Korean Rice Cake Soup with Chicken Recipe
A delicate soup with thinly sliced chicken and soft rice cakes is a homely, soothing dish that in Korea is often eaten on cooler days. The flavors are mild yet distinct: a lightly garlicky broth, bouncy rice cakes, and a hint of sesame. You can compare it to chicken noodle soup, only instead of noodles you have white, elastic slices of rice cakes floating in the broth.
This soup combines the comforting familiarity of chicken soup with the unique texture of Korean rice cakes, creating a dish that is both soothing and a little different from everyday meals. The mild, garlicky broth and sesame aroma make it perfect for chilly days or when you need something gentle yet satisfying.
Chef's tips
Slice the chicken as thinly as you can so it cooks quickly and stays tender. If you’re using packaged Korean rice cakes (tteok), soak them briefly in cold water if they seem very hard, then rinse and separate just before adding to the soup. Adjust the amount of soy sauce gradually so the broth stays delicate and not too salty.
How to serve
Serve the soup very hot, in deep bowls, with extra sesame seeds and finely sliced spring onions or chives on top. Offer kimchi, pickled radish, or a spicy cabbage slaw on the side. For a more filling meal, add a small bowl of steamed rice and simple banchan (Korean side dishes), such as seasoned spinach or cucumber salad.
Ingredients
- chicken thigh - 400 g
- rice cakes - 300 g
- onion - 1 piece
- garlic - 3 cloves
- carrot - 1 piece
- leek - 0.5 pieces
- chicken stock - 1.5 l
- soy sauce - 3 tablespoons
- sesame oil - 1 tablespoon
- sesame seeds - 1 tablespoon
- salt
- black pepper
- chives - 3 tablespoons
Preparation
- Rinse the chicken, pat dry with paper towels, and cut into thin strips or small bite-sized pieces.
- Peel the onion and slice into thin half-moons. Peel the carrot and cut into thin half-moons. Slice the white part of the leek into thin rounds. Peel and finely chop the garlic.
- Heat the sesame oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and leek and sauté for 3–4 minutes, stirring, until they soften and turn slightly translucent but do not brown.
- Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds more, until it becomes very fragrant.
- Add the chicken pieces to the pot and sauté for 4–5 minutes, stirring, until the meat turns white on all sides.
- Pour in the stock, add the carrot, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and cook for about 15 minutes, until the chicken is tender.
- Meanwhile, rinse the rice cakes under cold water to separate the slices if they are stuck together.
- Add the soy sauce to the pot, taste the broth, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the rice cakes to the soup and cook for 3–5 minutes, until they soften and become slightly chewy in the center. Check them frequently so they don’t overcook.
- Finally, add the sesame seeds and half of the chopped chives to the soup, stir, and cook for 1 minute more.
- Ladle the soup into bowls, sprinkle with the remaining chives, and serve hot.
Storage
No storage information available for this dish.
This recipe is inspired by simple Korean home cooking, where a pot of light, nourishing soup often anchors the meal. The rice cakes make it feel special without much extra work, and the flavors are gentle enough that even people who are new to Korean food usually enjoy it.
