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Ginseng Chicken Soup

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samgye-tang

Whole young chicken stuffed with rice, ginseng and jujubes.

Hard1 hr 30 min2 servings★ 70Contains gluten
Ginseng Chicken Soup

History & culture

Ginseng chicken soup is strongly linked to boknal, the hot summer days when Koreans traditionally eat restorative foods. The dish likely blends Chinese herbal tonic ideas with whole young chicken stuffed with rice, garlic, and jujube. Specialty shops in Seoul and nationwide chains popularized it from the mid-twentieth century onward. Today samgyetang is also marketed to tourists and exported as a signature summer stamina meal.

Servings
2

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Ingredients & steps

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Ingredients

  • Garlic
    4 cloves
  • Water
    8 cups
  • Fresh ginseng root

    Substitutedried ginseng or omit

    2 roots
  • Sweet rice (chapssal)

    Substituteshort-grain rice (less sticky)

    0.5 cup
  • Green onion

    Substitutescallion or spring onion

    2 stalks
  • Dried jujube (daechu)

    Substitutedried dates or pitted

    5 each
  • Small whole chicken (cornish hen)

    Substitute1.2–1.5 kg whole chicken

    1 whole

Seasonings

  • Toasted sesame oil

    Substitutea small amount of olive oil (flavor differs)

    1 tsp
  • Salt
    1 tsp
  • Black pepper
    0.5 tsp

Steps

  1. 130 min

    Soak glutinous rice 30 minutes; trim excess chicken fat, remove innards, and rinse the cavity well.

    • Sweet rice (chapssal)
    • Small whole chicken (cornish hen)
  2. 25 min

    Stuff the chicken with soaked rice, ginseng, jujube, and garlic; close the cavity loosely so rice can expand.

    • Sweet rice (chapssal)
    • Small whole chicken (cornish hen)
    • Fresh ginseng root
    • Dried jujube (daechu)
    • Garlic
  3. 3Medium heat60 min

    Cover chicken with water, bring to a boil, skim foam, then simmer 1 hour until the meat and rice are tender.

    • Small whole chicken (cornish hen)
    • Water
  4. 4Low heat2 min

    Season with salt and pepper; serve whole chicken in broth with green onion.

    • Salt
    • Black pepper
    • Green onion
    • Toasted sesame oil

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate up to 2 days; reheat gently in broth.

Troubleshooting

  • ⚠️ Broth is bland

    → Season at the end and reduce broth slightly before serving.

  • ⚠️ Rice stuffing is hard

    → Soak glutinous rice 30 minutes before stuffing.