Cornish hen Korean soup is a Korean-inspired, gently simmered chicken soup made with small whole hens, sweet rice, garlic, and warming aromatics. It takes cues from samgyetang, a Korean ginseng chicken soup with many regional and family variations, while using Cornish hens for individual portions and keeping the rice in the broth rather than stuffing the birds.
Ingredients
- 2 thawed Cornish hens, about 1 to 1¼ lb (450–570 g) each
- ½ cup (100 g) Korean sweet rice, also called glutinous rice or chapssal
- 8 cups (1.9 L) cold water, plus a little more if needed
- 6 medium garlic cloves (about 18 g), peeled and lightly crushed
- 4 dried jujubes or red dates (about 20 g)
- 1 small fresh ginseng root (about 10 g), or 1 teaspoon (3 g) dried ginseng root; optional
- 1 piece fresh ginger, about 1 inch (15 g), thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon (6 g) fine salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) ground black pepper, plus more to serve
- 2 scallions (about 30 g), thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) toasted sesame oil, optional, for serving
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) soy sauce, optional, for serving
Instructions
- Put the sweet rice in a bowl, cover it with cool water, and swish it gently. Drain, then cover it again with fresh water and soak for 20 minutes. While it soaks, prepare the hens and aromatics. Drain the rice well before adding it to the soup. This short soak helps the grains cook evenly; if you forget it, rinse the rice and expect it to need a little longer in the pot.
- Remove any giblets from the hens, if present, and pat the birds dry with paper towels. Trim loose excess fat around the cavity openings. Do not rinse raw poultry, since splashing water can spread germs around the sink. Wash your hands and any board or knife that touched the raw hens with hot, soapy water before handling the ready-to-eat garnishes.
- Set the hens breast-side up in a large, heavy pot that can hold them without crowding. Add the water, garlic, jujubes, ginseng if using, ginger, salt, and black pepper. The water should mostly cover the birds; add a little more if needed, but keep the pot from becoming so full that it could boil over. Bring the liquid just to a boil over medium-high heat, then lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
- For the first 35 minutes, simmer the hens partly covered. Skim off any gray foam that gathers on the surface with a spoon, especially during the first 10 minutes. Keep the liquid at a quiet bubble rather than a rolling boil; vigorous boiling can make the broth cloudy and may break up the tender meat. Turn the birds once if part of a hen sits above the liquid for a long time.
- Stir in the drained sweet rice and make sure it is submerged. Continue simmering partly covered for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring the rice gently once or twice so it does not settle and stick to the bottom. Check the rice near the end: it should be soft and plump, and the broth will become slightly creamy as some starch releases. If the pot looks too thick, add hot water in ½-cup (120 ml) increments.
- Check each hen with an instant-read food thermometer, inserting it into the thickest part of the breast and the innermost part of the thigh without touching bone. The USDA FSIS safe minimum for poultry is 165°F (74°C), so continue simmering and recheck if either reading is lower. The meat should be tender, but temperature—not appearance alone—confirms it is safely cooked.
- Taste the broth and add salt or pepper as needed. Lift each hen carefully into a warm serving bowl, ladle rice and broth around it, and scatter scallions over the top. Add a few drops of sesame oil or a little soy sauce at the table if desired. Serve hot, with extra pepper available for individual bowls.
Tips
- Choose the right rice. Korean sweet rice gives the soup a soft, pleasantly sticky body. Japanese short-grain rice can work if that is easier to find, though the broth will be less cohesive. Long-grain rice is less suitable because it stays more separate and does not create the same gently thickened texture.
- Keep the simmer low. A hard boil can tear the hens and churn fat into the broth. Look for occasional small bubbles, and adjust the burner as needed. If the surface gets oily, skim a little fat; leaving some in gives the soup its fuller flavor.
- Make ginseng optional. Fresh Korean ginseng can be difficult to find. Dried ginseng root is a practical substitute in the smaller amount listed, but it has a more concentrated, earthy flavor. If neither is available, leave it out rather than using a supplement or a large amount of an unrelated herb.
- Season at the end. The broth reduces slightly as it simmers, and the hens vary in size. Taste after cooking before adding more salt. If you are serving soy sauce at the table, keep the pot lightly seasoned so each person can adjust their own bowl.
