Chicken, Bok Choy, and Udon Noodle Soup Recipe

With cold season here, it is time for soup recipes! Today, Chef Gidget is back to share a warm and cozy Chicken, Bok Choy, and Udon Noodle Soup Recipe! What makes the recipe extra delicious and fights colds is the chili-lemongrass-ginger sauce she makes from scratch! Gidget is here to share how she naturally fights cold and flu season with natural ingredients. If you are looking for a twist on a classic Chicken noodle soup recipe, this is an amazing option! Gidget is passionate about healthy foods and incorporating natural essential oils into her recipes. We are thankful for her sharing this recipe to help us stay healthy and nourished during cold and flu season. Below is this simple but fancy Udon Noodle Soup recipe that you are going to want to make even with you are not struggling with a cold!

When winter is upon us I stock my pantry, and fridge with ingredients like ginger, garlic, Young Living Lemongrass & Ginger Vitality Oils, chicken bone broth, and different kinds of vinegars which can help ease cold and flu symptoms. A simple search about these ingredients with the words “health benefits of” will fill your screen with dozens of articles on how they can be antiviral, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, ease congestion, help with muscle fatigue, relieve a sore throat, reduce a fever, melt mucus, and just make you feel better.
When someone in my house gets sick I always make a big pot of chicken soup as the first line of defense. Second, I would make a wellness shot with ginger, garlic, vinegar, and honey which I can handle, but my husband and young adult daughter despise. That being said, I invented this Chicken, Bok Choy, Soba Noodle Soup with Cold Fighting Chili-Lemongrass-Ginger Sauce to top it off with. The sauce is on the side so those with a sensitive palette can make their serving as mild, or spicy as they like it.

*A note about the Vitality oils. I use Young Living therapeutic grade Vitality Oils in my recipes. Please make sure the oils you are using to cook with are safe to consume. This post contains affiliate links directly to Gidget’s YL page. I am so thankful to Gidget for sharing her recipes with us, if you are interested in making a YL purchase, please know that purchasing through this is a great way to encourage her to continue to share free recipes with us. Purchasing through her link supports a mom directly at no additional cost to you.

Chicken, Bok Choy, and Udon Noodle Soup

with Cold Fighting Chili-Lemongrass-Ginger Sauce

Ingredients for soup:

2 quarts low sodium chicken broth

2 boneless skinless chicken breast filets

4 medium cloves of garlic (peeled and minced)

1.5 inch piece of ginger (peeled and grated)

3 heads of baby bok choy (leaves separated and washed)

2 Tbsp avocado or vegetable oil

1 package udon noodles (I use gluten free rice based)

2 tsp lower sodium soy sauce, or gluten free tamari

4 tsp yellow or white miso paste

Ingredients for Chili-Lemongrass-Ginger Sauce:

2 tsp chili onion crunch

1.5 tsp lower sodium soy sauce, or gluten free tamari 

1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil

1.5 Tbsp unseasoned rice vinegar

4 drops Young Living Lemongrass Vitality Oil

2 drops Young Living Ginger Vitality Oil

Directions:

Place the two chicken breasts in a 4-5 quart sauce pan, pour ONE quart of the chicken broth over them, and over low-medium heat bring it to a low simmer, NOT A ROLLING BOIL.  Keeping the heat on low so there are a few simmering bubbles here and there, cover the pot and set a timer for 11 minutes. Start checking the chicken for doneness at 11 minutes.  It is cooked through when an instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast reads 165 degrees.  When it is done remove the chicken from the broth to cool, and add the remaining 1 quart of chicken broth to the pot, turn up the heat, and bring it to a boil to cook the noodles in.  While waiting for the broth to boil make the Chili-Lemongrass-Ginger Sauce.  In a bowl combine the chili onion crunch, soy sauce or gluten free tamari, toasted sesame oil, unseasoned rice vinegar, lemongrass vitality oil, ginger vitality oil, and whisk well to combine.  The sauce will be used as a condiment topper for the soup when it is done.  Pour the avocado or vegetable oil in a large soup pot over low heat, then add the minced garlic, and ginger stirring constantly for one minute being careful to not let it burn, or get crispy. Think “low and slow” when sauteing ginger, and garlic. Add the bok choy, and stir well to coat the leaves evenly for about one minute.  Ladle ¼ cup of the warm chicken broth over the bok choy, cover, and cook for 2 minutes to steam the leaves, making sure the heat stays low.  After two minutes turn off the heat, and remove the cover.  The chicken should be cool enough to handle at this point, and you can hand tear it into bite size pieces, and add it to the bok choy.

When the broth comes to a rolling boil add your udon noodles, give it a stir, and cook the noodles until done, but still slightly firm according to the package directions. Turn off the heat, and pour the broth with the noodles over the bok choy and chicken. Stir in the 2 tsp of soy sauce or tamari, and 1.5 tbsp of miso paste, stir, and ladle into bowls.  Serve it warm and pass a bowl of the Chili-Lemongrass-Ginger sauce around the table so everyone can make their soup just as spicy as they like it.  

Thank you to Chef Gidget for sharing another delicious recipe with us! I have always loved ginger and lemongrass flavors in soup, but thought it was too much of a hassle to make at home, I honestly had never thought to use essential oils in cooking outside of lemon. We use ginger and lemongrass when making soup, but never thought to have the essential oils on hand. We hope that this cozy soup helps you feel better while we all get through cold and flu season.