Description
A flavorful and comforting Miso Soup featuring tender chicken thighs, shiitake mushrooms, fresh vegetables, and delicate rice noodles in a savory broth enriched with white miso 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 & 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)
Other
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 3 oz. thin rice noodles (vermicelli/rice sticks)
- ¼ cup white miso paste
Instructions
- Brown the chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a Dutch oven or large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken thighs and brown on both sides for approximately 2 minutes, but do not cook 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 the chopped onions and sliced carrots and sauté for 3 minutes until slightly softened. Then add the sliced shiitake mushrooms, grated ginger, and minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute to release their aromas.
- Simmer the broth: Return the chicken to the pot and pour in the chicken broth, soy sauce, rice vinegar, rice wine, and red chili paste. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to medium-low heat and gently simmer for 10 minutes, or until the chicken is tender enough to shred. Remove the chicken when cool enough to handle and shred it. You may continue simmering the soup without the chicken if you prefer more tender mushrooms.
- Dissolve miso paste: Place ¼ cup miso paste into a medium bowl. Ladle some hot broth into the bowl and whisk until the miso is completely dissolved. Set aside. Avoid boiling the miso directly in the pot to prevent grittiness.
- Add noodles and vegetables: Add the rice noodles and chopped red bell peppers to the soup pot. Simmer for 2 minutes, then turn off the heat.
- Finish the soup: Add the baby bok choy, shredded chicken, and the prepared miso mixture to the pot. Cover the pot just until the noodles are al dente and the bok choy is wilted, about 1-2 minutes. Serve immediately.
Notes
- You may substitute cremini mushrooms for shiitake, but add them with the bell peppers since they cook faster.
- Cut rice noodles into smaller pieces before adding to the soup for easier eating; alternatively, cut them with kitchen shears after cooking.
- If unavailable, white miso paste can be found in the refrigerated section of many grocery stores or at Asian markets, as well as online.
- Baby bok choy can be substituted with spinach or kale depending on availability or preference.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approx. 1.5 cups)
- Calories: 250 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg
