🍲 Korean Chicken Soup (Samgyetang without Ginseng)

A comforting and nourishing chicken soup made with tender chicken, rice, garlic, and herbs—perfect for restoring energy and warmth.

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Ingredients:

• 1 whole small chicken (about 1 to 1 ½ lbs), cleaned and patted dry

• ½ cup glutinous rice (sweet rice), soaked for 1 hour

• 10–12 cloves garlic, peeled

• 4-5 dried jujube (Korean dates) (optional but adds sweetness)

• 2-3 small pieces of ginger, thinly sliced

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 6-7 cups water or chicken broth

• Fresh cilantro or green onions for garnish

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Instructions:

1. Prepare the Chicken
   Stuff the chicken with soaked rice, garlic cloves, jujube, and ginger slices. You can tie the chicken legs together with kitchen twine to keep everything inside.

2. Cook the Soup
   In a large pot, heat sesame oil over medium heat. Place the whole chicken in the pot and add water or chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer gently for 1 ½ to 2 hours, until the chicken is tender and the flavors are infused into the broth.

3. Season
   Add soy sauce, salt, and pepper to taste. Continue to simmer for another 10-15 minutes.

4. Serve
   Carefully remove the chicken from the pot. Ladle the broth into bowls, ensuring that each serving gets some of the rice and garlic. Serve the chicken whole on a separate plate with a side of broth.

5. Garnish
   Garnish with fresh cilantro or green onions for added freshness. You can serve with kimchi or pickled radishes on the side.