Description
A comforting and flavorful miso soup recipe featuring tender chicken thighs, shiitake mushrooms, rice noodles, and baby bok choy, enhanced with the umami richness of white miso paste and a touch of spice from red chili paste.
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 and Condiments
- 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
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Carbohydrates
- 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 about 2 minutes, ensuring not to cook through. Remove chicken to a plate.
- Sauté vegetables: Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the empty pot and heat over medium-high. Add the chopped onions and sliced carrots and sauté for 3 minutes. Then add sliced shiitake mushrooms, grated ginger, and minced garlic, and continue sautéing for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Simmer the soup: Return the chicken to the pot along with chicken broth, soy sauce, rice vinegar, rice wine, and red chili paste. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and gently simmer for 10 minutes or until the chicken is tender enough to shred. Remove the chicken and shred it once cool enough to handle. Continue simmering the soup without the chicken if you prefer more tender mushrooms.
- Dissolve the miso: In a medium bowl, add the ¼ cup of white miso paste. Ladle a small amount of hot broth from the pot into the bowl and whisk until the miso paste is fully dissolved. Set aside.
- Cook noodles and add final ingredients: Add the rice noodles and chopped red bell pepper to the pot. Simmer for 2 minutes, then turn off the heat. Add the baby bok choy, shredded chicken, and the miso mixture to the pot. Cover the pot and let sit for 1-2 minutes until the noodles are al dente and the bok choy is wilted.
- Serve: Do not boil or simmer the soup after adding the miso to prevent a gritty texture. Serve hot and enjoy.
Notes
- You may substitute shiitake mushrooms with cremini mushrooms; add them later with the bell peppers as they cook faster.
- Rice noodles can be cut into smaller pieces before adding or cut with kitchen shears after cooking. You can also substitute your favorite Japanese noodles but cook them per package instructions before adding.
- White miso paste is often found in the refrigerated section of grocery stores or Asian markets; it is also available online.
- Baby bok choy can be substituted with spinach or kale if preferred.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 250 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg
