Dak Kalguksu (Chicken Noodle Soup)
User Reviews
4.7
207 reviews
Excellent
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Servings
4
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Korean
Dak Kalguksu (Chicken Noodle Soup)
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Dak Kalguksu is a Korean chicken noodle soup featuring a homemade or packaged wheat noodle cooked in a rich chicken broth simmered with aromatics like onion, garlic, and ginger. The soup includes shredded chicken and fresh vegetables such as zucchini and scallions. The broth is clear and flavorful, balanced by a garnish sauce that enhances the dish's seasoning. The use of fresh or dried noodles gives the soup a comforting texture and makes it a satisfying meal especially in cooler weather.
Description
Dak Kalguksu centers on a whole chicken or pieces boiled with onion, garlic, ginger, scallions, and optional kelp to create a savory broth. After simmering and skimming, the chicken meat is removed, shredded, and combined with fresh julienned vegetables seasoned lightly before adding to the broth. The noodles, either homemade from an all-purpose flour dough or store-bought, soften in the simmering broth, soaking up its flavor.
The soup offers a balance of tender chicken, soft noodles, and fresh vegetables in a gently flavored yet complex broth. A recommended optional dipping sauce with soy sauce, sesame oil, chili flakes, and sesame seeds adds a spicy and aromatic component to portions of the soup, allowing customization.
This dish is traditionally served hot and is filling enough to be a standalone meal. Making the noodles from scratch adds a chewy texture that complements the broth and ingredients. The broth’s lightness and the fresh vegetable garnish provide contrast to the rich chicken meat.
Notes specify noodle dough ratios and ingredient amounts to make smaller batches, highlighting adjustments based on flour condition. This guidance helps tailor noodle production for different serving sizes.
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Ingredients
For the soup
- 1 chicken, whole 2.5 to 3 pounds, or bone-in pieces, small
- ½ onion medium
- 8 garlic plump cloves
- 3 to 4 ginger thinly sliced pieces
- 2 scallions white parts
- 1 3- inch dried kelp square, optional
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce soup type
For the chicken meat
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- salt about 1/2 teaspoon and pepper to taste
For the vegetables
- 1/4 onion thinly sliced, medium
- 1 zucchini julienned carrot or sliced potato is also great, medium, julienned
- 2 scallions finely chopped
For the noodles
- 1 kal-guksu noodles fresh or dried, package (4 servings), or homemade noodles
For the sauce (Yangnyumjang) - Optional
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon korean red pepper flakes gochugaru
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
- 2 scallions finely chopped, 3
For the homemade noodles - Optional
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil optional
- 1 cup water start with 3/4 and gradually more, a tablespoon at a time until needed
Instructions
- If making homemade noodles, see the instructions below and make the dough ahead of time. You can roll it out and cut while boiling the chicken.
- Place the cleaned chicken in a stockpot large enough to hold the chicken and 12 cups of water. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, scallions, and 12 cups water. Bring it to a boil over medium high heat. Skim off any foam on top. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer, covered, for about 40 minutes. Adjust cooking time for cut pieces of chicken.
- Sprinkle the julienned zucchini with salt for about 15 minutes and then squeeze out the water.
- Cut through the thickest part of the breast, with a knife, to see if the chicken is cooked and tender. Turn the heat off and carefully remove the chicken.
- Strain the broth and remove the excess fat. You can spoon off or use a fat separator.
- When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the meat off the bones. Shred the meat into small bite size pieces. Add the garlic, salt and pepper to the chicken. Combine well.
- Return the broth back to the pot. Add the soup soy sauce, onion slices, and optional dried kelp. Bring it to a boil and boil for a few minutes. Remove the kelp. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Meanwhile, in another pot, boil water to parboil the noodles. Or the soup will get too thick. Add the noodles, and stir. Cook halfway through.
- Remove the noodles with a strainer and add to the pot with boiling broth. (This is a good time to add potato slices if using.) Continue to boil until the noodles are cooked through. Add the zucchini (and julienned carrot if using) with 2 to 3 minutes remaining.
- To serve, ladle the noodles and soup in a serving bowl, top with the chicken pieces and chopped scallion.
For the homemade noodles - optional
- Mix the flour, salt, optional oil and add 3/4 water by hand until the dough starts to come together. You'll need to add more water, depending on your flour. Add 2 tablespoons water and see how it is. The dough should feel stiff to work with. If still too dry, add a little more.
- Flour the surface to knead. Knead with the heel of your hand until the dough is fairly smooth, about 5 minutes. The dough should feel slightly too stiff to work with at this point. You can adjust the dough by kneading in a little more flour or more water (just enough to wet your hands). Cover with plastic wrap, and let it rest for 30 minutes to an hour. After resting, the dough should feel soft and smooth. You can prepare the dough up to this point a day in advance.
- When ready to use, knead the dough for 2 to 3 minutes. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into 2 pieces. Dust the work surface generously with flour. Flatten a piece, and roll it out with a rolling pin to make a thin sheet, about 12 x 14-inch.
- From the longer side, fold the dough over 3 to 4 times into layers. Again, generously flour the surface and the dough as you roll it out and fold to keep the dough from sticking.
- Cut the dough with a sharp knife into about 1/4-inch thickness. Unfold the noodles and dust with flour to keep the noodle strands separate.
Notes
- To make a smaller batch of noodles for 2 to 3 servings, use 2 cups flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons oil, and about 2/3 cup water, adjusting as needed.
- Adjust the dough by kneading in more flour or water according to its texture and absorbency.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.7
207 reviews
Excellent
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