite-sized pieces)
Noodles
- 8 ounces Egg Noodles or Rice Noodles (Use rice noodles for a gluten-free option)
Vegetables
- 2 medium Carrots (Sliced thinly)
- 1 stalk Celery (Diced)
- 4 cloves Garlic (Minced)
- 1 inch Fresh Ginger (Grated or minced)
- 2 pieces Green Onions (Chopped, for garnish)
Liquids & Sauces
- 6 cups Low-Sodium Chicken Broth (Homemade or store-bought)
- 3 tablespoons Soy Sauce (Use low-sodium if preferred)
- 1 tablespoon Sesame Oil (For drizzling before serving)
Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients: Gather all your ingredients and prepare them by chopping the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces, slicing the carrots thinly, dicing the celery, and mincing the garlic and ginger to ensure everything is ready for cooking.
- Sauté Aromatics: In a large pot, heat one tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and ginger and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant, releasing their flavors to form the soup’s aromatic base.
- Cook Chicken: Add the chopped chicken thighs to the pot and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally until the chicken is browned on all sides, developing flavor and sealing in juices.
- Add Vegetables: Stir in the sliced carrots and diced celery, cooking together for 3 to 4 minutes to slightly soften the vegetables while maintaining tenderness.
- Simmer Broth: Pour in the chicken broth and stir in the soy sauce. Bring the soup to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer gently for about 20 minutes to meld flavors and tenderize the chicken fully.
- Cook Noodles: While the soup simmers, prepare the egg or rice noodles according to package instructions. Once cooked, drain and set them aside, ready to add to the soup at the end.
- Finish Chicken: Check that the chicken is thoroughly cooked through, shred the pieces if desired, and return them to the pot, distributing evenly throughout the broth.
- Add Noodles: Add the cooked noodles to the soup, gently stirring them in and allowing everything to heat through together for 2 to 3 minutes, ensuring the noodles absorb some broth flavor.
- Flavor with Sesame Oil: Drizzle the sesame oil into the soup and stir well to impart a nutty aroma and richness to the final dish.
- Garnish and Serve: Serve the soup hot, garnished generously with chopped green onions for freshness and a mild bite, completing the comforting bowl of Chinese style chicken noodle soup.
Notes
- Use rice noodles instead of egg noodles for a gluten-free version of this soup.
- Low-sodium chicken broth and soy sauce help control the salt content, making the dish healthier.
- Shredding the cooked chicken enhances texture and allows better distribution of protein throughout the soup.
- Add additional vegetables like mushrooms or bok choy for extra nutrition and flavor.
- Adjust the amount of soy sauce to taste depending on salt preference.
- The soup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month.
