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:

More Soup Inspiration:

Kimchi Stew aka Kimchi Jjigae

Basic Chili

Budae Jjigae