Asian Chicken Noodle Soup

This Asian Chicken Noodle Soup is healthy and gluten free! It's made with garlic, ginger, vegetables, and rice noodles in a flavorful broth.

This Asian style chicken noodle soup is full of warming flavors that are perfect enjoyed during the cold winter months. It's perfect garnished with your favorite toppings.

Chicken soup is one of those classic recipes that really doesn't need any tweaking but sometimes it's fun to mix things up a bit. This version is packed with Asian inspired ingredients, giving it a flavorful twist that's every bit as satisfying as the original.

It's made in a Dutch oven on the stove top with split chicken breasts that are simmered in a savory broth flavored with garlic, onions, chili peppers, and ginger. This soup is packed with veggies like carrots and spinach and served over rice noodles.

I love to garnish this soup with some green onions and fresh herbs for extra color and flavor. It's one of those dishes I find myself craving during the winter months.

This soup is simmered until the chicken is juicy and the carrots tender. The addition of the ginger and chili peppers gives the broth a warming quality that keeps inviting you back for more.

Jump to:

• How To Add Flavor To Chicken Soup
• Ingredients For Asian Chicken Noodle Soup
• Which Cut Of Chicken Is Best For Soup?
• How To Make Asian Chicken Soup
• How Long Does Chicken Take To Cook?
• Which Noodles Are Best For Asian Chicken Soup?
• How To Tell When Soup Is Finished Cooking
• What To Serve With Asian Chicken Noodle Soup
• How Long Does This Soup Last In The Fridge?
• Can It Be Frozen?
• Asian Chicken Noodle Soup

How To Add Flavor To Chicken Soup

Chicken noodle soup is a classic dish that really doesn't require any fancy ingredients or cooking techniques. It's delicious as-is, but chicken soup is also one of those dishes that can be taken in a number of different directions in terms of flavor.

It can be tweaked with the addition of aromatics, herbs, and spices. Chicken soup may be prepared with Southwest, Mediterranean, Indian, or, in this case, Asian flavors.

No matter which direction chicken soup is taken, there are a few tips to keep in mind that help to provide the dish with optimal flavor.

• I recommend using split (also known as bone-in) chicken breasts as opposed to boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Split chicken breasts are cooked with the bones, which help to contribute a deeper and richer flavor to the broth.
• It's important to properly season the chicken and vegetables before sautéing in the Dutch oven. If the soup is under-seasoned, the broth will lack in flavor.
• Make sure to sauté the aromatics in olive oil. Sautéing the garlic, onions, chili peppers, and ginger helps to bring out their natural flavors and creates a more robust soup broth.
• Finish the soup with the addition of some rice wine vinegar other another acid to help round out the flavor.
• Feel free to garnish the soup with your favorite toppings for even more color and flavor. Fresh herbs or sauces like Sriracha or Tamari help to give the dish an extra boost of flavor.

Ingredients For Asian Chicken Noodle Soup

Here's what you'll need to make it.

• 6 cloves Garlic
• 1 Onion
• 1 inch Ginger Root (peeled and grated)
• 1-2 Thai Chili Peppers (or chili peppers of choice) (remove seeds and membranes for less heat)
• 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• 2 - 2 ½ lbs. Split Chicken Breasts (also known as bone-in chicken breasts)
• 4 - 5 large Carrots (yields 4 cups chopped)
• 2 packed cups Spinach (chopped) (or hearty greens of choice)
• 5 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
• 2 tsp. Rice Wine Vinegar
• 1 tsp. Kosher Salt (split)
• ½ tsp. Pepper (split)
• 1 package Rice Noodles
• Toppings For Soup (green onions, cilantro, Sriracha, Tamari, Hoisin sauce, Lime Wedges) (optional)

Which Cut Of Chicken Is Best For Soup?

When it comes to soup, I recommend opting for split (also known as bone-in) chicken breasts. They generally contain more meat and do not overcook and become dry as easily as boneless, skinless chicken breasts.

