Description
This Chinese Noodle Soup is a comforting and flavorful dish featuring a savory chicken broth infused with garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and Chinese cooking wine. Fresh egg noodles and tender bok choy provide satisfying texture, while shredded cooked chicken adds protein. Garnished with scallions and optionally toasted sesame oil, this soup is perfect for a cozy meal and can be enhanced with chili paste for a spicy kick.
Ingredients
Scale
Broth Ingredients
- 3 cups chicken stock/broth, low sodium
- 2 garlic cloves, smashed
- 1.5 cm / 1/2″ ginger piece, cut into 3 slices (optional, but highly recommended)
- 1 1/2 tbsp light soy sauce (or normal all purpose soy sauce)
- 2 tsp sugar (any type)
- 1 1/2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine
- 1/4 – 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil (optional)
Main Ingredients
- 180g / 6oz fresh egg noodles
- 2 large bok choy or other blanchable vegetables of choice
- 1 cup shredded cooked chicken (or other protein of choice)
- 1 scallion/shallot, green part only, finely sliced (optional garnish)
Instructions
- Prepare the broth: Place chicken stock, smashed garlic cloves, ginger slices, light soy sauce, sugar, and Chinese cooking wine into a saucepan over high heat. Cover with a lid, bring to a simmer, then reduce to medium heat and simmer gently for 8 to 10 minutes to allow the flavors to infuse.
- Cook the noodles: While the broth is simmering, cook the fresh egg noodles according to the package directions until tender but still springy. Drain and set aside.
- Prepare the bok choy: Cut the bok choy in half if small or medium-sized, or quarter if large. Wash thoroughly to remove any dirt or grit.
- Cook the bok choy: Add the bok choy to the simmering soup broth or to the noodle cooking water and blanch for about 1 minute until just tender but still crisp. Drain if cooked separately from the soup broth.
- Remove aromatics: Pick out and discard the garlic cloves and ginger slices from the simmered broth for a clear, smooth soup base.
- Assemble the soup: Divide the cooked noodles into serving bowls. Top each bowl with shredded cooked chicken and the blanched bok choy. Ladle the hot broth over the ingredients. Garnish with finely sliced green parts of scallions.
- Serve: Serve the soup immediately. Optionally, offer chili paste or fresh chilies on the side to add heat as desired.
Notes
- Use low sodium chicken broth to better control the saltiness of the soup.
- Smashed garlic cloves add depth to the broth but are removed before serving to keep the soup clear.
- Light soy sauce is preferred for authentic flavor and lighter color; all purpose soy sauce can be used alternatively.
- Chinese cooking wine (Shaoxing wine) imparts a rich umami note, enhancing the broth’s complexity.
- Adding a small amount of toasted sesame oil at the end adds aroma but is optional.
- Fresh egg noodles provide the best texture and flavor; dried noodles can be substituted but adjust cooking time accordingly.
- Any blanchable vegetables such as baby bok choy, spinach, or gai lan can be used as alternatives to bok choy.
- The soup can be customized with any shredded cooked protein like chicken, pork, tofu, or beef according to preference.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Chinese
Keywords: Chinese noodle soup, chicken noodle soup, bok choy soup, easy Asian soup, comforting soup, egg noodles, homemade broth
