I’ve been fighting the creeping crud and nothing helps fight germs better than a big bowl of soup, preferably spicy soup. This Chinese chicken noodle cabbage soup is perfect. The spicy broth clears the sinuses, the garlic, ginger and chili sauce have antibiotic qualities, and it tastes good too.
I adapted the recipe from a recipe I found on Epicurious. It’s not just smaller quantities though. My version has less sugar, and is a bit spicier (I wanted the heat more than sweetness). Gotta fight those germs! Also, since I didn’t have tahini handy (and wouldn’t want to buy it just for this), I ditched that and used peanut butter instead. I didn’t have seasoned rice vinegar either, so I substituted the regular kind. Their recipe cooked the chicken by boiling it in the soup. I decided I wanted more complex, caramelized flavor, so I cooked it with the cabbage. And, since I didn’t have sherry I reasoned that since sherry was essentially fortified wine, that some red wine and a drizzle of honey would work just fine. It did!
This is enough for one generous serving, or two smaller ones, depending on how hungry you are.
Chinese Chicken Cabbage Noodle Soup
Spicy chinese chicken cabbage noodle soup fragrant with garlic, chili garlic sauce, and scallions. Not too hot and not too sweet.
Notes
*If you use unsweetened, natural peanut butter, add a little sugar or honey
** How to chiffonade:
Take the cabbage leaves and stack them on top of each other. Then roll them up like a cigar. Cut them across (the short way) so you end up with long, thin ribbons.
Ingredients
- 1 large chicken thigh (or 2 smaller ones)
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp sherry (or use red wine and a drizzle of honey)
- 1 tsp sesame oil (divided)
- 1 garlic clove, smashed and minced
- 1 tsp peanut butter*
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
- 1/2 tsp rice vinegar
- 12 tsp chili garlic sauce
- 5-6 leaves cabbage, shredded or chiffonade**
- 1 tsp canola oil
- 1 scallion, diced
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 oz long noodles, with water to cook
Instructions
- Cut up the chicken thigh into strips and put them in a small bowl.
- Add the soy, sherry, and half the sesame oil to the bowl with the chicken.
- Let sit about 20 minutes.
- In another bowl, mix together the garlic, peanut butter, ginger, rice vinegar, and chili garlic sauce.
- In a large, sturdy pot (a Dutch oven will work nicely), heat the rest of the sesame oil, and the canola oil on medium-high heat. Add the cabbage and the scallions.
- Cook for five minutes until the cabbage softens slightly.
- Add the chicken mixture and cook another 3-5 minutes.
- Add the broth, increase the heat, and bring the soup to a boil. Once it's boiling, turn the heat down a bit and let the soup simmer for five minutes.
- While the soup is coming to a boil, fill a saucepan with water and heat to boiling. Once it's boiling, add the noodles and cook 5-8 minutes until al dente.
- Once the noodles are done, drain them in a colander.
- Pour the soup into a large bowl, and add the noodles.
Chinese Chicken Noodle Cabbage Soup Substitutions and Variations
- Add some sliced mushrooms, broccoli, or snow peas to the soup (when you cook the cabbage and scallions)
- Substitute bok choy for the cabbage
- Want it spicier? Drizzle the finished soup with some sriracha or more chili garlic sauce
- Go with the original recipe and use the tahini instead of the peanut butter
- Like it less spicy? Use sriracha in the recipe instead of the chili garlic sauce
Chinese Chicken Noodle Cabbage Soup Ingredients
This is great for lots of recipes: put it in Chinese eggplant with garlic sauce, chili citrus chicken thighs, sesame noodles, or add a kick to scrambled eggs or meatloaf. Or, mix it into mayonnaise for chili aioli.
This is just about essential for Asian cooking. Use it in this recipe, or for an Asian cole slaw. Baste meat with it, or combine it with some soy sauce, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and scallions for a quick dipping sauce.
Another essential for Asian cooking, great for salad dressings, shrimp, or teriyaki. Use it in Chinese cucumber salad, or saute it with some spinach.
More Asian Noodle and Soup Recipes
Easy Singapore Noodles with Chicken for One Person
Got leftovers? This easy, flavorful stir-fry dish with chicken, noodles, and veggies is a great way to use them up.
Spicy Sesame Noodles Recipe for One Person
Another takeout classic, which you can easily make yourself. Some recipes call for non-standard household ingredients like tahini or sesame paste. Great, but not necessarily available everywhere. But, lots of us have peanut butter! Use that instead. Then slurp up the noodles.
Spicy Beef Noodle Soup for One
This is practically instant soup. Just dump, pour, heat, and eat. The whole thing takes 10 minutes if you have cooked leftover beef.
Like dan dan noodles? This version is much simpler, with more readily available ingredients. Make the chili oil, make the noodles, toss in the veggies, and mix it all together.
This is hands down the best comfort food ever! Love your spicier version and the addition of peanut butter. Yum!
Thanks! It’s getting chilly here and all I want is soup!
Love your thought process! The soup is definitely something we will love any day.
Hi Archana,
Thanks! Sometimes you have to work with what you have!