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Chinese Chicken Noodle Soup

Chinese chicken noodle soup with a clear amber broth, tender sliced chicken, shiitake mushrooms, and thin noodles. Garlic-ginger simmering and separate noodle cooking keep the broth bright and the noodles springy.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Chinese-American
Calories: 410
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 1.5 lb chicken breast thinly sliced
Noodles
  • 6 oz thin Chinese wheat noodles or rice noodles
Vegetables and aromatics
  • 2 cup bok choy chopped
  • 1 cup shiitake mushrooms sliced
  • 3 green onions sliced
  • 6 garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp fresh ginger grated
Broth and seasoning
  • 8 cup chicken broth
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 tsp rice vinegar
  • 0.25 tsp white pepper
  • salt to taste
Serving
  • cilantro for serving
  • chili oil for serving

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Build the broth
  1. Bring the chicken broth to a simmer in a large pot, then stir in the minced garlic and grated ginger. Maintain a gentle simmer for 5 minutes, with small bubbles around the edges and light steam rising.
  2. Add the soy sauce, sesame oil, and rice vinegar to the simmering broth. Stir to combine and adjust to taste, aiming for a balanced savory-ginger aroma.
Cook chicken and mushrooms
  1. Add the thinly sliced chicken breast and the sliced shiitake mushrooms to the broth. Keep it at a simmer and cook for 10-12 minutes, until the chicken turns opaque and the mushrooms are tender.
Cook noodles separately
  1. Cook the thin Chinese wheat noodles or rice noodles separately according to the package directions, then drain them. Divide the noodles into bowls so they stay springy and don’t over-soften.
Finish with bok choy and serve
  1. Add the chopped bok choy to the broth and cook for 3 minutes until wilted. Look for bright green leaves and slightly softened stems.
  2. Ladle the hot soup over the noodles in each bowl. Season with white pepper and salt to taste for a clear, well-balanced broth.
  3. Garnish each bowl with the sliced green onions, cilantro, and a drizzle of chili oil. Serve immediately while the broth is steaming hot.

Notes

For best texture, cook noodles separately and drain well before assembling, so the broth stays clear and the noodles don’t absorb too much liquid. Store leftover soup (without noodles) in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat and add fresh-cooked noodles if you want that same springy bite. Freeze the broth only (up to 2 months); thaw and reheat, then cook noodles fresh. For a lighter option, use low-sodium chicken broth and reduce the soy sauce to taste.