Nourishing Asian-Inspired Chicken Soup
Nourishing Asian-inspired chicken soup with bok choy, lemongrass, green onion, garlic, ginger, and fresh herbs like cilantro, mint and basil. Optional to add rice noodles for a fresh, flavorful and healthy dinner!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tablespoons toasted or dark sesame oil, divided
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs
- Freshly ground salt and pepper
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 bunches of green onions, white and green parts divided
- 1 large carrot, sliced
- 1 tablespoon freshly minced or grated ginger
- 6 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon thai chili paste (or ½ tablespoon sriracha works too)
- ¼ cup gluten free low sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos
- 2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed and outer layers discarded, halved lengthwise
- 6 bok choy ribs with leaves, coarsely chopped
- 2-3 teaspoons fish sauce
- For serving:
- ½ cup fresh chopped cilantro
- ¼ cup mint leaves, torn
- ½ cup torn Thai bail (regular basil will also work)
- Green onion (just the green part of the onion)
- 1 thai chile, to garnish (can also sub jalapeno)
- Sesame seeds (white or black), for garnish
- Lime wedges, for garnishing
- Optional for serving:
- 8 ounces rice noodles
Instructions
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Add 1 tablespoon sesame oil to a large dutch oven or large pot and place over medium high heat. Add in chicken thighs and generously season with salt and pepper. Brown chicken on both sides. You don’t need to cook the chicken all the way, just get it nice and golden brown for flavor purposes. Transfer chicken to plate and set aside.
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In the same pot, add the remaining ½ tablespoon sesame oil. Immediately add in minced garlic, white part only of the green onions, sliced carrot and ginger. Saute for 3-5 minutes, the slowly add in the chicken broth, thai chili paste and soy sauce. Add the chicken thighs back to the pot and place two lemongrass stalks in. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes.
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After 25 minutes, use a slotted spoon to remove chicken from the pot and transfer to a cutting board. Use two forks to shred chicken. Before adding chicken back to the pot, remove the lemongrass stalks and discard. If you'd like to add rice noodles, now is the time to do so. Add them to the pot along with the bok choy and fish sauce and simmer for 5-7 more minutes.
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Pour into bowls, then garnish with a few cilantro, mint, thai green basil, green scallions, thai chile, sesame seeds and a fresh squeeze of lime.
Recipe Notes
If you want you can serve the soup with or over rice or ramen noodles.
To freeze this soup: allow it to cool completely before placing it into airtight, freezer-friendly bags or containers. If you're adding noodles to the soup, I recommend freezing this soup without the noodles. Place in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, simply allow the soup to thaw in the refrigerator before reheating on the stovetop or in the microwave. If you're adding noodles, cook them separately and add them to your reheated soup when you're ready to serve.