This Chicken Udon Soup recipe allows you to create an umami-packed meal in a pot, thanks to the abundance of chicken, thick noodles, mushrooms, and other vegetables.
I love soup and I firmly believe you can never have enough good soup recipes. While I love all kinds of soups, from tomato bisque to minestrone, this chicken udon soup is one I often turn to when I’m in the mood for an Asian-style soup.
Udon soup has always been one of my favorites. Slurping up those thick noodles by the spoonful is so much fun—it’s impossible to keep a dry chin! Since I eat gluten-free, I was thrilled to find thick rice udon noodles at a grocery store to use as a substitute for wheat noodles. I’m glad I still get to enjoy this delicious bowl of soup whenever I have my udon cravings.
I simmer an entire chicken for hours when I make my traditional chicken noodle soup. That’s not the case with this recipe. The chicken pieces are seared to a light brown in oil. While many people like to use canola oil in this recipe, which is listed in the ingredients below, I only use avocado and olive oils in my cooking. I’ve seared my chicken in an avocado and olive oil blend, and the dish turned out great. Feel free to make that swap without worry.
You will also notice that the recipe uses boneless, skinless chicken thighs rather than chicken breast pieces. That is to help you get the most flavor and some rendered fat that takes the taste of this soup over the top. The rendered fat enriches the broth, giving it a silky feel—pure heaven.
Is Chicken Udon Soup Healthy?
Chicken udon soup is packed with healthy ingredients like cabbage, chicken, mushrooms, carrots, garlic, and ginger. This recipe already calls for low-sodium soy sauce and chicken broth to help keep the salt level low. You can make this dish gluten-free by using gluten-free soy sauce, tamari, or coconut aminos, and udon rice noodles, rice ramen, or any other GF noodles you prefer.
The Noodles Cook In The Soup!
Isn’t it great when you don’t have to use a separate pot to boil your noodles? Think of how much less cleaning up and dishwashing there is. The secret is using fresh udon noodles. Gluten-free diners don’t need to fret about using two separate pots if they can find some fresh rice noodles or thin, quick-cooking noodles. One of my favorite brands is Ka-Me, and they make Pad Thai Express Rice Noodles that are perfect for this soup. They require the same two to three minutes cooking time as regular udon noodles and do not need to be cooked in a separate pot and drained.
Note: If all you have are dried noodles, you must cook them separately and then add them to the soup after draining, and when the soup is ready to serve.
FAQs & Tips
Unlike other soups that can be stored whole after completion, in this case, you need to store the noodles separately from the broth, chicken, and veggies. Leaving the noodles in the leftover soup can cause them to absorb the broth. You can refrigerate the soup and noodles in airtight containers for up to 4 days. The soup and noodles can also be frozen, once separated and cooled, for up to 2 months. After thawing, reheat the broth, chicken and veggies, then add the noodles and serve.
You can replace the mirin with a combination of Japanese sake and a small amount of sugar. Use one tablespoon of sake and three-quarters of a teaspoon of sugar instead of the tablespoon of mirin. Dry sherry or Shaoxing wine are other suitable substitutions. Finally, for an alcohol-free version, use a tablespoon of rice vinegar or white wine vinegar mixed with 1/2 teaspoon sugar.
Yes, leftover cooked chicken can be used for this soup. Skip step 1 and proceed directly to step 2. Add the cooked chicken with the cabbage and noodles in step 3.
Serving Suggestions
Although chicken udon soup is a meal in a bowl, you can also serve it alongside some delicious Japanese side dishes or entrees. Okonomiyaki (Japanese Pancakes) is a great option. Appetizer options include Spicy California Roll, Hamachi Sashimi, and Vegan Sushi. You can also serve a simple tossed salad with some Miso Dressing for a light and tasty meal.
Chicken Udon Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger minced
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- 8 ounces mushrooms shiitake or button, sliced
- 1 medium carrot thinly sliced
- 4 cups napa cabbage chopped
- 2 packs fresh udon noodles about 16 ounces total
- 2 green onions sliced (keep white parts for cooking and green parts for garnish)
Instructions
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Heat canola oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chicken pieces and season lightly with salt and pepper. Sear until the chicken is lightly browned, about 3-4 minutes.
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Add the chicken broth to the pot along with the minced garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and mirin. Allow it to gently simmer. Incorporate the mushrooms and carrots, then cook for approximately 10 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.
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Add the chopped napa cabbage and udon noodles. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the noodles are heated through and the cabbage is tender. Stir in the white parts of the green onions and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
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Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with the green parts of the green onions. Serve hot and enjoy!
Nutrition
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