Easy Korean Chicken Soup (Dak Gomtang) Recipe

Easy Korean chicken soup is a dak-gomtang-inspired soup of tender chicken, clear garlic-scented broth, and scallions, usually served with rice. It is made by gently simmering a whole chicken with a few everyday aromatics, then seasoning each bowl to taste. Home-style versions vary, but this straightforward method makes a comforting meal without hard-to-find ingredients.

Ingredients

1 whole chicken, about 3½ lb (1.6 kg), giblets removed if included
10 cups cold water (2.4 L), plus a little more if needed to keep the chicken mostly covered
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and halved (about 7 oz / 200 g)
8 garlic cloves, peeled (about 1 oz / 25 g)
1 piece fresh ginger, about 1 inch (2.5 cm; 20 g), sliced; optional but useful for a gently warming aroma
1 teaspoon fine salt (6 g), plus more to season each bowl
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper (about 0.5 g), plus more to serve
1 cup uncooked short-grain rice (190 g), rinsed until the water is mostly clear
1¼ cups water for the rice (300 ml)
3 scallions, thinly sliced (about 45 g), divided between bowls and sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce (30 ml), for an optional table seasoning
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil (5 ml), for the optional table seasoning
1 teaspoon gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes; about 2 g), optional, for the table seasoning

Instructions

Prepare the chicken and pot. Remove any giblets from the chicken cavity, then pat the chicken dry. Place it breast-side up in a large, heavy pot, about 6 quarts (5.7 L) or larger. Add the cold water, onion, garlic, ginger if using, salt, and black pepper. The chicken should be mostly submerged; add a little water if needed, but leave room in the pot for the liquid to bubble safely.
Bring the broth to a gentle simmer. Set the pot over medium-high heat and bring the water just to a boil, which usually takes about 10 minutes. As foam rises, skim it off with a spoon for a clearer broth. Lower the heat until the liquid produces small, steady bubbles rather than a vigorous boil. Cover the pot with the lid slightly ajar and simmer for 70 minutes. Check occasionally that the broth is still gently bubbling and that the chicken remains mostly covered. Add a splash of hot water if the level drops substantially.
Cook the rice while the soup simmers. Put the rinsed rice and 1¼ cups (300 ml) water in a small saucepan. Bring it to a boil, cover, and turn the heat to low. Cook for about 15 minutes, or according to the rice package if its timing differs. Turn off the heat and leave the rice covered for 10 minutes, then fluff it gently. This happens during the chicken’s simmer and does not extend the overall recipe time.
Check the chicken for doneness. Insert a food thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh without touching bone. The USDA FSIS safe minimum internal temperature for poultry is 165°F (74°C). If the chicken has not reached that temperature, return it to the gentle simmer and check again after 5 minutes. The meat should also feel tender when pierced, and the leg should move easily at the joint; continue simmering briefly if needed.
Rest and shred the chicken. Transfer the cooked chicken to a cutting board or large dish and let it rest for 10 minutes so it is easier to handle. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot or heatproof bowl, discarding the onion, garlic, and ginger. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove and discard the skin and bones. Tear or cut the meat into bite-size pieces. For a richer bowl, stir a spoonful of the broth through the shredded meat so it stays moist.
Season and serve. Taste the broth and add salt gradually; the right amount depends on the chicken and how much the broth reduced. Keep the broth hot over low heat while you assemble the bowls. Put a scoop of rice and a portion of chicken in each bowl, ladle over hot broth, and top with sliced scallions. For an optional seasoning sauce, stir together the soy sauce, sesame oil, gochugaru, and some of the remaining scallions. Serve it alongside so everyone can season their own bowl.

Tips

Keep the simmer gentle. A hard boil can break up the chicken and make the broth cloudy. Small bubbles and a partly covered pot are enough to cook the bird through while keeping the broth clear and mild.
Season at the end. The broth reduces as it simmers, and soy sauce or salty side dishes can add more salt at the table. Start with the listed teaspoon, taste after straining, and adjust a pinch at a time rather than salting heavily at the beginning.
Use chicken pieces if that is what you have. Bone-in thighs or drumsticks can stand in for a whole chicken; use about 3½ lb (1.6 kg) total. They may cook faster, so start checking the thickest piece with a thermometer after about 35 minutes. Boneless meat will make a less full-bodied broth and needs less time.
Know what to expect from substitutions. Gochugaru is a mildly fruity Korean chile flake, but it is optional here; ordinary red pepper flakes are a sharper, often hotter substitute, so use less. If fresh ginger is unavailable, leave it out rather than using a large amount of ground ginger, which can make the broth taste dusty.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the soup piping hot with rice either in the bowl or in a separate dish. Keeping rice separate lets diners choose how much to add and helps leftover rice avoid soaking up all the broth. Set out small bowls of salt and black pepper, the optional soy-sesame-chile seasoning, and extra scallions. Each person can season their own soup, a useful approach because tastes and the saltiness of the broth vary.

