Teriyaki Chicken Noodle Soup
What Is Teriyaki? Teriyaki is a Japanese cooking method that combines grilling ("yaki") with a glossy glaze ("teri," meaning "shine"). Traditionally, teriyaki involves grilling protein like fish with a glaze made from soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and sugar. In this recipe, we add fresh ginger and garlic to a quick chicken marinade. By reserving the marinade and thickening it with scallions, we create a flavorful, aromatic soup base.
Recipe Variations: Feel free to experiment with different vegetables! Mushrooms, carrots, radishes, red cabbage, bell peppers, or other types of mushrooms all work great with this soup. Using bone-in chicken thighs will also add extra depth of flavor and tenderness. When shredding the chicken in step 5, remove it from the bone for bite-sized pieces.
More Quick and Easy Soup Recipes
Teriyaki Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Marinating Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 6
Yield: 8 cups
Ingredients:
1 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup mirin
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 teaspoons grated garlic (from 4 cloves)
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 (7.1-ounce) packages instant udon noodles
4 medium scallions
3 tablespoons grapeseed oil, divided
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3 bunches baby bok choy, separated into leaves
1 cup sliced baby bella or crimini mushrooms
Method:
Marinate the Chicken
In a large bowl, mix the soy sauce, brown sugar, mirin, ginger, and garlic. Add the chicken thighs, ensuring they're well-coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes (or up to an hour). Beyond this, the soy sauce may affect the chicken’s texture.
Cook the Noodles
Follow the package instructions to prepare the udon noodles while the chicken marinades.
Chop the Scallions
Slice the scallions, separating the white and pale green parts from the dark green tops, and set aside.
Brown the Chicken
Drain the chicken, saving 1/4 cup of the marinade. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken, cooking until golden and the internal temperature reaches 165°F (about 4-5 minutes per side). Transfer the chicken to a bowl.
Pro Tip: Since the marinade has sugar, using a nonstick skillet helps prevent the chicken from burning.
Build the Broth
In a large Dutch oven, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add the white and pale green scallions and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour in the reserved marinade and cook until thickened, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the chicken broth, stirring until well combined. Bring the broth to a boil.
Shred the Chicken
While the broth heats up, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
Cook the Bok Choy and Mushrooms
Add the bok choy and mushrooms to the Dutch oven. Cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 3-5 minutes until tender.
Combine and Serve
Add the cooked noodles and shredded chicken to the broth. Stir everything together, then ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish with the dark green scallions.
The soup can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
