If you’ve ever craved the comforting warmth of Japanese miso soup as a meal, this chicken miso soup recipe is the perfect nourishing one-pot meal for a chilly night. Inspired by the Japanese classic tonjiru, this hearty Japanese miso stew brings together tender chicken, sweet root vegetables, and shiitake mushrooms in a rich, savory broth. The creamy texture and natural sweetness of chickpea miso paste bring out the depth of flavor of the hearty root vegetables while creating an irresistible contrast of sweet and savory tastes.

Why This Recipe Works

• Miso soup is usually just one of many side dishes in a Japanese meal, but adding chicken and hearty root vegetables turns into a satisfying main dish.
• Chicken thigh meat’s connective tissues break down into gelatin, enriching the broth and keeping the meat tender.
• The natural sweetness of chickpea miso brings out the flavor of the root vegetables while complimenting the savory chicken broth.

Ingredients

Chicken thighs – Collagen-rich thighs are perfect for chicken miso soup because they become tender as they cook while staying moist and flavorful. If you want to substitute chicken breast meat, I recommend browning them once, removing them from the pot, and adding them back during the last 5 minutes of cooking the soup to prevent them from getting tough.

Sweet potato – Japanese sweet potatoes add a natural sweetness that balances the umami-rich miso paste and savory broth. You can substitute kabocha squash or regular sweet potatoes.

Carrot – Carrots add a beautiful sunny color while contributing a touch of herbal sweetness to this miso soup with chicken. Other root vegetables such as parsnips, burdock, or rutabagas make great alternatives.

Shiitake mushrooms – These earthy mushrooms enhance the umami of the chicken broth while adding a fun textural element. If shiitakes aren’t available, cremini or button mushrooms will also work.

Green beans – Fresh green beans add a pop of verdant color at the end, but other green veggies, such as green onions, spinach, or snap peas, are good alternatives. I also like serving this with sliced avocados for extra creaminess.

Chicken stock – While miso soup is traditionally made with fish-based dashi stock if you’re wondering if you can make miso soup with chicken broth—the answer is yes! It creates a more unctuous soup that’s still just as umami-rich while complimenting the tender hunks of chicken meat.

Organic Chickpea Miso – The miso paste brings a delicate sweetness and creamy texture that enhances the natural flavors of the vegetables and chicken broth in this simple recipe. Red or white miso paste can be used instead, but I recommend reducing the amount to 2-3 tablespoons due to their higher salt content.

How to Make Chicken Miso Soup

Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat and add the vegetable oil and chicken with the skin side down. Browning theskin develops savory flavor through the Maillard reaction and renders out some fat, giving the soup more body. Once the skin is well-browned, add the sweet potatoes, carrots, and shiitake mushrooms to the pot and stir-fry the mixture to coat them with oil and partially cook them. This step helps bring out the sweetness of the root vegetables while creating umami through additional browning.
Pour in the chicken stock, and bring the soup to a boil. As it heats up, you may notice a layer of foam forming on the surface—this is coagulated protein from the meat, and you’ll want to skim this off with a fine mesh skimmer or a shallow spoon. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, and let the soup cook for about twenty minutes. This slow simmering process allows the flavors to meld together while tenderizing the chicken and veggies. About three minutes before the soup is done, add the green beans.
Once the chicken and vegetables are tender, turn off the heat. Dissolve the miso paste into the soup using a ladle and spoon to prevent clumping.
Serve the chicken miso soup in bowls garnished with green onions or shichimi togarashi (Japanese chili powder) paired with a bowl of steamed rice.
For a variation, you can pour the hot broth over cooked noodles such as udon or ramen to create a miso chicken noodle soup. Leftovers can be warmed up with rice to make a comforting rice soup. However you enjoy it, this miso and chicken soup is a delicious and satisfying way to warm up on a chilly day.