Ahhh, chicken soup. My Asian-inspired version will warm you right up! Fragrant and herby, Ginger Chicken Soup (made easier in the Instant Pot) will soon become your new winter favorite.
I love my Instant Pot. When pressed for time, it’s a real time saver. And this Instant Pot Ginger Chicken Soup is especially tasty.
All that long-simmered, rich flavor. Spiked with ginger and fish sauce. Fragrant and aromatic, with a healthy dose of herbs, you really can’t go wrong!
The best part? Dump everything into the Instant Pot. Then go about your day. Yes, it’s really that simple!
I like to serve this soup Vietnamese style, like a Chicken Pho. No, it’s not the same. Pho is a work of art and I cannot replicate the taste and flavor of this Vietnamese specialty.
But when pinched for time, Ginger Chicken Soup is a good enough weeknight substitute. Serve with a variety of herbs, as well as lime wedges, sliced jalapeno, and sriracha on the side. A 30-minute dinner never looked so good!
All the warming ginger, all that punch of flavor from fish sauce. Ginger Chicken Soup is my family’s favorite winter soup!
Ingredients:
Ginger. I store ginger, alongside garlic, in a small, shallow bowl in my fridge. This open-air container ensures fresh ginger, every time! When a recipe calls for ginger, cut off the desired amount with a clean knife. Then return the rest to the fridge. The fresh cut will “scab” over in a few days.
If not used, ginger will soon start to shrivel. Don’t throw it out! Peel the skin and make Ginger Scallion sauce instead.
Otherwise, store ginger in the freezer. When ready to use, grate or slice into thin strips. This is the best option if you don’t use ginger often.
Chicken with bones + skin. Chicken soup made from a whole chicken is magical. The flavor and richness from all that bone, cartilage, and tendon cannot be replicated! Still, it takes a long time (an hour or more) to cook. What’s a person to do?
My weeknight concession is chicken thighs with bones and skin. The smaller pieces cook up faster. And there’s just enough bone, fat, skin, and cartilage to make a rich broth. Not the same as a whole chicken, but good enough!
Fish Sauce. Fish Sauce is fermented anchovy sauce. Anchovies are salted and packed into barrels. Then the super flavorful “juice” is collected and bottled. Don’t be afraid of the strong smell — it’s delicious!
Fish Sauce adds a deep umami flavor that’s salty and sharp. A little goes a long way. Also, Fish Sauce tastes best when sprinkled at the end.
PIN FOR LATER:
IP Ginger Chicken Soup
Ingredients
In the Instant Pot
- 4 chicken thighs with skin + bones
- 1 onion peeled + cut in half
- 4 garlic cloves
- 3 inch knob ginger cut into thick slices
- 1 Tbsp Better Than Bullion chicken seasoning (optional)
- 1 Tbsp peppercorns
- 7 cups water cold
Seasoning
- 1-2 Tbsp fish sauce (according to taste)
Optional toppings:
- 4 soft boiled eggs
- 1 cup cooked vegetable of choice
- 4 ounces rice vermicelli
Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Dump all ingredients (except the fish sauce) into the Instant Pot
- Set the manual mode to 18 minutes, high pressure. Turn off the “Keep Warm” function.
- When the Instant Pot is finished cooking, manually release the steam. Open the Instant Pot and remove the chicken thighs onto a plate and set aside.Strain the rest of the stock with a fine-mesh sieve into a large pot. Season with fish sauce, according to taste. Cover and set aside.
- Remove the chicken skin from the chicken thighs. Using two forks, shred the chicken meat. Set aside.
Conventional Stovetop directions:
- Put all ingredients (except the fish sauce) into a large stock pot. Bring to a a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 1 hour.
- Remove chicken thighs onto a plate and set aside. Strain the rest of the stock with a fine-mesh sieve. Season with fish sauce. Cover and set aside.
- Remove the chicken skin from the chicken thighs. Using two forks, shred the chicken meat. Set aside.
To serve:
- Add shredded chicken back into the pot. Cover and keep warm.
- Soak rice vemicelli in hot water for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water. Add rice vermicelli to the soup pot.
- Ladle soup with shredded chicken and rice vermicelli in large bowls. Serve with fresh herbs (cilantro, basil, mint, green onion), lime wedges, sliced jalapeno, and sriracha.
Notes
More Soup Inspiration:
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