Steam lifts from the bowl, carrying ginger and warm broth. The rice settles at the bottom, the chicken shreds easily, and the miso hums quietly in the background — savory, comforting, calm. This is the kind of soup that doesn’t rush you. It waits.
I made this the way cooks have always made it: chicken, water, ginger, patience. No shortcuts. The miso comes later — not to dominate, but to round the edges. Rice gives it gravity. Cabbage softens into something gentle and forgiving. This isn’t ramen. It’s not congee. It’s a working bowl of soup meant to be eaten slowly, preferably when the world feels a little uncooperative.
Each spoonful feels steady. Nourishing without being heavy. Familiar without being dull. It’s the kind of food you make when you want to take care of someone — including yourself.
Ingredients (Why These Matter)
Chicken Thighs
This soup needs dark meat. Thighs stay tender through a long simmer and give the broth real body. Bones add structure; skin adds richness — even if you remove it later. This is not diet soup. It’s restorative soup.
Ginger
Fresh ginger does quiet, essential work here. It warms without heat, sharpens the broth, and keeps the soup from feeling flat. Sliced thick and simmered gently, it perfumes the pot rather than overpowering it.
Rice
Short-grain rice gives this soup its center of gravity. It softens, releases starch, and turns broth into something more sustaining. This isn’t meant to be clear. It’s meant to be comforting.
White Miso
White miso is mellow, slightly sweet, and forgiving. It rounds out the broth instead of announcing itself. Added off heat, it brings depth without clouding the soup’s purpose. This is miso as support, not spotlight.
Cabbage
Cabbage is patient food. It softens slowly, adds sweetness, and holds texture without demanding attention. It’s ideal for soup meant to be eaten by people who need gentleness, not distraction.
Carrots
Cut large, carrots bring sweetness and color without dissolving. They anchor the bowl visually and balance the savory elements naturally — no extra seasoning required.
Affiliate Equipment & Ingredient List
(What holds up, what we actually use, what earns counter space)
Essential Equipment
- Heavy-bottom stock pot (6–8 qt) – steady simmer, no scorching
- Fine-mesh strainer – optional, for a cleaner broth
- Wooden spoon or ladle – gentle stirring without breaking rice
- Rice cooker or saucepan – rice cooked separately matters here
Ingredients Worth Buying Well
- White miso paste (refrigerated) – mild, balanced, not overly salty
- Short-grain Japanese rice – texture and starch are key
- Fresh ginger root – skip paste or powder
- Bone-in chicken thighs – air-chilled if available
The Recipe
Ingredients (serves 4–6)
- 2 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 10 cups cold water
- 3-inch piece fresh ginger, sliced
- 1 cup short-grain white rice
- 2 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
- 2 cups shredded green cabbage
- 3 tablespoon white miso paste
- Salt, as needed
Method
- Place chicken, water, and ginger in a pot. Simmer gently 45–60 minutes.
- Remove chicken, strain broth if desired.
- Shred chicken.
- Cook rice separately.
- Add carrots to broth; simmer until soft.
- Add chicken, rice, cabbage.
- Remove from heat; stir in miso dissolved in broth.
- Season to taste.
Chef’s Notes
- Add miso off heat only.
- This soup improves overnight.
- Ideal for recovery and quiet meals.
Chicken and Rice Miso Soup
Ingredients
Ingredients:
For the broth
- - 2 lb bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
- - 10 cups cold water
- - 3-inch knob fresh ginger sliced
For the soup
- - 2 carrots peeled and cut into large chunks
- - 1 cup short-grain white rice sushi rice, cooked separately
- - 2 cups finely shredded green cabbage
- - 3 tablespoon white miso paste plus more to taste
- - Kosher salt to taste
- - Freshly ground black pepper optional
Instructions
Instructions:
- Add chicken thighs, cold water, and sliced ginger to a large pot. Bring to a gentle simmer. Skim any foam.
- Reduce heat and simmer uncovered 45–60 minutes, until chicken is tender and broth is rich.
- Remove chicken and strain broth if desired. Discard ginger. Return broth to pot.
- Shred chicken; discard skin and bones.
- Cook rice separately until tender.
- Add carrots to broth and simmer 8–12 minutes until soft.
- Add shredded chicken, cooked rice, and cabbage. Heat gently until cabbage wilts.
- Remove from heat. Dissolve miso in a small bowl with hot broth, then stir into soup.
- Taste and adjust seasoning. Do not boil after adding miso.
Notes
- Always add miso off heat.
- For thicker texture, mash a spoonful of rice into the broth.
- Improves overnight; reheat gently.
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