Get ready to warm your soul with my Japanese Chicken Noodle Soup, also known as Hot Soba! This delightful dish features tender cubed chicken thighs and nutty buckwheat soba noodles in a flavorful broth, making it an easy, delicious choice that’s perfect for those chilly days! I crafted this recipe to be light yet satisfying, so you can enjoy a comforting bowl that’s packed with amazing flavors—let’s dive in and create something wonderful together!
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
I absolutely love my Japanese Chicken Noodle Soup because it’s a delicious and easy dish to make at home, capturing the essence of a classic Japanese-style hot soba also known as ‘atatakai soba’ with a straightforward, fuss-free recipe! What makes it truly special is the homemade flavorful broth I create using basic Japanese ingredients, drawing inspiration from my Japanese Chicken Soup!
I add a touch of sweetness that echoes the flavors in my Beef Udon, and combine that with the nutty buckwheat soba noodles from my Japanese Soba recipe to craft a satisfying meal that’s perfect for warming you up during colder seasons. With its light, sweet, and savory profile packed with umami flavors, this soup is ideal for anyone seeking comfort food that’s both nourishing and full of flavor! Trust me, once you try it, you’ll want to make this delightful dish again and again!
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Soba Noodles – Japanese Buckwheat Soba Noodles found at Asian grocery stores. I recommend using standard soba noodles, which is light grey in color.
- Chicken – boneless and skinless chicken thigh.
- Dashi – fish broth made from steeping kombu and bonito flakes with boiling water. Can also use Hondashi mixed in water for instant dashi. Used as the base broth for the recipe.
- Japanese Sake – typically will come in a large bottle labeled junmai sake. Can also substitute with dry sherry wine or Chinese cooking wine, found at local grocery stores or Asian markets.
- Soy Sauce – low-sodium Soy Sauce preferred. Can also use tamari for gluten-free.
- Sweetener – use your preferred sweetener.
- Salt – sea salt preferred.
- Shiitake Mushroom – fresh shiitake mushroom cleaned. I recommend removing the stem and cutting two cross sectional lines into the top of the mushroom caps. This technique helps the flavors penetrate better during cooking
- Kamaboko – Japanese style fish cake, often pink in color. Can be found at Asian grocery stores, often in the freezer section.
- Bonito Flakes – made from shaved Dried Bonito fish. Commonly used to make broth and responsible for giving Japanese cuisine that signature umami flavor. Used as a topping.
- Green Onions – sliced green onion scallions.
- Togarashi (red pepper) – Togarashi Japanese chili pepper blend found in most Asian or Japanese supermarkets.
🥢 Dashi Pro Tip
For easier preparation of the dashi, use Hondashi mixed with water. This quick tip simplifies the process and ensures a flavorful base for your dish.
🍶 Mirin Note
While Mirin is traditionally used to make hot soba, this recipe takes into account the potential unavailability of Mirin in certain locations. To address this, the recipe adjusts the ratio of Japanese sake and sweetener.
🍜 Soba Note
When it comes to soba, you have two choices, Standard Soba, which has a light grey color, or White Soba. White soba is made from the center of the buckwheat, resulting in a softer texture and a milder flavor. While traditional standard soba is commonly used in recipes for its robust taste and earthy qualities, you can use either depending on your preference.
Directions
Step 1 Trim and clean the shiitake mushrooms, slice the kamaboko, slice the green onions and cut the chicken thigh into cubes.
Step 2 Prepare the base soba broth by combining Dashi, Japanese sake, soy sauce, sweetener, and salt in a medium-sized pot. Bring to a boil, then add the shiitake mushrooms and cubed chicken thigh. Cover and cook on low heat for 10 minutes.
🧂 Flavor Adjustment Pro Tip
Adjust the taste with Salt if required.
Step 3 Prepare the soba noodles by placing them in boiling water and cooking for 5-10 minutes according to the package instructions (time will vary depending on the thickness of the soba). Once cooked, remove the noodles and place them in a serving bowl.
🥢 Soba Broth Pro Tip
If desired, you can add 2-4 tbsp of the Soba Broth into the soup broth. This will given the soup additional depth and flavor.
Step 4 Combine the hot soup base with the noodles, then place the sliced kamaboko on top followed by sliced green onion and a pinch of katsuboshi bonito flakes. Serve with optional red pepper togarashi.
Recipe Variations
For a delicious twist on this simple recipe, try making a Chicken Udon variation! Simply swap the soba noodles for udon noodles, making slight adjustments to the ingredient ratios.
Pairing Recommendations
While this noodles soup is a hearty meal on its own, it pairs wonderfully with refreshing sides like my Cold Japanese Spinach Salad or a bowl of Japanese Style Boiled Tofu. Together, these dishes create a balanced meal that showcases the best of Japanese cuisine!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make the soup ahead of time?
Yes, you can prepare the soup base in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.
What type of noodles can I use for this recipe?
You can use either standard soba noodles, which are grey in color, or white soba noodles for this recipe. I recommend standard soba for its richer flavor, but both options will work well in the soup.
Is this recipe suitable for meal prep?
Yes, the soup base can be made ahead, but it’s best to add the noodles just before serving to maintain their texture.
Storage Tips
Once the noodles and broth are combined, it’s best to eat the soup right away. However, the soup base can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.
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Watch How To Make It
Japanese Chicken Noodle Soup Hot Soba
Ingredients
- 5 oz Soba Noodles 2 bundles
- 1/2 lbs Chicken Thigh boneless and skinless
- 2 1/2 Cup Dashi
- 2 tbsp Sake
- 2 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 1 tbsp Sweetener
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 4 Pieces Shiitake Mushroom fresh
- 1 oz Japanese Fish Cake kamaboko
- 1 tbsp Bonito Flakes katsuobshi, topping
- 1 Stalk Green Onions sliced
- 1/8 tsp Togarashi optional, ground red pepper
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients.
- Prepare the ingredients by cleaning and trimming the shiitake mushrooms, slicing the kamaboko, cubing the chicken thigh, and slicing the green onions.
- In a medium-sized pot, combine dashi, Japanese sake, soy sauce, sweetener, and salt, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the shiitake mushrooms and cubed chicken, cover, and cook on low for 10 minutes.
- In the meantime, prepare the soba by boiling it in water for 5-10 minutes per packaging instructions. Once cooked, remove the noodles and place them in a serving bowl. Note - if desired, add 2-4 tbsp of the soba broth to the main chicken broth. This gives the soup additional depth.
- Combine the hot soup with the noodles, then place the sliced kamaboko on top along with the sliced green onions and a pinch of katsuboshi bonito flakes. Serve with optional togarashi red pepper.