Korean-Style Chicken Noodle Soup

Korean-Style Chicken Noodle Soup

Korean Style Chicken Noodle Soup

It’s that time of year in MN; cold as fuck and lots of snow for the next 6 months. That means it’s soup time! This Korean chicken noodle soup is ready in an hour and is fairly easy to make. For being a chicken noodle soup, it is quite heavy having both potatoes and noodles. Starchy.
The chicken used in this soup isn’t added into the stock like in other recpies, but is deboned, leaving the skin intact to the thighs. The bones are used in the making of the stock for the first 30 minutes of the boil. The chicken thighs are sautéed until cook through, allowing the skin to get crispy. They are added on top of the soup when bowling up.
Once the stock has been scooped of bones, green onions, ginger, and scum, onions, garlic, potatoes, fish sauce, and soup soy sauce are added and simmered for 10 minutes. The type of noodle used in this soup is called Kalguksu, meaning “fresh hand cut noodles.” You can find these in the refrigerated section of your local Asian market. They come in portions of 5. Add 3 portions of the noodles to the stock and cook for 5 minutes.
Portion out the soup and noodles into large soup bowls. Place 1 whole chopped chicken thigh across the top of the soup. Add a lot of green onions to the soup. Finish with some cracked black pepper. So much goodness.
This soup is not good as leftovers in this preparation. The noodles will absorb too much of the stock, making them really mushy if you eat it the next day. What you can do is boil the noodles separately from the stock. Then you can add the noodles to the soup bowl, pouring the stock over. Then top with the chicken and green onions. Save the leftover noodles in a container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Korean
Keyword: Chicken, East Asian, Korean, main course, noodles, soup
Servings: 4
Author: Alex Gorgos

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs bone in chicken thighs
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 12 cups chicken stock
  • 3 slices of ginger
  • 2 whole green onions
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp soup soy sauce
  • 1 head garlic minced
  • 1 medium onion sliced
  • 2 medium potatoes peeled and sliced 1/4” thick
  • 3 portions kalguksu noodles
  • 2 green onions chopped
  • cracked black pepper

Instructions

  • Debone the chicken thighs, leaving the skin intact.
    Korean, main course, soup, chicken
  • Add the chicken bones, ginger slices, and whole green onions to a pot filled with 12 cups of chicken stock. Cover. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes.
    Korean, main course, soup, chicken
  • While the stock is boiling, heat up cooking oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add the chicken thighs skin side down.
    Korean, main course, soup, chicken
  • Cook for 5-6 minutes a side, making sure the skin is crispy and the chicken is cooked all the way through. Place the chicken thighs in a metal bowl and pkace a cover over it.
    Korean, main course, soup, chicken
  • After boiling for 30 minutes, scoop out all of the bones, green onions, and ginger slices. Skim off any scum from the chicken bones.
    Korean, main course, soup, chicken
  • Add in the 2 cups of water, onions, garlic, potatoes, fish sauce, and soup soy sauce. Simmer on medium high heat for 10 minutes.
    Korean, main course, soup, chicken
  • Stir in the 3 portions of Kalguksu noodles. Cook for another 5 minutes.
    Korean, main course, soup, chicken
  • Chop each of the chicken thighs.
    Korean, main course, soup, chicken
  • Portion out the noodles and broth into a soup bowl. Place a chopped chicken thigh across the top of the soup. Top with a lot of green onions. Finish with some cracked black pepper.
    Korean, main course, soup, chicken