Dak-Guk Inspired Korean Homestyle Chicken Soup
On chilly nights or sick days when I’m craving something cozy but not greasy, this Korean-Inspired Homestyle Chicken Soup is what I make. It’s inspired by Korean dak-guk, with a light, comforting clear broth and tender shredded chicken. Best eaten with a bowl of hot rice and kimchi, this soup is the perfect soup season meal. Simple, familiar, and perfect when you just want something warm and satisfying ready in under an hour.
Homestyle Chicken Broth
Perfect Sick Day Clear Chicken Soup
This recipe is inspired by Korean home-style dak-guk (닭국), a clear chicken soup commonly made in Korean households, especially on sick days or when they need a light, healing meal. Traditionally, dak-guk uses minimal seasoning and gentle aromatics to keep the broth clean and easy on the stomach. It’s the kind of meal that is simple, digests and absorbs easily, and incredibly familiar. It will definitely sooth you from the inside out.
I got sick last week, and this was the ONLY soup I wanted. It’s warm, comforting, and SO easy. My husband, who literally never cooks, made it for me while I was sick, so you KNOW it’s beginner-friendly. Honestly, the best recipes to have in your back pocket are the ones where you can throw everything into one pot, and let the stove do the work. This speedy, easy version also uses a small umami shortcut to deepen the flavor without adding heaviness. This might be one of the best things to eat on a super cold day!
Korean Chicken Soup Ingredients
- 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- Water enough to fully submerge chicken
- 1 splash soju optional
For the broth
- 1 whole onion halved
- 6-10 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
- 4 green onions
- 1 Piece ginger thumb-size, sliced
- 6 cups water start here — you can add more later
Finishing Seasoning
- 2½-3 Tbsp fish sauce or tuna seasoning
- ½–¾ tsp white pepper
- ¾-1 Tsp salt to taste
Broth Aromatics And Spices
To bring out the flavors of the chicken, we’re adding some aromatics and spices while simmering. These include onions, garlic, whole black peppercorn, green onion, and ginger. Once their flavors are cooked into the broth, I strain and remove these to keep the broth clear. Each of them has their own unique purpose:
- Onions: add sweetness and body
- Garlic: enhances the meaty flavors of the chicken
- Black Peppercorn: adds warmth
- Green Onion: neutralizes gamey flavor from chicken and adds sweetness.
- Ginger: neutralizes gamey flavor from chicken
Parboiled Chicken Thighs
We are using bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs For an extra clean broth and flavor, we’re parboiling the chicken thighs first. It’s an absolutely optional step, but I highly recommend it. It draws out the surface impurities. Then, add in a splash of soju to neutralize odor and tighten the meat. To parboil the chicken, you just have to boil in water for 3 minutes. Then, rinse with cold water and pat dry. At this point, your chicken is ready to be boiled into chicken soup.
My Secret Umami Boost
I’m using a little bit of a shortcut to this recipe for a little boost of umami. Traditionally, dak-guk usually gets all its umami from slow simmering the chicken for hours. To shorten the cooking time, some may include a little soy sauce or anchovies for an extra savory boost. Today, we’re using fish sauce instead. It still has that savory seafood umami flavor, and is super convenient. If you like a deeper flavor, you can add chives to the broth as well and simmer for a few extra minutes.
How To Make Korean Chicken Soup
- Parboil the chicken (optional but recommended): Add the chicken thighs to a pot and cover with water. Add a splash of soju if using. Bring to a simmer and cook for 3 minutes.
Remove the chicken, rinse under cold water, and pat dry. This step helps remove impurities for a cleaner broth. - Build the broth: In a large pot, add the cleaned chicken thighs, onion, garlic, black peppercorns, green onions, ginger, and enough water to fully cover everything ~ 6-8 cups of water. Bring to a gentle simmer, skim off any oil or foam from the surface, then cover and simmer on medium-low heat for 40 minutes.
- Shred the chicken: After 40 minutes, remove the chicken from the pot and shred the meat. Set aside.
- Strain & season: Strain the broth into a clean pot. Season with fish sauce or tuna seasoning, white pepper, and salt to taste. If you like a deeper, more savory flavor, you can add chives to the broth and simmer for a few extra minutes.
- Assemble & serve: Add shredded chicken into a bowl, ladle hot broth over top, and bring everything to a gentle simmer if needed. Finish with green onions and freshly ground black pepper.
Storing and Freezing Your Leftover Chicken Soup
If you have leftover soup, you can definitely store it for later. The soup can keep in the fridge for 3-4 days. I’d recommend storing the shredded chicken and the broth separately. This way, you can reheat by putting the broth to a boil, then add in the chicken so it stays tender instead of getting rubbery. This soup can also be easily frozen so you can have it literally any time. You can store it in a sealed container for up to 3 months in the freezer.
More Cozy Sick Day Comfort Foods To Warm You Up
Dak-Guk Inspired Korean Homestyle Chicken Soup
By Tiffy Cooks
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- Water enough to fully submerge chicken
- 1 splash soju optional
For the broth
- 1 whole onion halved
- 6-10 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
- 4 green onions
- 1 Piece ginger thumb-size, sliced
- 6 cups water start here — you can add more later
Finishing Seasoning
- 2½-3 Tbsp fish sauce or tuna seasoning
- ½–¾ tsp white pepper
- ¾-1 Tsp salt to taste
Instructions
- Parboil the chicken (optional but recommended): Add the chicken thighs to a pot and cover with water. Add a splash of soju if using. Bring to a simmer and cook for 3 minutes. Remove the chicken, rinse under cold water, and pat dry. This step helps remove impurities for a cleaner broth.
- Build the broth: In a large pot, add the cleaned chicken thighs, onion, garlic, black peppercorns, green onions, ginger, and enough water to fully cover everything ~ 6-8 cups of water. Bring to a gentle simmer, skim off any oil or foam from the surface, then cover and simmer on medium-low heat for 40 minutes.
- Shred the chicken: After 40 minutes, remove the chicken from the pot and shred the meat. Set aside.
- Strain & season: Strain the broth into a clean pot. Season with fish sauce or tuna seasoning, white pepper, and salt to taste.If you like a deeper, more savory flavor, you can add chives to the broth and simmer for a few extra minutes.
- Assemble & serve: Add shredded chicken into a bowl, ladle hot broth over top, and bring everything to a gentle simmer if needed. Finish with green onions and freshly ground black pepper.
