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Miso Soup with Chicken

Close-up photo of miso soup with chicken meatballs and bok choy.
Transform your soup game and stay cozy all season long with this recipe for Miso Soup with Chicken. Featuring tender, juicy ginger-infused chicken meatballs in a rich, umami-packed miso broth, this dish is as heartwarming as it is delicious! Whether you're craving a comforting meal or a nourishing dinner, this recipe will have you savoring every spoonful.
Author: Cheyanne Holzworth
Total Time: 40 minutes
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings

Equipment

  • 1 Mixing Bowl - for making the chicken meatball mixture
  • 1 large skillet - for browning the chicken meatballs
  • 1 Medium Pot or Dutch Oven - for making the miso soup

Ingredients

  • 1 Pound Ground Chicken (SEE NOTES)
  • 1 Cup Plain Panko Breadcrumbs
  • 2 cloves Garlic – DIVIDED; 1 clove minced; 1 clove peeled and smashed
  • 1 medium Shallot – peeled and sliced
  • 1 TBS Reduced-Sodium Soy Sauce
  • 2-inch piece Fresh Ginger - DIVIDED; 2 tsp freshly grated; 1’’ piece peeled and sliced
  • 8 whole Scallions – white and green part, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish
  • 1 TBS Fish Sauce - DIVIDED
  • 1 TBS Lemongrass - white part only; minced
  • 1 TBS Fresh Cilantro – roughly chopped
  • 5 Cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth - DIVIDED
  • 1 Cups Filtered Water
  • 1 whole Thai Chili – sliced (optional)
  • 2 TBS Miso (red or white miso)
  • 2 TBS Vegetable Oil
  • 2 heads Baby Bok Choy - quartered into wedges (substitute: 1 regular head bok choy)(optional)
  • ¼ tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes - plus more for garnish
  • to taste Kosher Salt and Pepper

Instructions

  • Make the Chicken Meatballs: In a large bowl combine the chicken, panko, minced garlic, soy sauce, grated ginger, half the scallions, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, lemon grass, cilantro, and 2 tablespoons of broth.
    Use your hands or a rubber spatula to gently mix the ingredients until they're JUST combined.
    Next, use a cookie scoop to portion about one tablespoon of the chicken mixture into your hands and roll the mixture into meatballs roughly 1-inch in diameter. Transfer the formed meatball to a plate or clean work surface lined with parchment paper. Repeat the process until all meatballs are formed.
  • Start the Miso Soup: In a medium pot over medium heat, combine remaining broth, water, Thai chili, smashed garlic, shallot, sliced ginger, 1 tablespoon fish sauce and remaining scallions.
    Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat. Then immediately reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook the broth for 15 minutes.
    Use a slotted spoon to remove all solids (chilis, garlic, shallot, ginger, scallions) and discard.
    In a small bowl combine the miso with 2 tablespoons of the broth and whisk to combine. Then stir the miso mixture to the pot of broth. (Keep the miso broth warm over low heat if you need to.)
  • While the Soup Simmers, Brown the Meatballs: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Then add the meatballs to skillet (in batches if necessary to not overcrowd the pan) and cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown on all sides, about 6-8 minutes. Remove and transfer to a clean plate. Repeat the cooking process with remaining meatballs if needed.
    (NOTE: Don't worry about cooking the meatballs through, you are just browning the outsides!)
  • Add Greens to the Miso Soup: Add the bok choy and crushed red pepper flakes to the miso soup mixture. Simmer until bok choy is almost tender, about 3 minutes.
  • Add the Chicken Meatballs to Miso Soup: Add the browned meatballs to the broth mixture and bring the broth back to a simmer over medium-low heat.
    Gently simmer until the meatballs are cooked through, about 5-8 minutes. (Tip: Do not boil the meatballs, just simmer them.)
    Taste the broth and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper overall flavor or specific ingredients for specific flavors.
  • Serve Miso Soup with Chicken Meatballs: Garnish the soup with scallions, soy sauce, and hot sauce or crushed red pepper, if using. Enjoy immediately.

Notes

  • Chicken: Do NOT use ground ALL chicken breast. Use ground chicken (with both white and dark meat) for a more flavorful, juicy meatball.
  • Miso: You can use either red or white miso. I typically use red.
  • Simmering Soup: You can let the broth gently simmer for longer than 15 minutes if needed while you cook the meatballs. Just cover the pot so there isn't too much evaporation. 
  • Need to Scale the Recipe? Hover your mouse over the number of servings in the recipe card. You'll see a sliding scale pop up, you can use that to scale the recipe up or down as needed.
  • Got questions? I've got answers! If you ever run into an issue, have a question, or need any clarification - please feel free to drop them in the comments section. I'm happy to help when I can! 
  • Yield: about 22 meatballs
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and the nutrition facts are an estimate based upon 4 servings. Exact information will depend upon the brands of ingredients and precise measurements used.

Nutrition

Calories: 361kcal    Carbohydrates: 20g    Protein: 30g    Fat: 19g    Saturated Fat: 4g    Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g    Monounsaturated Fat: 7g    Trans Fat: 0.1g    Cholesterol: 98mg    Sodium: 1088mg    Potassium: 980mg    Fiber: 2g    Sugar: 3g    Vitamin A: 97IU    Vitamin C: 2mg    Calcium: 65mg    Iron: 3mg
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Asian