Udon Chicken Noodle Soup with Shitake and Kale

Who doesn’t love chicken noodle soup…well me! It sounds crazy, but I always think that chicken noodle soup itself is a bit boring. But, this udon chicken noodle soup with shitake and kale takes that dish to a new level.

Like everyone, we are often pressed for time around here. But, if you have some chicken broth and leftover chicken in your fridge, this quick little udon chicken noodle soup comes together in minutes! In fact, I made this so quickly tonight that I didn’t exactly record measurements, so my recipe will be a rough guideline, but it is super easy and fairly forgiving I’m sure.

Homemade Chicken Broth

I like to make homemade chicken broth usually once a week to have in my freezer on hand for a quick weeknight soup in a pinch. A little prep work like that goes a long way. Making it is simpler than you think and homemade broth will really improve the flavor of this udon chicken noodle soup.

1. Grab a large pot.
2. Throw a whole chicken in.
3. Cover it with water.
4. Throw in a couple of sliced carrots, celery, and onion quartered (peel and all)
5. Toss in a few peppercorns, bay leaves and a small bunch of fresh parsley if you have it
6. Bring to a boil, turn it down and let simmer away while you do other things
7. After about an hour – take out the chicken and remove the meat from the bones (reserve the meat for the soup)
8. Put the bones back in
9. Continue to simmer until you like the flavor
10. Salt at the end to taste
11. Strain the liquid from the solids

The longer it goes usually the better flavor. Reserve the meat for soup and you are ready for a great meal at any time. You can make this with a whole chicken or just the bones. Made with just the bones you can call it stock and with the meat, broth – in case you ever wanted to know the difference between the two. They are both delicious and mostly interchangeable in soup recipes.

Amping up the flavor:

I added a little miso paste into the soup too as I feel like it adds a depth of flavor, and I also love to use dried shitake mushrooms, they are a very worthy pantry addition. A drizzle of sesame oil punches up the flavors beautifully in this udon chicken noodle soup. I kept this pretty mild for the kids, so feel free to garnish with some Sriracha or other hot sauce of choice if you like a little heat in your soup bowl.

Kale

I used a Dinosaur Kale in here tonight which is also sometimes called Lacinato Kale or Tuscan Kale. If you can find it, it has a really nice texture a little more tender than some of the other varieties, but of course, any kale or green for that matter will work beautifully in here.

If you like this recipe try: Healthy Homemade Ramen with Chicken

Udon Noodle Soup with Chicken Shitake and Kale

A delicious quick and easy weeknight meal that is ready in minutes. Delicious Udon Noodles with Chicken, Shitake Mushrooms and Kale. 

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Ingredients

  

• 6 Cups chicken broth preferably homemade
• 3 tbsp miso paste (dark or light will work)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp ginger, minced
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cups dinosaur kale, chopped
• 1 handful dried shitake mushrooms
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 2 cups cooked udon noodles
• 1-2 cups leftover chicken meat, chopped or shredded roughly
• 1/2 cup cilantro optional

Garnish

• sliced limes
• chopped cilantro
• Sriracha

Instructions

 

• In a large pot, heat your olive oil over medium heat.
• Add in your garlic and ginger. Saute for a minute or so until fragrant. Add in your miso paste and stir around for a minute.
• Add in your kale and toss around a bit.
• Pour in your chicken broth.
• Add in your shitake mushrooms and your chicken meat. Let simmer until the mushrooms are tender and flavours have mingled a bit.
• Taste and season with a little sesame oil and soy sauce.
• Add in a little chopped cilantro if you like.
• Put a little cooked udon noodles in each bowl. Top with the soup. Garnish with hot sauce, limes and extra cilantro if you like.