A healthy, Asian-inspired, made from scratch, homemade chicken soup. Shake up your soup game with Lemongrass Chicken Soup!

this recipe

When the weather gets cold, it’s time for homemade chicken noodle soup!

And this Asian-inspired, healthy chicken soup is especially cozy and delicious.

With clear chicken stock, bright herbs, and tangle of rice noodles — this is the best kind of fragrant, full-bodied chicken soup that’s SO exciting and delicious.

Change up your hum-drum soup game with this Asian twist on classic chicken noodle soup!

Reasons to love Lemongrass Chicken Soup:

There are so many reasons to love Lemongrass Chicken Soup!

1. Homemade soup from scratch
2. Simple recipe with minimal ingredients
3. Gluten-free, dairy-free
4. Exciting flavors
5. Makes great leftovers

Ingredients for Lemongrass Chicken Soup:

• Chicken Leg Quarters. My favorite method to achieve great flavor in chicken soup. Also labeled “Chicken Legs with the Backs Attached.” Or “Whole Chicken Legs.” All that extra skin, bone, cartilage, and tendon provide so much flavor, body, depth, and richness.
• Lemongrass + Onion. The aromatics that are the flavor base of this light and delicious soup.
• Rice Noodles. Keeps the soup light, fresh, and gluten free.
• Chicken Bouillon. A little bit adds SO much chicken flavor! I use Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base but any kind will do.
• Toppings. Not just garnish! My essentials include a generous dose of cilantro and drizzle of sriracha. Other topping options are listen below.

Cooking Tips:

• Do not cook the rice noodles in the soup pot! The noodles will turn gummy and overcook if you add directly to the soup pot. Instead, soak the rice noodles in hot water for 10 minutes. Then rinse with cold water so they don’t stick. Add to the chicken soup right before serving. The Asian method of keeping noodles bouncy.
• Pound the lemongrass. An important step that releases the aromatic oil found inside lemongrass. Pound with a rolling pin until cracked and splitting apart. The goal is to crush the stalk and release its fragrance. Not the same without pounding!
• Use chicken with skin + bones. The secret to making tasty Lemongrass Chicken Soup. Skinless, boneless chicken simply cannot produce the same body, depth, and flavor! If swapping the whole legs for chicken breast, make sure bone and skin are attached.
• Skim the fat + scum. A simple step that produces a clear, uncluttered broth.

Optional Toppings:

There are so many ways to enjoy this simple, Asian-inspired soup! I love to add whatever I have in my pantry. Some of my favorite additions:

• Soft Boiled Egg. An easy way to add extra protein.
• Fried Shallots. Crunchy and flavorful. Look for them at the Asian market. They come in a tub, already fried and ready to eat.
• Jalapeno slices. Fragrant, spicy heat!
• Carrots. A handful of julienned carrots add color and freshness.
• Bok Choy. Mild tasting and flavorful.
• Napa Cabbage. Another mild vegetable that’s a favorite addition to Asian style soups.

Other Asian Soup/Stews you may enjoy:

• Dak Gomtang (Korean Chicken Soup)
• Instant Pot Ginger Chicken Soup
• Korean Oxtail Soup
• Homemade Miso Soup
• Doenjang Jjigae (Soybean Paste Stew)
• Kimchi Jjigae

Lemongrass Chicken Soup

The Subversive Table | Lis Lam

All the cozy comfort of chicken soup. With Asian-inspired twists: lemongrass, cilantro, rice noodles. Change up your soup game with Lemongrass Chicken Soup!

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Dinner, Lunch, Soup

Cuisine Asian

Servings 4

Calories 292 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 lbs Chicken Leg Quarters, bone-in, skin-on about 3-4 leg quarters
• 3-4 stalks lemongrass
• 1 large onion peeled and cut in half (keep root intact for easier removal)
• 1-2 tsps salt (according to taste)
• 8 cups cold water

To serve:

• 1/2 8 oz/ 462 g package Rice noodles dried
• Cilantro chopped
• Sriracha optional

Instructions

 

• Butcher Chicken Leg Quarters into two pieces: legs and thighs. Place the chicken pieces into the stock pot. Or, leave them in whole. (I find it cooks faster when butchered into two).
• Prep Lemongrass: place 1 stalk on a cutting board. Pound with a mallet or rolling pin until cracked and splitting apart. Alternately, grip a knife handle with your fist and pound down with the butt of the handle. The bruised lemongrass should be fragrant. Place in stock pot, on top of chicken. Add onion, salt, and water.
• Bring to a boil. Skim off the fat and scum with a mesh strainer. Lower heat to medium low and simmer until chicken is tender and the broth looks oily and golden yellow in color, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, place dried rice noodles in a large bowl. Add boiling water (I use my tea kettle) until noodles are covered with liquid. Let stand for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside. It's okay if there are a few pieces of noodle that are still hard.
• When the soup has finished cooking, remove onion remnants and lemongrass stalks with a slotted spoon. Remove chicken to a plate. Shred meat with two forks, making sure to remove all skin and bones.
• Add shredded chicken back into the pot. Add soaked, drained rice noodles and give the pot a good stir. Simmer on medium heat until noodles are tender, about 2 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more salt if necessary.
• Serve immediately, preferably with a generous sprinkling of cilantro and sriracha.

Notes

*2. You will only need the yellow, tender stalks of lemongrass.

Nutrition

Calories: 292kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 22gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 120mgSodium: 715mgPotassium: 330mgFiber: 0.5gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 120IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 35mgIron: 1mg

Keyword chicken, Lemongrass, Soup

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