'Chicken soup for the soul' never rang truer. Full of umami and probiotics, this is a bowl full of pure gut-loving nourishment. Savoury yet fresh, the layers of texture and flavours pop with every spoonful.

We used Carwari's Organic Mirin and Miso Paste, San Elk's Organic Chicken Stock and Hakubaku Organic Soba Noodles. We further boosted the broth by adding one of our favourite bone broth's from Gevity Rx. 

Time: 45 minutes

Yields: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 700g chicken thighs
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 100g shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons ginger, grated
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoon tamari (or soy sauce)
• 2 tablespoon mirin
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 10 cups water + 5 teaspoons organic chicken stock powder (or per stock packaging directions) 
• ¼ cup white miso, or more to taste
• 2 tablespoons bone broth (optional)
• 1 large leek, white and light green parts, diced (about 2 cups)
• 270g soba noodles
• 200g sugar snap peas (about 2 cups), trimmed and cut in half
• About 4 cups baby spinach
• Coriander, roughly torn
• Salt and pepper

Method

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large soup pot. Reduce heat and add chicken. Cook for approximately 4 minutes, turn and cook other side for about 2 minutes. Avoid browning.
2. Add ginger and garlic and gently sizzle for 5 minutes without browning. 
3. Add water, stock, mirin, tamari, and sugar and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for about 20 minutes. Turn off heat and remove chicken, let cool enough to shred into smaller, bite size pieces.
4. Dilute miso with a bit of the hot broth and add to the pot. Add bone broth if using and mix well. Taste broth and add more miso if desired. Add chicken back to pot.
5. Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil and add the leeks, mushrooms, and sugar snap peas. Simmer for 1 minute. Prepare a bowl with water and ice. Remove from boiling water and place into the ice water. Drain ice water and leave at room temperature.
6. Bring water to boil in a pot and cook the soba noodles until tender, about 4 minutes or according to the packet instructions. Take care not to overcook. Drain noodles and rinse with cold water. Leave at room temperature.
7. To serve, bring broth to a gentle boil. Add the spinach and allow to wilt slightly. Add the leeks, mushrooms and sugar snap peas. Divide soba noodles into bowls and ladle the soup over the noodles. Garnish with corriander.

Notes

Easily make a plant-based version by subbing veg stock and instead of chicken add silken tofu at the end.

If you plan on eating the soup over the course of a couple of days we recommend preparing the broth, veggies and soba noodles and storing them seperately. You can also make the broth ahead and prepare the veggies and soba noodles when you are ready to eat. Follow Method Step 7 when reheating. 

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