The bones help to provide the broth with more flavor and split chicken breasts are more economical than boneless, skinless chicken breasts.

It's important to season the chicken and to sear it in olive oil before adding to the soup. Searing the chicken first helps to seal in the juices and creates a layer of crust on the bottom of the pot (known as fond), which provides the dish with extra flavor.

I do recommend removing the skin from the chicken breasts, as the skin would only serve to make the soup overly greasy. Once the chicken is cooked, it is then shredded and the bones are discarded before adding back to the soup.

1. Start by removing and discarding the skin and any excess fat from 2 - 2 ½ lbs. of split chicken breasts.
2. Sprinkle ¼ tsp. each of kosher salt and pepper onto each side of the chicken breasts.
3. Place a cast iron Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed soup pot onto the stove top and heat to medium-high. Add 2 Tbsp. olive oil to the pot.
4. Once heated (the chicken should sizzle as it hits the surface), place the chicken breasts (flesh side down) into the Dutch oven and sauté for 5 minutes on the first side.
5. Flip the chicken breasts over and sauté for another 5 minutes on the second side.
6. Remove the chicken from the Dutch oven and set aside (leaving any brown bits on the bottom of the pot).

How To Make Asian Chicken Soup

This soup is flavored with aromatics like garlic, onions, chili peppers, and ginger and made with chopped carrots and spinach.

As mentioned, it's important to sauté the aromatics and the veggies to help release their natural flavors before adding the broth.

When it comes to ginger, I recommend grating instead of mincing it. It's difficult to mince ginger finely and chunks of ginger can be overwhelming. Grating the ginger with a Microplane zester is a great way to impart ginger flavor without overwhelming the broth.

1. Mince 6 cloves of garlic and 1 onion.
2. Mince 1-2 Thai chili peppers (or chili peppers of choice, such as Serrano or Fresno chili peppers). Remove the seeds and membranes for less heat.
3. Peel a 1-inch section of ginger with a spoon and grate it with a Microplane zester or any small grater.
4. Peel and chop 4-5 large carrots, making sure that that they are all relatively the same size to ensure even cooking.
5. Roughly chop 2 packed cups of spinach (or hearty greens of choice).
6. Add the minced onions to the Dutch oven (after removing the seared chicken breasts) and sauté for 4 minutes, stirring often (feel free to add a bit more olive oil if needed).
7. Add the minced garlic and chili peppers along with the grated ginger and sauté for another 1-2 minutes, stirring often.
8. Add the chopped carrots along with ½ tsp. of kosher salt and sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
9. Pour 5 cups of low sodium chicken broth into the Dutch oven and return the seared chicken breasts to the pot.
10. Bring the soup to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a low boil, cover, and cook for 25 minutes.

How Long Does Chicken Take To Cook?

Once the chicken is fully cooked, it is removed from the pot. The meat is shredded and the bones are removed and discarded before returning the cooked chicken to the soup.

Cooking times may vary, but it should be fully cooked in 25-30 minutes. It's important not to overcook the chicken, or it will become dry and tough.

The safe internal temperature for chicken is 165 degrees Fahrenheit and can be checked using a food thermometer if you have any concerns.

1. After 25 minutes or so, remove the chicken breasts from the soup and allow to sit for a few minutes (feel free to reduce the heat to low at this point).
2. Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred it with two forks. The chicken may remain shredded or cut into chunks. Remove and discard the bones.
3. Return the cooked, shredded chicken to the soup and stir until combined.
4. The carrots should be tender, but not mushy at this point.

Which Noodles Are Best For Asian Chicken Soup?

Any variety of rice noodles work great for this Asian Chicken Noodle Soup.

The noodles are not cooked in the broth, as this would likely cause them to become mushy. Rather, the rice noodles are cooked separately, drained, and rinsed under cold water.

The soup is served over the rice noodles, allowing them to retain their texture.

