Creamy Ginger Chicken Soup with Soba Noodles

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Servings - 6

8-12 oz soba noodles
4 cups water
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts and/or thighs*
1 bunch scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces, dark green parts thinly sliced for topping
1-2 tbsp grated ginger (from about one 2-3-inch knob)
2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
2 tsp maple syrup
½ tsp kosher salt
4-5 cups chopped or thinly sliced veggies (or use frozen)**
½ cup tahini***
1 tbsp lime juice
Sriracha or chili crisp/chili oil (optional, for topping)
*Can also use ground meat or easily make vegetarian (see subs). If your breasts are very thick, slice them in half lengthwise so they cook faster.
**Save time and use frozen veggies here. I used the “stir fry blend” frozen veggies (a mix of broccoli, carrot, bell pepper, and mushrooms). You can also just use fresh or frozen greens (like kale, spinach, bok choy, etc…) or any other quick cooking veggie (broccoli, bell pepper, mushrooms, carrot, etc…).
***You can replace this with peanut butter, if you’d like (or use a combo).

Cook 8-12 oz soba noodles
Cut 1 bunch scallions into 1-inch pieces, dark green parts thinly sliced and saved for topping
Grate 1-2 tbsp ginger
Chop 4-5 cups veggies (or use frozen)
Make the soup

Cook your noodles according to the package instructions.
In a medium-large pot, stir together the water, chicken, white/light green scallion pieces, ginger, soy sauce, maple syrup, and salt. If using fresh veggies, add them now. If using frozen veg or leafy greens (these cook much faster), add them towards the end of simmering.
Bring to a boil over high heat, then cover with a lid and reduce the heat to low or medium-low to maintain a simmer for 5 minutes.
Flip the chicken over and continue to simmer, covered, for about 5 more minutes or until the chicken is cooked through (time will vary a lot depending on thickness of the chicken).
Transfer the chicken to a cutting board to rest for 5 minutes, then chop or shred it up.
Meanwhile, transfer about 1 heaping cup of the broth to a medium bowl or liquid measuring cup. Add the tahini and whisk until totally smooth, adding more broth if needed. Stir back into the pot along with the chicken and lime juice.
Add the noodles to your bowl and ladle the soup over top. Top with scallions and sriracha or chili oil, if using.

Substitutions:

To make vegetarian, use cubed tofu in place of chicken. Taste and add more soy sauce, if you think it needs more flavor. I’d suggest using mushrooms since they add a savory, meaty flavor.
You could use any noodle or sub with cooked rice or make it a noodle-free soup.
Use ground meat instead of whole chicken pieces - simply cook the ground meat in some oil and ½ teaspoon salt and then transfer it to a plate and stir it back in at the end.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer:
- Soup: in the fridge for up to 4 days or freezer for up to 2 months.
- Noodles: in the fridge for up to 6 days or freezer for up to 2 months.

Warm up leftover soup in the microwave until warmed through or bring to a gentle simmer in a pot to warm it through. Serve it over noodles and top with herbs/spicy toppings.
Put an egg on it!
You can thin the broth out with some water to stretch it. Just be sure to taste and season with more salt/soy sauce and lime juice.