Korean Samgyetang (Ginseng Chicken Soup)

By Lee Jackson ↣ Published on: June 5, 2020

A whole chicken in a soup!? This is the deal with this classic and much-loved Korean soup. A deliciously fragrant and filling dish that’s perfect any time of year, but especially in the height of summer.

 

 

A bowl of Korean Samgyetang Soup with whole Cornish hen. A dipping sauce sits beside the bowl.

Korean Samgyetang is a revelation of a soup. The floral, earthy and slightly unfamiliar flavour of ginseng permeates every corner of this wholesome, healing bowl of goodness. If you asked me what it tastes like, I wouldn't have the words to tell you accurately, but that aside, it's supremely delicious.

I first sampled the delights of Samgyetang in LA's Koreatown one HOT summer's day, with a hangover for the ages. Our waiter at the Korean restaurant we'd chosen promised that THIS soup in particular was the ONLY thing I needed on a day like this, and I'm thankful that I trusted him.

Samgyetang is unusual in many ways, none more than that it arrives with a whole miniature chicken in it. That aside, the taste is beguiling, a blend of unfamiliar, fragrant and comforting flavours. Part herbal, part meaty - so much flavour, so many questions!

Upon further investigation and many attempts at home, I'm finally figuring out what makes Samgyetang so special!

What is Samgyetang (Chicken Ginseng Soup)?

Samgyetang is a soup made of chicken, rice and a combination of herbal additions. One being ginseng.

Ginseng is a root of the Panax plant. Panax, has the botanical translation of 'all healing' in Greek, but it is Asia that it has been used in traditional medicine for centuries. In particular, China and Korea use the root in medicines and as an ingredient in food.

Ginseng chicken soup is said to aid health in countless ways. Benefits are said to include boosting energy, lowering blood sugar levels of those with diabetes, heart health, cancer prevention, those suffering a cold or flu and it's even believed to be a potent aphrodisiac. It’s quite the superfood!

Samgyetang features all manner of unfamiliar ingredients, but the great news is that if you find the right store, you can buy specially curated Samgyetang soup starters which, to novice eyes, appear to contain a collection twigs, wood chippings and branches, but each brings its own character to form the most amazing flavourful soup.

A summer soup - fight heat with heat.

Interestingly, Samgyetang is a soup eaten during the summer months. Most people associate a hearty chicken soup with winter, but Koreans eat Samgyetang three hottest times of the year during the 'sambok' - at the beginning, middle and end of summer. They like to fight 'heat with heat!', and hot, hearty this soup is the perfect weapon.

The roots and dried fruit that go into a Korean Samgyetang soup

Why it works

It's hearty - if you're hungry, you won't be after a bowl of Samgyetang. The chicken is juicy and tender and the rice inside swells to create a filling, chicken infused rice that acts as the main filling ingredient.

It's so fragrant! - Ginseng soup is so unusual in flavour - a complex, herbal blend that is unlike anything.

A whole chicken! - This was the initial attraction to the soup! Who wouldn't want their own Cornish hen all to themselves in a soup!!?

Stuff you'll need

Making samgyetang at home will involve a specific set of ingredients, if you're fortunate enough to have a Korean store near you, many of these ingredients will be there, but you can buy everything online without a problem.

  • Cornish hens - Small chickens are easy to find in Asian supermarkets.
  • Rice - I use Calrose rice as it has a shorter grain which works well for this soup. You can also use glutinous rice.
  • Garlic - Koreans love garlic and it work so well in this recipe when stuffed into the chicken. It becomes the creamiest, most mellow flavour that permeates the rice and broth. Delicious!
  • Samgyetang Soup Kit - The ready assembled samgyetang soup kits are easy to find in Korean and Chinese stores, but fear not, getting them online is super easy.
  • Spring onion/scallion - this brings its unique fragrant onion flavour to the soup at the end.
  • Spice bag - try and get hold of some spice bags that can hold all the samgyetang spices. It makes things a whole lot easier at the end to discard them.
A packet of herbs, roots and dried fruit for Korean Samgyetang (Ginseng Chicken Soup).

Step by Step

Making Samgyetang at home is not a scary affair. It's really actually very simple. Here's how...

  1. Step 1 - Wash your rice and leave to soak for an hour. This will help avoid too much starch being leached into the soup.
  2. Step 2 - Pop all your samgyetang roots, twigs and dried fruit into a large spice bag. This will make things easier to fish out at the end. Don't worry if you don't have bags. You can simply strain the broth at the end instead.
  3. Step 3 - Pop the bag into a large pan and cover with water. Bring it to a boil and simmer for a little while to activate the flavours.
  4. Step 4 - Stuff the chicken with whole garlic cloves and some rice.
  5. Step 5 - Then make a couple of insertions with a knife for the drumsticks to seal the legs. Alternatively, you can tie the legs together with kitchen string. See video below for a demo.
  6. Step 6 - Pop the chickens into the liquid and poach for 90 minutes.
  7. Step 7 - Meanwhile, make your dipping sauce by whisking together all the ingredients.
  8. Step 8 - Remove each chicken and then discard the spice bag. Alternatively, strain the broth through a fine sieve and discard the solids.
  9. Step 9 - Add a chicken to a bowl and sprinkle over a little salt and pepper and then finally the spring onions/scallions. Serve hot with the dipping sauce on the side.
Washing the rice for Korean Samgyetang (Ginseng Chicken Soup)
Adding the herbs, roots and dried fruit to a spice bag for poaching for a Korean Samgyetang (Ginseng Chicken Soup)
Pouring water over the spice bag for simmering for a Korean Samgyetang (Ginseng Chicken Soup)
Stuffing small Cornish hens with garlic and rice for Korean Samgyetang (Ginseng Chicken Soup)
Securing the legs together of the Cornish hens for Korean Samgyetang (Ginseng Chicken Soup)
Poaching Cornish hens in a soup brothe for Korean Samgyetang (Ginseng Chicken Soup)
Whisking together various ingredients to make a dipping sauce for Korean Samgyetang (Ginseng Chicken Soup)
Two Cornish hens poaching in a tasty ginseng broth for Korean Samgyetang (Ginseng Chicken Soup)
Sprinkling a Cornish hen with spring onions / scallions for Korean Samgyetang (Ginseng Chicken Soup)

