Authentic Samgyetang (Ginseng Chicken Soup)
Authentic Samgyetang (Ginseng Chicken Soup)
The Ultimate Summer Elixir: Samgyetang (Ginseng Chicken Soup with Sticky Rice Porridge – Perfect for the Start of Summer)
To prepare for the hottest days of summer, we’ve crafted this classic Samgyetang, a beloved nourishing soup. We’ve included plenty of glutinous rice to make a delightful chicken porridge (dakjuk) as well. Enjoy a rich, savory broth and incredibly tender chicken.
Essential Ingredients- 2 young chickens (Cornish game hens)
- 2 cups glutinous rice (sweet rice)
- 4 Ginkgo nuts
- 2 Jujubes (dried red dates)
- 2 Korean chestnuts (or regular chestnuts)
- 6 cloves garlic
- A handful of traditional medicinal herbs for soup (such as Astragalus root, Korean angelica tree root, Schisandra berries)
- 2 liters (about 8.5 cups) water
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Let’s start by preparing all the ingredients for a truly delicious Samgyetang.
Step 2
Rinse the 2 cups of glutinous rice (measured with a standard Korean paper cup) thoroughly and soak it in water for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight. This step is crucial for achieving a wonderfully chewy yet tender texture in the porridge.
Step 3
If you purchased your young chickens from a market, they may have undergone basic preparation. Begin by rinsing the chickens inside and out under cool running water. Pay close attention to any yellow fatty deposits around the neck area and remove them; this will help create a cleaner-tasting broth.
Step 4
Trim away the tail (rump) of each chicken using kitchen scissors. This area contains a lot of fat which can make the broth greasy. Tip: Be cautious not to remove too much skin and fat around the tail area, as this can create an opening through which the stuffing might escape during cooking.
Step 5
Now, it’s time to stuff the cleaned chickens. Begin by placing the chestnuts, jujubes, garlic cloves, and ginkgo nuts into the cavity of each chicken.
Step 6
Tip: Placing the chestnuts in first, deep inside the chicken’s cavity, acts as a natural plug, helping to prevent the glutinous rice from spilling out later. Use them to create a firm base for the stuffing.
Step 7
Next, carefully spoon about 2 tablespoons of the soaked and drained glutinous rice into the chicken’s cavity. Avoid overfilling, as the rice will expand as it cooks. Just enough to fill the space snugly is perfect.
Step 8
Gather the chicken’s legs together and secure them by tucking them into a slit made in the inner thigh skin. Tip: Crossing the legs in an ‘X’ shape provides a neat presentation and helps the chicken maintain its shape while cooking.
Step 9
For the wings, you can tuck one wing under the body, between the leg and the body, without cutting it.
Step 10
Alternatively, you can cut off one joint of the wing and secure the remaining part to the body using a toothpick. Tip: Securing the wings this way ensures a beautifully presented Samgyetang that holds its shape throughout the cooking process.
Step 11
Prepare the broth by either using a pre-made Samgyetang herb pack or your own selection of medicinal herbs (like Astragalus root, Korean angelica tree root, Schisandra berries). Place the herbs and 2 liters of water in a pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium heat and simmer for about 10 minutes to infuse the water with the herbs’ beneficial properties.
Step 12
Carefully place the prepared stuffed chickens into the simmering herb broth. Adjust the heat to maintain a steady simmer between medium and low heat, and let it cook for about 40 to 50 minutes. This extended cooking time ensures the chicken is perfectly tender and the broth is deeply flavorful.
Step 13
Voila! Your delicious Samgyetang is ready. Admire the milky broth and the incredibly tender chicken – it’s a feast for the eyes and the palate!
Step 14
To make the chicken porridge (dakjuk), add any remaining soaked glutinous rice to the leftover chicken broth and simmer over medium heat until the rice breaks down and thickens. Once the rice is soft and creamy, finely chop about 1/4 of a zucchini and an equal amount of carrot into small pieces (similar to what you’d use for fried rice) and add them to the pot, cooking until tender. Finally, sprinkle in some finely chopped chives for a fresh aromatic finish.
