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)
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.