Pro Tips to make your life easier

  • Buy a Samgyetang soup starter kit - Initially, I attempted to buy my soup ingredients individually, but after being followed by a curious old Korean lady at my local Korean supermarket, I was shown a much easier way. She was so excited that I was cooking Samgyetang and she helpfully directed me to these ready-to-go soup kits. Much less confusing and much cheaper!
  • Rinse and soak the rice first. Be sure to wash and soak the rice - too much starch will create an overly cloudy soup and could affect the flavour.
  • Use a spice bag - I pop all my soup ingredients into a large spice bag. This will ensure you can remove it all easily at the end, once it's done its magic.
  • Secure the chicken legs. I learned a simple technique of piercing the chicken in two places, to creates small holes for each drumstick to be secured (see the how to section and video for more). You can also use kitchen string to tie them together. It's fine if the legs open during cooking too, the rice should mostly stay put!

Serving and storage suggestions

  • Dipping Sauce - I serve my soup with a simple dipping sauce made with pepper, soy and sesame. It's a magnificent accompaniment to dip the juicy chicken into. A salty, nutty and umami pop of flavour with the fragrant soup.
  • A side of kimchi - Instead of the dipping sauce, you can serve samgyetang soup with a small side dish of kimchi.
  • Fridge - You can make this in advance and keep refrigerated until needed. Cover the chickens to keep them from drying out. Once you're ready, be sure to reheat the soup and chickens until they're piping hot. The aim of this soup is to fight heat with heat, so hot is best!
  • Freezer - I have not frozen samgyetang in the past, I imagine it's possible, but I would recommend eating right away.
A bowl of Korean Samgyetang Soup with whole Cornish hen. A dipping sauce sits beside the bowl.

Ready to get cooking?

Whatever the weather (and especially if you're under the weather), Samgyetang (Ginseng chicken soup) is the universal ticket to happiness. I make it once or twice a year now and it never disappoints. It's also a really simple soup to put together, once you track down the ingredients!

Any Questions? (FAQ)

Have a question about Samgyetang (Ginseng Chicken Soup?). Let me know in the comments.

What does samgyetang taste like?

The answer is 'unlike any other chicken soup you've ever tasted before'! The broth is meaty, chickeny and rich but the fragrance from ginseng and other roots, jujube and more is mysterious and aromatic. Kind of floral, kind of earthy. You need to taste it to understand!

When should I eat Samgyetang?

Koreans like to eat samgyetang during 'Sambok', the three hottest days of the year during summer. It's believed the best way to fight hot temperatures is with a hot soup.

A bowl of Korean Samgyetang Soup with whole Cornish hen. A dipping sauce sits beside the bowl.

Korean Samgyetang (Ginseng Chicken Soup)

Rate this recipe

5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe
Recipe by Lee
Course Main Course
Cuisine Korean
Prep Time1 hour 15 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time2 hours 35 minutes
Servings (adjustable) 2
Calories (per serving) | 1162

Video Recipe

Ingredients

For the dipping sauce

Instructions

  • In a bowl, rinse the rice in cold water and drain a couple of times, until the water runs clear. Fill the bowl back up with cold water and soak the rice for one hour. Drain then set aside.
  • Remove any giblets from the Cornish hens. Keep for stock! 
  • Using a pair of scissors, trim some of the fat from around the cavity.
  • Place 4 cloves garlic into the cavity and then top with rice until about ¾ full. Do the same with the other hen.
  • Using a sharp knife, pierce the skin, left and right, of the cavity. Carefully push a drumstick into the opposite slit i.e. right drumstick into left hole and left drumstick into the righ hole. This will seal the cavity a bit. Alternatively, you can seal with a toothpick.
  • Place in a pan, big enough fit the two hens snugly. Top with about 9 cups water and the salt.
  • Add all the soup kit ingredients (I use a spice bag, so that I don’t need to drain later, but this is optional). Bring to a boil then reduce the heat so that the soup is lightly simmering. Pop on a lid and cook for 1 hour.

While the chicken is cooking - make a dipping sauce

  • Combine the salt, pepper, sesame oil and sesame seeds. Set aside.

Finishing the soup

  • Remove soup from the heat. Carefully remove each Cornish hen and set aside.
    Remove the spice bag (if you didn’t use one, fish out all soup kit ingredients with a slotted spoon or strain).
  • Place a hen in an Asian soup bowl and then top with hot broth. Sprinkle with spring onion and serve with the dipping sauce on the side.

Notes

You may have broth leftover, simply poach a chicken breast and pull apart into strands to add, or use leftover roast chicken to add to the broth.

Nutrition

Calories: 1162kcal (58%) | Carbohydrates: 43g (14%) | Protein: 82g (164%) | Fat: 71g (109%) | Saturated Fat: 19g (119%) | Cholesterol: 455mg (152%) | Sodium: 6262mg (272%) | Potassium: 1196mg (34%) | Fiber: 1g (4%) | Sugar: 1g (1%) | Vitamin A: 606IU (12%) | Vitamin C: 8mg (10%) | Calcium: 103mg (10%) | Iron: 4mg (22%)
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @CookEatWorld or tag #cookeatworld!

This recipe uses affiliations and may receive a commission based on your activity (link clicks). Learn more.