Feel free to use any rice noodles you like when preparing this soup. I love the Brown Udon Rice Noodles from Lotus Foods.

You can use vermicelli rice noodles, white or brown rice noodles, thin or wide rice noodles if you prefer. This recipe is gluten free, so make sure that the brand of noodles used is gluten free if gluten is an issue for you.

1. To make the rice noodles, simply prepare them according to package instructions.
2. Drain the cooked rice noodles and run them under cold water to stop the cooking process.
3. Set the noodles aside until needed.

How To Tell When Soup Is Finished Cooking

Once the chicken is added back into the soup, it's time to add the chopped spinach and rice wine vinegar. It's best to add the greens at the end of the cooking time, so that they do not become too soggy.

Feel free to substitute any hearty greens of choice in place of spinach. Kale, Swiss chard, arugula, or mustard greens are all great choices.

1. After the shredded chicken is added back to the soup, add the chopped spinach (or hearty greens of choice) along with 2 tsp. of rice wine vinegar.
2. Stir until combined and continue to cook over low heat for 1-2 minutes.
3. Adjust the seasoning levels as needed.

The soup is finished cooking when the carrots are tender, but not mushy and easily pierced with a fork or knife.

Allow the soup to cook for an additional couple of minutes if needed.

What To Serve With Asian Chicken Noodle Soup

The great thing about Asian inspired soups is that they can be garnished any number of ways. You can customize the toppings to your tastes.

I love to garnish this soup with some sliced green onions and Sriracha hot sauce, but you can top it any way you like.

Here are some great topping ideas:

• Green Onions
• Fresh Herbs such as Cilantro or Thai Basil
• Sriracha or Hot Sauce of choice
• Crispy Chili Oil
• Tamari or Soy Sauce if not gluten free
• Hoisin Sauce (gluten free or regular)

To serve the soup, place desired amount of cooked noodles in a bowl and top with a generous amount of the soup.

Garnish the soup as desired.

Love Asian flavors? Check out these recipes!

• Thai Potato Corn Chowder
• Asian Cabbage Slaw
• Thai Basil Pesto
• Asian Grilled Eggplant Sandwiches
• Thai Chicken Bowls
• Asian Smoked Salmon Bowl
• Korean Turkey Bowls
• Vietnamese Shrimp Salad
• Teriyaki Turkey Rice Bowls

How Long Does This Soup Last In The Fridge?

Any leftovers should last 2-3 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Be sure to allow the soup to cool completely before transferring to the fridge for storage.

For optimal taste and texture, it's best to store the noodles and the soup in separate airtight containers. The noodles will likely become mushy if stored in the same container as the soup.

Can It Be Frozen?

Yes, this soup can be frozen. I recommend freezing this soup without the addition of the spinach and without the noodles.

Simply prepare the noodles right before serving.

How To Freeze

1. Prepare the recipe as directed, but do not add the spinach to the soup.
2. Allow the soup to cool completely, then transfer to a heavy-duty freezer bag or freezer-safe container.
3. Push all the air out of the bag, label with the date, and transfer to the freezer to store up to 3 months.

How To Reheat

1. Transfer the frozen soup to the refrigerator 24 hours before serving and allow to thaw.
2. Place the thawed soup in a pot and cook on the stove top until thoroughly heated. Add the chopped spinach (or hearty greens of choice) at this time.
3. Prepare the rice noodles according to package instructions. Drain, rinse under cold water, and serve them along with the heated soup.
4. Garnish the soup with toppings of choice.

Love chicken soup? Check out these recipes!

• Dutch Oven Chicken Noodle Soup
• Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup
• Slow Cooker Chicken Potato Soup
• Chicken Corn Soup

Looking For More Chicken Soup Recipes? Don't Miss These!

Mexican Chicken Pozole Recipe

Pastina Italian Chicken Noodle Soup

Instant Pot White Chili Chicken Verde