Aromatic Ginger Garlic Chicken Noodle Soup

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If you ask me, ginger garlic chicken noodle soup is pure comfort in a bowl.

This warming soup takes the classic chicken noodle recipe and gives it a fresh twist with aromatic ginger and garlic. Tender chicken and soft noodles swim in a flavorful broth that’s both familiar and exciting.

The ginger adds a gentle warmth while the garlic brings depth to every spoonful. Simple vegetables like carrots and celery round out the soup, making it a complete meal that’s perfect for chilly evenings.

It’s the kind of soup that makes you feel better from the inside out, whether you’re fighting off a cold or just need something cozy.

What Kind of Chicken Should I Use?

For this soup, boneless, skinless chicken thighs are your best bet since they stay tender and juicy even after simmering in the broth. Thighs have more fat than chicken breasts, which means they won’t dry out during the longer cooking process and they’ll add more flavor to your soup. If you only have chicken breasts on hand, they’ll work too, but keep an eye on them so they don’t overcook and become tough. You can also use a mix of both thighs and breasts if that’s what you have available – just add the breasts a bit later in the cooking process since they cook faster than thighs.

Options for Substitutions

This comforting soup is pretty adaptable, so here are some easy swaps you can make:

• Chicken thighs: You can use chicken breasts if that’s what you have, but they’ll cook faster and won’t be quite as tender. Bone-in thighs work too – just remove the bones after cooking and shred the meat.
• Dried ramen noodles: Fresh ramen noodles are great if you can find them, or try udon, soba, or even egg noodles. Just adjust the cooking time based on package directions.
• Black rice vinegar: Regular rice vinegar works fine, or you can use white wine vinegar. Start with 2-3 tablespoons and taste as you go since these are milder than black rice vinegar.
• Fresh ginger: In a pinch, use 1 teaspoon of ground ginger, but add it with the other seasonings rather than at the beginning since it can burn easily.
• Scallions: Regular yellow onion can work – use about half a medium onion, diced. Add it with the garlic and ginger at the start of cooking.
• White pepper: Black pepper is totally fine if you don’t have white pepper. The flavor difference is minimal in this soup.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making this soup is overcooking the chicken thighs, which can make them tough and stringy – even though thighs are more forgiving than breasts, pull them out as soon as they’re cooked through and shred them before adding back to the pot.

Another common error is adding the noodles too early, which turns them mushy and unappetizing – cook them separately or add them to individual bowls and pour the hot broth over them to maintain the perfect texture.

Don’t dump all your aromatics in at once either; start by gently cooking the garlic and ginger until fragrant (about 30 seconds) before adding other ingredients, as burnt garlic will make your entire soup taste bitter.

Finally, save those scallion greens and sesame oil for the very end – adding them too early kills their fresh flavor and bright color that makes this soup so satisfying.

What to Serve With Ginger Garlic Chicken Noodle Soup?

This warming soup is pretty much a complete meal on its own, but I love serving it with some steamed dumplings or crispy spring rolls on the side for extra comfort. A simple cucumber salad with rice vinegar dressing makes a nice, refreshing contrast to the rich, garlicky broth. If you want to keep things really simple, some crusty bread or even just a handful of crackers work great for dipping. For a more traditional approach, try serving it alongside some pickled vegetables or a small bowl of steamed rice to make it even more filling.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate: This soup keeps really well in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. I like to store the noodles separately from the broth and chicken if I can, since they can get a bit mushy over time. Just combine everything when you’re ready to eat!

Freeze: You can freeze the broth and chicken portion for up to 3 months, but I’d skip freezing the noodles since they don’t hold up well. Just cook fresh noodles when you’re ready to serve the thawed soup. Freeze it in individual portions for easy weeknight dinners.

Warm Up: Gently reheat the soup on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until it’s hot throughout. If you stored the noodles separately, add them back in during the last few minutes of heating. You might need to add a splash of water if the broth has thickened up.

Preparation Time	10-15 minutes
Cooking Time	20-30 minutes
Total Time	30-45 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Easy

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2050-2200
• Protein: 165-185 g
• Fat: 55-65 g
• Carbohydrates: 210-230 g

Ingredients

For the chicken noodle soup:

• 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 piece ginger (3 inches), peeled and finely chopped
• 1 bundle scallions (6 to 8 oz), thinly sliced, divided into whites and greens
• 4 tsp kosher salt
• Freshly ground black or white pepper, to taste
• 10 cups water
• 8 oz dried ramen noodles or dried curly noodles
• 1 cup carrot, cut into thin matchsticks

For the sauce drizzle:

• 1/4 cup black rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• Crispy chili oil, to taste

Step 1: Simmer the Chicken and Aromatics

• 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 piece ginger (3 inches), peeled and finely chopped
• scallion whites from 1 bundle scallions, thinly sliced
• 4 tsp kosher salt
• freshly ground black or white pepper, to taste
• 10 cups water

In a 4-to-5-quart pot, combine the boneless skinless chicken thighs, sliced garlic, chopped ginger, scallion whites (set aside the scallion greens for later), kosher salt, freshly ground pepper, and water.

Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.

Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and allow it to simmer uncovered.

Stir the pot occasionally and let the chicken cook until it is very tender and cooked through, about 15 minutes.

Step 2: Prepare the Soy-Vinegar Sauce

• 1/4 cup black rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• crispy chili oil, to taste

While the soup simmers, whisk together the black rice vinegar, soy sauce, and toasted sesame oil in a medium bowl.

Stir in crispy chili oil to taste.

This will create a tangy sauce for drizzling over the soup later.

I like to add a generous spoonful of chili oil for extra depth and heat, but you can adjust the amount based on your spice preference.

Step 3: Shred the Chicken and Cook the Noodles

• 8 oz dried ramen noodles or dried curly noodles
• 1 cup carrot, cut into thin matchsticks
• cooked chicken from Step 1

Once the chicken is cooked and tender (from Step 1), use tongs to remove the chicken pieces from the pot and transfer them onto a cutting board.

Add the dried ramen noodles and carrot matchsticks to the simmering broth, cooking according to the noodle package instructions, usually about 3–4 minutes.

Meanwhile, use two forks to shred the cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces.

Step 4: Finish the Soup

• shredded chicken from Step 3

Once the noodles are tender, return the shredded chicken (from Step 3) to the pot.

Gently stir everything together and rewarm for about 1 minute.

Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with more salt or pepper if needed.

Sometimes I like to add an extra dash of soy sauce at this stage to bump up the umami flavor.

Step 5: Assemble and Serve

• scallion greens from 1 bundle scallions, thinly sliced
• soy-vinegar sauce from Step 2

Divide the hot soup, with noodles and chicken, among serving bowls.

Top each bowl with a generous handful of reserved scallion greens for freshness and crunch.

Drizzle each serving with about 1 tablespoon of the soy-vinegar sauce from Step 2, adding more to taste.

Serve immediately, letting everyone add extra sauce or chili crisp as desired.