Description
A comforting and flavorful miso soup recipe featuring tender chicken thighs, shiitake mushrooms, rice noodles, and baby bok choy. This easy-to-make soup combines savory broth with fresh vegetables and miso paste for a perfect balance of umami and spice.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Broth
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 6 oz shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps sliced into ¼” strips
- 2 medium carrots, sliced (approx. 1 cup)
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 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)
Noodles and Vegetables
- 3 oz thin rice noodles (vermicelli/rice sticks)
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- ¼ cup white miso paste
- 4 heads baby bok choy, cut into bite-size pieces, about 3 cups
Instructions
- Brown Chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken thighs and brown on both sides for approximately 2 minutes, without cooking through. Remove the chicken to a plate.
- Sauté Vegetables: Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the empty pot and heat over medium-high. Add chopped onions and sliced carrots, sautéing for 3 minutes. Then add sliced shiitake mushrooms, grated ginger, and minced garlic, sautéing for 1 additional minute.
- Simmer Soup: Return the chicken to the pot followed by chicken broth, soy sauce, rice vinegar, rice wine, and red chili paste. Bring the mixture 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 chicken and shred when cool enough to handle. Continue simmering the soup without the chicken if you prefer more tender mushrooms.
- Dissolve Miso: Place ¼ cup white miso paste in a medium bowl. Add a ladleful of hot broth from the pot and whisk until the miso is completely dissolved. Set this mixture aside.
- Cook Noodles and Add Vegetables: Add rice noodles and chopped red bell pepper to the pot. Simmer for 2 minutes, then turn off the heat. Add baby bok choy, shredded chicken, and the miso mixture to the soup. Cover the pot and let it sit just until the noodles are al dente and the bok choy is wilted, about 1-2 minutes.
- Final Note: Do not simmer or boil the soup after adding the miso paste to avoid it becoming gritty. Serve the soup hot and enjoy.
Notes
- You may substitute shiitake mushrooms with cremini mushrooms, but add them with the bell peppers as they cook more quickly.
- The rice noodles are very long; you may cut them before adding or after cooking using kitchen shears. Alternatively, substitute with your favorite Japanese noodles, cooked according to package directions.
- White miso paste can be found in the refrigerated section of many grocery stores or Asian markets; it is also available online.
- You may substitute baby bok choy with spinach or kale for the greens.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 250 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg
