Feel Good Chicken Soup with Ginger Over Rice Noodles

It doesn’t have to be cold or rainy outside. Sometimes you just need some cozy food to make you feel good inside. It’s a thing. This feel-good chicken soup has what it takes.

It’s a full-flavored soup with a hint of ginger and lemon. I would say it’s Asian-inspired. Especially when it’s poured over those yummy rice noodles.

The list of ingredients for your feel-good chicken soup…

• Sesame oil – Be sure to use regular sesame oil here. Regular sesame oil has a higher smoke point than the toasted variety and is typically used for sautéing. Toasted sesame oil has a very strong flavor with a nutty aroma, more suitable for adding to sauces and fillings.
• Onion – Diced. White, yellow or sweet onions may be used.
• Fresh ginger – Freshly grated. It can be helpful to place your peeled knob of fresh ginger in the freezer for a short time before grating. Ginger root adds a distinct, spicy, aromatic flavor that is sweeter with more complex flavor than its ground counterpart.
• Fresh garlic – Finely minced or grated. To avoid unwanted chunks, use your garlic press or cheese grater.
• Chicken broth or stock – Use your favorite prepared broth or stock here. If you happen to have some homemade chicken stock on standby, by all means use that.
• Water – Room temperature filtered or bottled water is recommended.
• Salt – Finely ground table salt is fine.
• Ground white pepper – In Asian cooking, white pepper plays a crucial role for its aromatic qualities and mild heat. The heat of white pepper can be more concentrated than its black counterpart and it often adds a “bite” to a dish. If preferred, use a smaller amount or substitute with ground black pepper.
• Bay leaves – Bay leaf adds a subtle, herbal, and slightly floral flavor, with notes of thyme and oregano. Remove & discard before serving.
• Boneless chicken thighs – I prefer using chicken thighs rather than breast meat for this soup. The thighs impart a natural richness and tend to stay tender & delicious when simmered.

The finishing touches for your Feel-Good Chicken Soup…

• Rice noodles – Cooked to al dente. Rice noodles are a type of pasta made primarily from rice flour and water, making them naturally gluten-free. They are typically categorized by their shape. The most widely used are vermicelli noodles and flat rice noodles. Vermicelli noodles are thin, translucent, delicate strands, also known as bun or mi fen. Flat rice noodles are wide, flat noodles with a chewy texture that soak up sauces well. Examples include bánh phở (for Vietnamese pho), shahe fen, and sen lek. Either type can be used here, depending on how hearty you’d like your soup to be.
• Lemon – Freshly squeezed juice. If desired, several lemon slices are added to the pot during the final simmer.
• Oyster mushrooms – Optional. Added to each serving.

Let’s get started by prepping the veggies..

Depending on your preference, the onion can be chopped as you like. Do your best to finely chop the garlic and ginger, though. I find that the more finely chopped they are, the easier they’ll break down and the more flavor they’ll release as the broth simmers.

Here’s an interesting article on all you need to know about cooking with garlic. Just to be fair, let’s give cooking with ginger its share of attention.

• Heat the sesame oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
• Be careful not to allow it to overheat since sesame oil has a fairly low smoke point.
• In spite of that, it adds so much flavor to the base of this soup broth.
• Add the onion and ginger.
• Sauté until fragrant, about 3 to 4 minutes.
• Lower the heat to medium-low and add the minced garlic.
• Continue sautéing until golden for 3 to 4 additional minutes.

Let’s add the rest of the soup ingredients…

• Add the chicken broth, water, salt, white pepper, bay leaves and chicken thighs.
• Bring to a boil.
• Cover and lower heat.
• While still covered, gently simmer for 20 mintues.

Can we take a moment to talk about stock vs broth?

• Chicken stock provides a richer, more gelatinous body ideal for sauces, risottos & hearty soups.
• Chicken broth is readily available and it certainly does the job when you want to throw together a pot of soup.
• Stock is generally considered healthier due to more protein and vitamins, but store-bought options can be high in sodium; homemade versions allow you to control salt levels for both. 

Homemade Chicken Stock is the ultimate. I do my best to keep a stash of homemade chicken stock in my freezer at all times. It’s that good. My go-to stock is based on a recipe by Ina Garten found in her cookbook, Barefoot Contessa At Home. 

It is so flavorful and can be used as the base for so many healthy and delicious dishes.

• Test a piece of chicken to be sure it’s done by pulling the meat apart with two forks.
• It should come apart easily and show no sign of pinkness.
• If done, shred the rest of the chicken, then return it all to the pot.
• Remove and discard the bay leaves.
• Simmer gently for 5 more minutes.

Your feel-good chicken soup is almost done.

• If you haven’t cooked your rice noodles yet, it’s time! 
• Taste test the broth for seasoning; add more salt if needed.
• Squeeze the juice of half a lemon into the soup.
• Taste and add more if desired along with several lemon slices.
• If you like a strong ginger flavor, add some freshly grated ginger to the mix.

• Place a small amount of rice noodles in each bowl.
• Ladle the hot soup over top.
• Add a few pieces of oyster mushrooms, if desired.

Gotta have the garnish…

This is where you can take this feel-good chicken soup over the top. You can have some possibilities on hand for your friends to add their own. Or you can dress up each serving as you go. 

• Diagonally cut scallion slices
• Lemon or lime wedges
• Pinch of chili flakes
• Pinch of toasted sesame seeds
• Fresh cilantro or Italian parsley
• Drizzle of toasted sesame oil

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More feel-good soups…