Equipment
Ingredients
Main
- 680 g chicken thighs
- 2 g salt, to taste
- 1 g black pepper, to taste
- 30 ml vegetable oil
- 2 garlic, minced
- 4 g ginger, grated
- 15 ml mirin
- 15 g sugar
- 15 ml tamari
- 225 g soba (buckwheat noodles)
- 225 g sugar snap peas, trimmed
- 1900 ml water
- 200 g leeks, diced
- 66 g miso, to taste
- 140 g baby spinach
- basil, julienned
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 414 kcal
- Protein
- 24 g
- Carbohydrates
- 25 g
- Fat
- 25 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 8 g
- Sodium
- 703 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 6 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 12 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Cholesterol
- 111 mg
- Potassium
- 546 mg
- Calcium
- 89 mg
- Iron
- 3.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 70 mg
- Phosphorus
- 251 mg
- Zinc
- 2.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 186 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 34 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 147 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.7 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.19 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.27 mg
- Niacin
- 5.9 mg
- Folate
- 89 mcg
- Water
- 483 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Season the chicken thighs evenly with salt and black pepper.
Heat vegetable oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat (190°C/375°F). Sear the chicken thighs for 4 minutes per side, adjusting heat to prevent excessive browning.
Add minced garlic and grated ginger to the pot. Sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
Stir in the mirin, sugar, tamari, and water.
Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer gently for 20 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 74°C/165°F.
In a separate saucepan, boil the soba noodles until al dente according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cool water.
In a small pot of boiling water, blanch the diced leeks and trimmed sugar snap peas for 1 minute. Drain and rinse with cool water.
Remove the chicken from the soup pot and cut into 1.5 cm (1/2 inch) pieces.
Whisk the miso in a small bowl with a small amount of warm broth (60°C/140°F) until the mixture is smooth.
Return the chopped chicken to the soup pot. Stir in the miso mixture, baby spinach, blanched leeks, and snap peas. Heat for 1 minute until the spinach is wilted.
Place the cooked soba noodles into bowls. Ladle the hot soup over the noodles and garnish with julienned basil.
Chef's Notes
- For an even deeper flavor, consider using chicken bones to make a more robust broth for the soup base.
- Don't boil the miso; adding it at the end and gently heating preserves its delicate flavor and beneficial probiotics.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, tamari, and miso at the very end, as miso itself can be quite salty.
- When searing the chicken, ensure the pot is hot enough to create a good crust, but adjust the heat to prevent the garlic and ginger from burning.
- The blanching of leeks and snap peas ensures they retain their vibrant color and a slight crispness, adding textural contrast to the soup.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store noodles and broth separately to prevent the noodles from becoming mushy.
Reheating: Warm the broth on the stovetop over medium heat; add noodles and vegetables just before serving.
Troubleshooting
Miso broth tastes flat or lacks aroma
Cause: The broth was boiled after the miso was added.
Fix: Cannot be fixed; boiling destroys the delicate fermented flavors of miso.
Prevention: Add miso at the very end of cooking and do not let the soup return to a rolling boil.
Miso is clumpy in the soup
Cause: Miso paste was added directly to the pot without being dissolved first.
Fix: Whisk the broth vigorously or strain the soup to remove clumps.
Prevention: Always whisk miso with a small amount of warm liquid in a separate bowl before adding to the main pot.
Cultural Context
Miso soup is a cornerstone of Japanese cuisine, traditionally served as part of a meal, not typically as a main course. This recipe, however, elevates it into a heartier dish by incorporating chicken, noodles, and vegetables, making it a satisfying and modern interpretation suitable for a lighter main meal.