For a fuller Korean-style meal, pair the soup with kimchi and a simple vegetable side such as seasoned spinach, cucumber, or bean sprouts. These add crispness and contrast to the soft chicken and warm broth. If you do not have Korean side dishes, steamed greens, pickled vegetables, or a simple salad work well too. Offer a spoon for the broth and chopsticks for the chicken and rice; a small bowl for discarded bones is handy if serving larger pieces.

Variations

Make it a one-bowl rice soup: Add cooked rice directly to each serving bowl before ladling in broth, as directed, or stir rice into the pot just before serving for a softer, more porridge-like texture. Avoid simmering a large quantity of rice in the broth well ahead of serving, since it will keep absorbing liquid and become very soft.

Add noodles: Cook Korean wheat noodles or thin wheat noodles separately according to their package directions, drain them, and divide among bowls in place of some or all of the rice. Cooking noodles separately keeps their starch from clouding the broth and makes it easier to store any soup that remains.

Make the broth more robust: Add a few extra garlic cloves or a small piece of ginger while simmering, then remove them when straining. For deeper savory flavor, a small splash of fish sauce can be added to the broth at the table; it changes the flavor and may make the soup saltier, so taste before adding more salt.

Use a spicy finish: Increase the gochugaru in the optional seasoning sauce or add a little more to an individual bowl. Gochugaru brings a distinctive Korean chile flavor; cayenne can add heat in its place, but it is more concentrated and lacks the same fruity character. Keep the main pot mild if serving people with different spice preferences.

Storage and Reheating

Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate them within 2 hours of cooking. For faster cooling, divide the chicken and broth into shallow containers rather than leaving a full pot on the counter. Store the broth and shredded chicken together or separately in airtight containers; refrigerate cooked rice in its own container. The soup keeps for 3–4 days in the refrigerator. For best texture, keep rice separate until serving.

To freeze, pack the broth and chicken in freezer-safe containers, leaving a little room for expansion. Freeze for up to 2–3 months for best quality, and thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Rice can be frozen separately, though its texture may soften. Reheat only the portion you plan to eat in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it reaches 165°F (74°C) throughout. Add a splash of water if the broth has become concentrated. Reheat rice separately with a spoonful of water, covered, until steaming hot; do not leave reheated soup or rice at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is dak gomtang the same as samgyetang?
Dak gomtang is a Korean chicken soup commonly served with shredded chicken and rice, with variations in how the broth is seasoned and presented. Samgyetang is a different chicken soup traditionally made with a young whole chicken stuffed with ingredients such as rice, ginseng, jujube, and garlic. This easy recipe is closer to a simple dak-gomtang-style home soup and does not require specialty ingredients.

Can I make this with chicken breasts?
You can, but boneless chicken breasts have less bone and connective tissue to flavor the broth, so the result will be lighter. Simmer them gently and check their thickest part with a food thermometer rather than relying only on the clock; poultry must reach 165°F (74°C). For more flavorful broth with pieces, bone-in thighs or drumsticks are a closer substitute for the whole chicken.

Why is my broth cloudy?
A vigorous boil can break fat and small particles into the liquid, which makes broth cloudy. Foam that is not skimmed can also affect its appearance. Cloudiness does not by itself mean the soup is unsafe; for a clearer broth next time, skim the early foam and maintain a very gentle simmer. Straining the finished broth removes larger particles.

Do I need to rinse the chicken?
No. Rinsing raw chicken can splash bacteria around the sink and nearby surfaces. Remove any giblets, pat the chicken dry with paper towels if you like, and wash your hands and any utensils or surfaces that have touched raw poultry. Cooking the chicken to the safe minimum internal temperature is the important step.

Can I make the soup ahead?
Yes. Cook the chicken and broth, cool and refrigerate them promptly, and store the rice separately. Reheat the soup to 165°F (74°C) before serving, then cook fresh rice or reheat the rice you stored. The broth may develop a thin layer of fat when chilled; remove some or all of it with a spoon if you prefer a leaner-tasting bowl.

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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

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