This Asian-style Chilli Chicken Noodle Soup is a hearty and flavourful dish, perfect for anyone who enjoys a little spice in their bowl.
Serving six, it’s a great option for a family meal or a cosy dinner with friends.
This is a real winter warmer and there’s nothing like a nice bowl of soup.
After the indulgences of December, many people look for healthier meal options in January. This soup is packed with nutritious ingredients like chicken, a lean protein source, and a variety of vegetables like carrots, celery, leeks, and Pak choi, all of which are rich in vitamins and minerals. Ginger and garlic, known for their health benefits, add flavour as well as potential immune-boosting properties, which are especially beneficial during the winter months.
The soup is filling yet not overly heavy. After the rich foods of Christmas, a lighter yet satisfying meal can be a welcome change. The zest and juice of lime, along with the fresh coriander and red chilli garnish, offer bright, fresh flavours that can be a delicious contrast to the often dreary and grey weather of January. These elements bring a burst of vibrancy both in taste and appearance, lifting the spirits on a wet winter’s day.
Serve the soup over cooked noodles in bowls, garnished with fresh coriander and chopped red chilli. This dish is not just a treat for the taste buds but also looks great. The fresh greens and vibrant red of the chilli make it as appealing to the eye as it is to the palate. Enjoy this comforting, zesty soup on a chilly evening or anytime you crave a bowl full of warmth and flavour!
Asian-style Chilli Chicken Noodle Soup
Ingredients
- 3 carrots (peeled and cut into batons)
- 3 celery sticks (cut into small slices)
- Fresh ginger peeled and grated
- 1 whole chicken (medium sized)
- 1 tbsp crispy chilli oil
- 125ml Chinese rice wine
- 2.5l water
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
- 3 cloves of garlic (peeled and grated)
- Zest and juice of 1 lime
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 3 leeks (cut into circles then halved)
- 300g Pak choi (tear off the greens)
- 1 tin of bamboo shoots (drained)
- 100g baby sweet corn (halved)
- 6 noodle nests
- Fresh coriander to serve (chopped)
- Red chilli to serve (chopped)
Directions
- Over a medium heat, warm the crispy chilli oil in a pot big enough to hold all the ingredients. When the oil is hot, untruss the chicken and place breast side down in the pot for 3 – 4 minutes until the skin is a nice golden colour, then turn the chicken over.
- Turn the heat up then add the rice wine, water, chilli flakes, carrots, celery, garlic, soy, zest, and juice of the lime. When it starts to bubble up, pop the lid on and let it simmer for 60 – 70 minutes.
- Take the lid off and add the leeks, Pak choi stalks, baby sweet corn, and bamboo shoots. Bring back to the boil and allow to cook uncovered for 10 – 15 minutes.
- Turn the heat off and pop the lid back on. Let the soup sit like this for 30 – 40 minutes. This will give the all the flavours a little time to come to come together and you can get on with cooking the noodles separately.
- Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and cook the noodles according to the packet instructions.
- Once the soup has been standing for a while, remove the chicken and take the skin off. Shred the chicken meat, which should be easy to do because by now the chicken should just fall away from the bone.
- Bring the soup back to the boil and add the green parts of the Pak choi along with the chicken meat. Give everything a good stir let it bubble for 2 minutes then check the seasoning.
- Drain the noodles and place into serving bowls, then ladle the soup into each awaiting bowl. Sprinkle over the fresh coriander and red chilli to serve.
