There have been glimpses of sunshine this week in the PNW and I cannot wait for summer. When it’s rainy, cold, or I’m feeling a little sick, I love to have soup. Chicken noodle soup is the soup that most people reach for when they’re feeling sick, but this chicken soup has much more comforting flavors for me. This soup is warm and satisfying with really simple ingredients. The chicken bouillon shortcut gives you a flavorful soup in a short amount of time, so you can whip this together in under 30 minutes for a weeknight meal.
Ingredients
Chicken – I like using chicken thighs since they stay relatively moist even if you end up cooking this soup longer than you intend to. I’ve also used tofu at a complete replacement for chicken or done even half chicken and half tofu. If you choose a different protein, you may need to pick a cut that will give a more “shreddy” texture like pork butt/shoulder or chuck roast. Other protein options will require longer cooking time to reach peak tenderness.
Chicken bouillon – I like using “Better than Bouillon” since I can get it in a massive jar at Costco, but feel free to use any other bouillon you like. You can also use chicken stock instead of water and bouillon. If you’ve substituted the protein, feel free to use a different bouillon flavor too!
Napa cabbage – I like the thick, crunchiness of a leaf of Napa vs other cabbages. This could be substituted with other crunchy veggies like bok choy, Brussel sprouts, or other cabbages.
Chicken & Napa Cabbage Soup
Ingredients
- 2 chicken thighs
- 5 cups water
- 1 tsp chicken bouillon
- 4 cups shredded Napa cabbage
- 3 cups spinach
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
Instructions
- In a heavy pot, cook chicken until cooked on the exterior. This prevents the soup broth from getting cloudy. Don't worry if the chicken is not fully cooked in the center!
- Add water and bouillon.
- Cover pot and bring to a boil. Allow to boil for 5 minutes.
- While the pot is boiling, you can shred your cabbage.
- After 5 minutes, remove the chicken from the water. Turn heat to low and add Napa cabbage and spinach. Give a quick stir.
- Shred chicken and return to pot.
- Taste the broth and add salt, approximately 2 tsps. If you don't need that much, don't add that much! If you need more, add more!
- Finish with sesame oil and serve.
You could even add some Chicken & Cabbage Dumplings to the soup too.
Have a dessert like Crispy Gooey Chocolate Chip Cookies or Kitchen Sink Cookies