Description
This comforting Miso Soup with Chicken, Noodles, and Shiitake Mushrooms combines tender shredded chicken, savory mushrooms, and fresh vegetables in a flavorful miso-infused broth. Enhanced with ginger, garlic, and a touch of chili paste, this easy-to-make soup is perfect for a nourishing lunch or dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs
Vegetables
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 6 oz shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps sliced into ¼” strips
- 2 medium carrots, sliced (approx. 1 cup)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 4 heads baby bok choy cut into bite-size pieces, about 3 cups
Liquids & Sauces
- 8 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Japanese rice wine or pale dry sherry
- ½ – 1 tablespoon red chili paste (like sambal oelek)
- ¼ cup white miso paste
Other
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 3 oz thin rice noodles (vermicelli/rice sticks)
Instructions
- Brown the chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add chicken thighs and brown on both sides for approximately 2 minutes, ensuring they are not fully cooked through. Remove chicken to a plate.
- Sauté vegetables: Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the empty pot and heat over medium-high heat. Add chopped onions and sliced carrots, sautéing for 3 minutes. Then add sliced shiitake mushrooms, grated ginger, and minced garlic; sauté for an additional 1 minute until fragrant.
- Simmer the soup: Return the browned chicken to the pot. Pour in chicken broth, soy sauce, rice vinegar, Japanese rice wine or dry sherry, and red chili paste. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and gently simmer for 10 minutes until the chicken is tender enough to shred. Remove chicken and shred once cool enough to handle. Continue simmering the soup without chicken if you want more tender mushrooms.
- Dissolve miso paste: In a medium bowl, add ¼ cup white miso paste. Ladle some hot broth into the bowl and whisk until miso is completely dissolved. Set aside to keep the miso smooth.
- Add noodles and vegetables: Add the rice noodles and chopped red bell peppers to the pot. Simmer for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat. Add the baby bok choy, shredded chicken, and the dissolved miso mixture. Cover the pot and let sit until noodles are al dente and bok choy is wilted, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Serve carefully: Avoid boiling or simmering the soup after adding miso paste to prevent grit from forming. Serve hot and enjoy your flavorful miso chicken soup.
Notes
- You may substitute cremini mushrooms for shiitake; add them with bell peppers as they cook faster and are less meaty.
- The thin rice noodles are very long; you can cut them before adding to the soup, or wait and cut with kitchen shears once cooked.
- You can substitute white miso paste with other types of miso, but white miso is milder and best for this soup.
- White miso paste is usually available in the refrigerated section of grocery stores or at Asian markets; it can also be purchased online.
- Baby bok choy may be substituted with spinach or kale for a similar leafy green element.
