Ginseng Chicken Soup, Samgyetang
삼계탕
SamGyeTang is the healthiest way to cook chicken. Small, young chicken is stuffed with sweet rice, ginseng, Korean dates and other medicinal herbs, and boiled to perfection. Usually a whole chicken is served for one person.
SamGyeTang is believed to be a health food that revitalizes the body and boosts the immune system. For this reason, it is a popular summer food in Korea even though it's a boiling hot soup. In Korea, there are three hottest days of the year called Chobok (beginning of hot days), Jungbok (mid hot day), and Malbok (last of hot days). SamGyeTang is consumed on those days, and you can observe long line ups at SamGyeTang restaurants.
Although traditionally it is a summer food, SamGyeTang is also enjoyed as a regular meal at any time of the year.
You can buy Ready-to-Cook ingredients for Ginseng Chicken Soup online here.
SamGyeTang is the healthiest way to cook chicken. Small, young chicken is stuffed with sweet rice, ginseng, Korean dates and other medicinal herbs, and boiled to perfection. Usually a whole chicken is served for one person.
SamGyeTang is believed to be a health food that revitalizes the body and boosts the immune system. For this reason, it is a popular summer food in Korea even though it's a boiling hot soup. In Korea, there are three hottest days of the year called Chobok (beginning of hot days), Jungbok (mid hot day), and Malbok (last of hot days). SamGyeTang is consumed on those days, and you can observe long line ups at SamGyeTang restaurants.
Although traditionally it is a summer food, SamGyeTang is also enjoyed as a regular meal at any time of the year.
You can buy Ready-to-Cook ingredients for Ginseng Chicken Soup online here.
INGREDIENTS
shop these ingredients online »for broth | ||
| 3 head(s) | Chicken (young whole chicken) 영계 | |
| 18 cups | Water 물 | |
| 6 clove(s) | Garlic Clove (whole) 통마늘 | |
| 6 head(s) | Jujube or Red Date (Dried) 대추 | |
| 3 | Green Onion 파 (may need more or less) | |
| 1½ tbs | Salt 소금 | |
| ⅔ tsp | Black Pepper 후추 | |
for stuffing | ||
| 1½ cups | Sweet Rice (Glutinous Rice) 찹쌀 | |
| 3 root(s) | Ginseng 인삼 | |
| 6 head(s) | Jujube or Red Date (Dried) 대추 | |
| 6 clove(s) | Garlic Clove (whole) 통마늘 | |
| 6 | Peeled Chestnut 깐밤 (optional) | |
optional medicinal ingredients | ||
| 3 root(s) | Milk Vetch Roots 황기 (optional) | |
Optional Ingredients and Substitutions
Young chicken: You can buy cornish hens (less than 30 days old, 400-500g) or any small chicken from regular grocery markets. You can use regular chicken as well. Keep in mind that the meat won't be as tender. If you use a regular chicken, more stuffing ingredients may be required to fill the cavity and you can probably share among 2-3 people.
Milk Vetch Roots: can be omitted.
Ginseng: is key to samgyetang as the name means "ginseng chicken soup." You can however make this soup without ginseng but it should be called chicken soup or chicken porridge.
More questions? Please leave your questions below in the comment section. We will do our best to answer as soon as we can.
instructions |
photos |
summary |
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Ingredient amounts in the recipe instructions are for the default serving size. |
Click to enlarge photos. |
Ingredient amounts in the recipe summary are for the default serving size. |
1. Soak dried ingredientsWash the milk vetch roots and jujube. Soak in water for 40 min. |
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1
Wash
Soak in water |
2. Soak sweet riceWash 1 cup of sweet rice and soak in water for 40 min and leave it in a strainer for at least 10 min to drain water. |
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2
Wash 1 cup sweet rice Soak in water Drain |
3. Wash chickenWash the chicken inside and out thoroughly under running water. Cuff off the tail and fats. |
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3
Wash chicken Cut tail and fats |
4. Prepare vegetablesWash all 8 cloves of garlic, 2 green onions, 2 roots of ginseng and 8 jujubes thoroughly. Cut 1 green onion in half and slice 4 cloves of garlic for the broth. Chop 1 green onion finely for garnish at the end. |
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4
Wash thoroughly
Cut 1 green onion in half Slice 4 garlic cloves Chop 1 green onion |
5. Cut ginseng headCut off the ginseng head. |
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5
Cut off ginseng head |
6. Milk Vetch Water (Optional)Add 2 milk vetch roots, any other optional medicinal ingredients and 12 cups of water in a pot and bring it to boil. When boiling, lower the heat to medium and simmer it for 20 min. |
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6
Boil milk vetch roots in 12 cups water When boiling Med Heat Simmer |
7. Prepare chickenWhile simmering the milk vetch water, stuff the chicken. Make slits on the outer skin of inner thigh (to be used to keep legs crossed). You can also use kitchen string to tie the legs instead. |
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7
Make slits on inner thigh |
8. Stuff chickenStuff EACH chicken cavity with ½ cup of rice, 1 root of ginseng, 2 heads of jujube and 2 cloves of garlic. |
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8
Stuff EACH chicken
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9. Close cavityCriss-cross the legs of the chicken to keep the stuffs inside. Put one leg into the slit on the opposite side. Alternatively, you can tie the legs together using kitchen string. |
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9
Criss-cross legs Put each leg into opposite slit |
10. Boil Stuffed ChickenPlace the stuffed chicken, sliced garlic, 4 heads of jujube and 1 green onion (cut in half) in milk vetch water (or regular water if you are not using milk vetch) and boil with a lid on high heat for 20 min. Make sure most of the chicken is submerged in water when you start boiling the chicken. Add more water if needed. Skim off foams. Then, lower the heat to medium to simmer with a lid for another 20 min. |
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10
Add in milk vetch water
Boil with lid High Heat Skim off foams Simmer with lid Med Heat |
11. ServeWhen the soup turns milky white, turn off the heat. Add ½ to 1 tablespoon of salt (taste and add gradually), ½ teaspoon of black pepper to the broth. Serve in a large bowl and add chopped green onions on top. You can also use a stone bowl or hot pot. Boil the soup in the stone bowl first before serving to keep it hot while eating . Enjoy! |
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11
Turn off heat Add
Serve in large bowl Top with chopped green onions Enjoy! |
40 min
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