Samgyetang (Ginseng Chicken Soup)
A whole young chicken stuffed with glutinous rice, ginseng, jujubes, and garlic, simmered until the meat falls off the bone. Korea's legendary restorative soup.
Why This Recipe Works
- Whole bird simmering extracts collagen, gelatin, and fat into the broth — this is bone broth before bone broth was trendy.
- Glutinous rice stuffing absorbs chicken juices from the inside, creating a rich, porridge-like filling.
- Ginseng adds a distinctive bitter-sweet medicinal flavor that no other ingredient can replicate.
- Simple seasoning (just salt at the table) lets the clean chicken-ginseng-jujube flavors shine without distraction.
Korea's Healing Soup
Samgyetang is Korea's answer to chicken noodle soup — but more intentional. It's prescriptive food: eaten on specific days (the three boknal of summer), after illness, after childbirth, or whenever energy is low. The combination of ginseng (stamina), chicken (protein), and glutinous rice (sustained energy) is Korean food-as-medicine philosophy in a single bowl.
Samgyetang (Ginseng Chicken Soup)
🛒 Ingredients
- ✦2 Cornish game hens (or 1 small whole chicken, about 2 lbs)
- ✦1/2 cup sweet glutinous rice (chapssal), soaked 1 hour
- ✦4-6 cloves garlic, peeled
- ✦2 small dried ginseng roots (or 1 tablespoon ginseng tea granules)
- ✦4 dried jujubes (daechu)
- ✦2 dried chestnuts (optional)
- ✦6-8 cups water
- ✦Salt and black pepper to taste
- ✦2 green onions, sliced (for garnish)
👨🍳 Instructions
01Step 1
Soak glutinous rice in cold water for at least 1 hour. Drain well.
02Step 2
Clean the Cornish hens inside and out. Remove any giblets. Trim excess fat around the cavity opening.
03Step 3
Stuff each hen with soaked rice (about 1/4 cup per bird), 2-3 garlic cloves, 1 ginseng root, and 2 jujubes. Don't overstuff — the rice expands.
04Step 4
Place stuffed hens in a heavy pot. Add enough cold water to just cover the birds — about 6-8 cups.
05Step 5
Bring to a boil over high heat. Skim off any foam and impurities that rise to the surface.
06Step 6
Reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 50-60 minutes until the chicken is fall-off-the-bone tender and the rice inside is fully cooked.
07Step 7
Serve each hen in a deep bowl with plenty of broth. Garnish with sliced green onions. Season with salt and pepper at the table.
Nutrition Per Serving
Estimates based on standard preparation. Adjustments alter macros.
🔄 Substitutions
Instead of Cornish game hens...
Use Small whole chicken (2-3 lbs)
One chicken serves 2-3 — increase cook time to 70-80 minutes
Instead of Dried ginseng...
Use Ginseng tea granules (1 tablespoon)
Dissolve into the broth in the last 10 minutes — milder but still authentic
Instead of Glutinous rice...
Use Regular short-grain rice
Less sticky and chewy but works — reduce soaking time to 30 minutes
Instead of Jujubes...
Use Dried dates
Similar sweetness — use pitted Medjool dates, halved
🧊 Storage & Reheating
In the Fridge
Store for up to 2 days. The broth gels when cold — that's the collagen.
In the Freezer
Freeze broth and chicken separately for up to 2 months.
Reheating Rules
Reheat gently in a pot until bubbling. The rice inside continues to absorb broth, so add water if needed.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Why do Koreans eat hot soup in summer?
The Korean concept of 'iyeol-chiyeol' (이열치열) means 'fight fire with fire.' The idea is that eating hot, nourishing food on the hottest days makes you sweat, which cools you down and replenishes lost energy. Samgyetang is the go-to boknal (hottest days) food.
Where do I find ginseng and jujubes?
Korean grocery stores stock both in the dried goods section. Dried ginseng roots come in small bags or boxes. Jujubes (daechu) are dried red dates — they look like wrinkled red olives. Both are also available online from Korean food retailers.
The Science of
Samgyetang (Ginseng Chicken Soup)
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