Drunken Chicken Noodle Soup That Will Make Weeknight Cooking Worth It
Having cooked almost every night, even if it was 10PM after a long day of work, I can say having a freshly cooked meal is just what you need. There's something truly nourishing about taking those few moments for yourself and making something in your own home that feeds both body and soul❤️
This Drunken Chicken Noodle Soup embodies that perfect balance – it's quick enough for even the most exhausting days so you can take care of yourself without much effort!
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Serves: 2
Ingredients
2 x 200g marinated chicken, skinned, bone-in preferably
Mee sua noodles (or anything you like, including rice)
4-5 dang gui (Chinese angelica root)
Handful of wolf berries (goji berries)
800ml of water
5 ginger slices
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp Shaoxing wine (same as hua tiao wine)
Salt/sugar to taste (if needed)
Chicken marinade:
1.5 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp Shaoxing wine (same as hua tiao wine)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
Method
Chop chicken into portions if needed. I used whole chicken legs so I separated the drum from the thigh. If your portions are on the larger side like mine, cut some slits on the meat so the marinade can infuse deeper.
In a large bowl, add portioned chicken and all the marinade ingredients, mix well and set aside
Start to prep ingredients such as slicing the ginger and rinsing the dang gui and wolf berries for later
In a large pot, bring water to a boil to prepare for cooking noodles
Cook noodles 1 - 2 minutes before fully done and set aside
Rinse pot and then dry it completely
Add ginger slices without oil to stir fry in the pot
Once fragrant after about 2 minutes, add sesame oil and stir fry for 1 minute
Add marinated chicken into the pot and fry. It is not necessary to brown the chicken so keep it moving in the pot. After about 5 - 7 minutes, there will be a sweet fragrance.
Add water, dang gui, goji berries and shao xing wine then bring it to a boil.
Stir gently, lower the heat and let it simmer for about 25 minutes. This step helps the alcohol in the wine to evaporate, leaving only the flavourful essence in the broth! Lid on or off is fine, but do check on the water level from time to time and add more water if needed.
After 25 minutes, season the soup with additional salt or sugar to taste
Serve with fresh spring onions or coriander, cut chillies and a side of leafy greens to make the meal a balanced one!
Note: A few minutes before the 25 minutes in Step 9 is up, I added bok choy into the pot to blanch.
Tip 1: Quality ingredients for quality taste
I’ve discovered that buying a more premium priced chicken does make a difference, especially to soup dishes. The same applies to other ingredients such as light soy sauce, wine, traditional chinese herbs, etc. It’s just something to keep in mind, but absolutely not essential. Always use what you have at home first:)
Tip 2: Don't rush the marinating process
10 - 15 minutes while you prep the other ingredients makes a difference! but if you can plan ahead and marinate for an hour, the flavour will be even better!
Tip 3: Traditional Chinese Herbs for health & flavour
Dang gui adds a subtle, sweet-earthy note to the broth while supporting women's health. It's known in Chinese medicine for improving blood circulation and has been used to "enrich blood, promote blood circulation and modulate the immune system". Modern research suggests dang gui may help enhance the immune system, protect the heart, and treat anaemia.
Wolf berries (goji berries) contribute a gentle sweetness and beautiful color while providing impressive nutritional benefits. They're rich in antioxidants that may benefit eye health, skin health, immune system, and cell development. Studies have shown they contain vitamins A and C, iron, and fiber, making them excellent nutritional additions to your soup.
Together with the ginger, they create a warming soup whenever you need a health boost!
If you can't find dang gui, the soup will still be delicious with just the ginger and wolf berries, but I really feel it adds another dimension to the broth!
Drunken Chicken Noodle Soup
You don't need fancy ingredients or hours of simmering to create a soul-warming soup at home. This drunken chicken noodle soup proves that tasty doesn't mean trading health – it's just one more example of how smart ingredient choices can create maximum flavor with minimal effort:)
