Taiwanese Sesame Oil Chicken Soup (Ma You Ji Tang)
A fragrant Taiwanese chicken soup made with black sesame oil, ginger and rice wine. Simple, warming and deeply comforting.
Servings: 6
Calories: 422kcal
Ingredients
- 1 kg chicken bone-in legs/thighs or a combination of both - cut into pieces
- 3 tbsp black sesame oil
- 8 slices ginger 80g sliced
- 1 spring onion left whole
- 750 ml Taiwanese rice wine Michiu (1 bottle)
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 litre water
- 1½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp white pepper
- Spring Onions for garnish
Instructions
- Heat a large saucepan or pot with the oil until just hot.
- Add the ginger slices and fry gently for 1-2 minutes to release the flavour into the oil.
- Add the chicken pieces and fry for about 4-5 minutes until browned all over.
- Add the spring onion and then the cooking wine and sugar. Let this come to a simmer for 3-4 minutes to burn off the alcohol.
- Pour in about 500ml water and again bring to a simmer.
- Reduce the heat to low and cover with a lid. Simmer gently for 40 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
- Add the salt and pepper, fish out and discard the spring onion, then serve
- Serve on its own or alongside a small bowl of cooked rice.
Notes
Substitutions & Variations
- Add noodles: Serve over cooked wheat noodles for a more substantial soup; add noodles to the bowl, top with hot soup and chicken, finish with sliced spring onion.
- Add vegetables: Keep it light — napa cabbage (wombok), halved bok choy, or a handful of bean sprouts work well.
- Serve: Traditionally served without noodles, alongside plain white rice.
- Fridge: Keeps 4–5 days; reheat until piping hot.
- Freezer: Freezes well, though sesame aroma may soften slightly; reheat until piping hot.
Nutrition
Calories: 422kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 649mg | Potassium: 200mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 132IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1mg