Serving Suggestions
For a simple meal, serve one hen per person in a deep bowl with plenty of rice and broth. Put sliced scallions, ground black pepper, sesame oil, and soy sauce on the table so diners can season their portions. In Korea, samgyetang is often accompanied by small side dishes, and this version also pairs well with kimchi, quick-pickled radish, or a crisp cucumber salad. Their sharp, cool flavors balance the soup without requiring another cooked dish.
If the hens are too hot to eat whole, use tongs to transfer each one to a plate and pull the meat from the bones with a fork. Return the meat to the bowl or let diners pick at it themselves. Keep bones out of the rice if serving young children, and provide a spoon for the broth and rice along with chopsticks for the meat and side dishes. A small bowl of plain rice is unnecessary because the sweet rice is already cooked into the soup.
Variations
More aromatic: Add 1 small dried shiitake mushroom (about 5 g) to the pot with the garlic, or add ½ teaspoon (2 g) of dried goji berries during the last 10 minutes. Shiitake brings a deeper savory note; goji berries add mild fruitiness and color. These are optional additions, not replacements for the main ingredients.
More brothy and less thick: Use ⅓ cup (65 g) sweet rice and add 1 extra cup (240 ml) water. The soup will have a lighter rice presence, so serve extra cooked rice on the side if you want a more filling bowl. For an especially rice-forward version, keep the listed amount and simmer a few minutes longer, stirring often as the grains soften.
Make it without ginseng: Omit the ginseng and follow the recipe as written. Garlic, jujubes, and ginger still make a fragrant broth, though the result will not have ginseng’s distinct earthy flavor. You can also add one extra garlic clove, but avoid adding lots of ginger, which can take over the delicate chicken broth.
Use chicken pieces: Bone-in chicken thighs can replace the Cornish hens, but the cooking time will be shorter and will depend on their size. Simmer until the thickest part of each piece reaches 165°F (74°C), then continue cooking the rice until tender if it needs more time. Pieces will not give the same whole-bird presentation, but they are easier to portion.
Storage and Reheating
Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate them within 2 hours of cooking. Store the broth, rice, and chicken together or separate them into airtight containers; cooked soup keeps for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. If the hens are still whole, remove the meat from the bones before storage for easier serving, and discard bones that have been sitting in individual bowls.
Rice continues to absorb broth as it sits, so the refrigerated soup may be much thicker the next day. Reheat a portion gently in a saucepan, adding water or unsalted broth a little at a time until it reaches the consistency you like. Stir frequently so the rice heats evenly, and bring leftovers to 165°F (74°C), checking with a food thermometer. You can also microwave individual portions in a covered, microwave-safe bowl, stirring partway through and checking the temperature in more than one spot. Freeze leftovers in airtight containers for up to 2 months for best quality; thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat to 165°F (74°C).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this soup with frozen Cornish hens? Thaw the hens completely in the refrigerator before cooking. A small bird that is still icy in the center will heat unevenly, making it harder to time the rice and verify the poultry temperature. Keep raw poultry separate from ready-to-eat foods while thawing, and cook it promptly once thawed.
Can I use regular rice instead of sweet rice? Yes. Short-grain rice is the closest easy substitute, but it will not be quite as sticky or soft as Korean sweet rice. Rinse and soak it as directed, then check for tenderness after 20 to 25 minutes; add simmering time if needed. Avoid assuming that rice is done just because the chicken is ready.
Do I have to soak the rice? The 20-minute soak improves even cooking, especially for sweet rice, but the soup can still be made without it. Rinse the rice well, add it at the same point in the recipe, and allow extra time for the grains to soften. Keep the pot at a gentle simmer and add hot water if the broth reduces before the rice is tender.
What if my pot is not large enough for two hens? Use two pots and divide the water and seasonings evenly, or cook one hen at a time. Do not stack the birds tightly in a small pot, where crowded food can heat unevenly. If cooking in separate pots, check both hens with a thermometer because they may finish at different times.
Can I prepare the soup ahead? You can cook it a day ahead and refrigerate it within 2 hours, but the rice will absorb broth as it rests. Reheat gently with extra water or unsalted broth and bring the entire portion to 165°F (74°C). For the freshest rice texture, prepare the broth and hens ahead, chill them safely, then cook freshly soaked rice in the reheated broth until tender.
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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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