Gentle ginseng chicken soup (Samgyetang)
A small chicken gently simmered with rice, garlic and ginseng. A mild shared pot with clear broth; the waiting time includes soaking rice.
AI-generated cooking illustrations. Follow the written quantities and instructions.
Ingredients
2 servings
Household amounts
For 2 servings. Use a small 180 ml paper cup, a level eating spoon (about 15 ml) and a small teaspoon (about 5 ml).
How to fill the cup and spoons
Use the same cup and spoons throughout. Actual cup and spoon sizes vary. Fill flour loosely and level it without pressing. Vegetable volume is after cutting, loosely filled. Amounts are approximate; the smaller g/ml amounts are the original reference. For a pack portion, use the stated label weight and divide the contents evenly.
King Arthur Baking-
Essential
Keep one small whole chicken, about 700 g, for this stuffed soup. A larger bird takes longer: both the thick thigh and the rice stuffing center must reach 74°C.
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Substitute available
If Dry glutinous rice is unavailable
- Use instead
- Dry short-grain rice
- Amount of replacement
- 3 level eating spoonsReference amount: 40 g
Soak for 60 minutes too. Do not pack the chicken tightly; both the chicken and the rice stuffing center must reach 74°C.
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Optional
Can be omitted. It adds ginseng aroma (without it this becomes plain chicken-and-rice soup); skip it in the steps and keep the other listed amounts.
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Optional
Can be omitted. It adds a mild sweet aroma; skip it in the steps and keep the other listed amounts.
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Optional
May be omitted; the flavour becomes milder. Skip the garlic preparation and addition.
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Optional
May be omitted; it adds fresh aroma rather than structure. Keep the recipe's remaining cooking time.
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Essential
Keep the listed cooking liquid; it controls hydration and sauce consistency. Use drinking water.
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Optional
May be omitted; the result will taste less seasoned. Leave the other ingredient quantities unchanged.
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Optional
May be omitted; it only adds a peppery aroma. Leave the remaining seasoning quantities unchanged.
Tap each ingredient as you prepare it. Check product labels for egg, soy, sesame, wheat, fish or shellfish where relevant.
Step-by-step cooking
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Step 1
Rinse 3 level eating spoons of raw glutinous rice and soak in cold water for 60 minutes, then drain. Wash the ginseng, jujubes and spring onion; peel the garlic. Keep a separate board for raw chicken.
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Step 2
Remove any giblets and pat the small chicken dry. Loosely fill its cavity with the soaked rice, 3 garlic cloves, 2 jujubes and the ginseng root. Leave room for the rice to swell; do not pack tightly.
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Step 3
Loosely close the opening with a toothpick. Put the chicken in a compact deep pot with the remaining 3 garlic cloves and 2 jujubes. Add 9 small paper cups of water; the chicken should be mostly covered.
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Step 4
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and skim the pale foam. Reduce to a gentle simmer, partly cover and cook for 60–70 minutes. Turn once carefully; add a little hot water if the chicken becomes exposed.
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Step 5
Check the thickest thigh and the center of the rice stuffing with a food thermometer: both must reach 74°C. The rice should be tender. If either is not ready, simmer for another 10 minutes and recheck; time alone is not a doneness test.
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Step 6
Remove the toothpick carefully. Lift the chicken into a deep serving bowl, ladle over broth and add chopped spring onion. Share the chicken and rice between two bowls. Add the salt and pepper gradually to each portion; the broth should stay mild.
Finished dish
One small chicken makes two light shared servings. Allow 60 minutes to soak the rice and roughly 70 minutes to cook after boiling. Remove bones before serving children. The chicken and rice stuffing must both reach 74°C; time alone does not confirm doneness.