Description
Nourishing Samgyetang (Ginseng Chicken Soup) is a comforting traditional Korean dish featuring a tender Cornish hen stuffed with sweet rice and garlic, simmered with fresh ginseng root, jujubes, ginger, and scallions in a flavorful broth. Perfect for boosting health and soothing the body with its warm, earthy flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Stuffing
- 1 Cornish hen (young chicken, about 1 to 1.5 pounds)
- 1 cup sweet rice (soaked in water for 1 hour)
- 4 cloves garlic (whole, plump cloves)
Broth
- 1 piece fresh ginseng root (about 2–3 inches)
- 2 slices ginger (thinly sliced)
- 3 pieces jujubes (daechu)
- 2 tablespoons scallion (white part)
- 8 cups water or homemade chicken stock
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Clean the Chicken: Thoroughly rinse the Cornish hen under cold running water, ensuring to clean the neck and tail areas without removing them. Pat dry with paper towels to prepare for stuffing.
- Prepare the Sweet Rice: Soak the sweet rice in water for at least 1 hour. After soaking, drain the rice and set aside for stuffing.
- Stuff the Chicken: Carefully fill the chicken’s cavity with the soaked sweet rice and a few whole cloves of garlic, making sure not to overfill.
- Assemble the Soup: Place the stuffed chicken into a medium-sized pot. Pour in 8 cups of water or chicken stock until the chicken is fully submerged. Add the remaining garlic cloves, sliced ginger, jujubes, and fresh ginseng root to the pot.
- Simmer the Soup: Bring the pot to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, cover with a lid and reduce heat to medium-low. Let the soup simmer gently for approximately 25 minutes to tenderize the chicken and infuse the flavors.
- Rest the Chicken in Broth: Remove the pot from heat and keep the lid on. Allow the chicken to rest in the broth for about 10 minutes, helping the flavors to settle and the meat to finish cooking evenly.
- Serve: Carefully transfer the chicken to a serving dish. Ladle the hot broth over the chicken. Garnish with chopped scallion green tops to add freshness and a pop of color. Season with salt and pepper to taste before serving.
Notes
- Soaking the sweet rice beforehand is essential to ensure it cooks properly inside the chicken cavity.
- Fresh ginseng root adds authentic flavor and health benefits but can be substituted with dried ginseng if fresh is unavailable; adjust quantity accordingly.
- Use homemade chicken stock for a richer broth or water as a lighter alternative.
- Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper after cooking to maintain the delicate balance of flavors.
- Serve hot as a nourishing meal especially suited for cold weather or when feeling under the weather.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Korean
Keywords: Samgyetang, Ginseng Chicken Soup, Korean soup, Cornish hen recipe, nourishing soup, traditional Korean dish, healthy chicken soup
