Your Dutch oven doesn’t have to be limited to labor-intensive recipes: This quick Asian-style noodle soup is as simple as it is satisfying. We used the Dutch oven to first brown chicken breasts and build a full-flavored base. To keep it easy, we used the noodles from store-bought ramen soup, discarding the seasoning packet, which tasted dusty and was too salty. Store-bought coleslaw mix conveniently provided already shredded cabbage and carrots ready to add to the pot. Ginger, soy sauce, and sesame oil added significant savoriness to our soup. Gently poaching the browned chicken breasts in the broth, and then removing the meat briefly to shred it before returning it to the soup, kept the chicken tender and flavorful. You can find shredded coleslaw mix in the packaged salad aisle at the grocery store.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
- Salt and pepper
- 5 scallions, white and green parts separated and sliced thin
- 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons dry sherry
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce, plus extra for seasoning
- 2 (3-ounce) packages ramen noodles, seasoning packets discarded
- 3 cups (8¼ ounces) shredded green coleslaw mix
- 3 ounces (3 cups) baby spinach
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, plus extra for seasoning
- Heat vegetable oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Brown chicken lightly on both sides, about 5 minutes; transfer to plate.
- Add scallion whites, ginger, and garlic to fat left in pot and cook over medium heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in broth, sherry, and soy sauce, scraping up any browned bits, and bring to simmer.
- Nestle chicken into pot, adding any accumulated juices. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until chicken registers 165 degrees, about 10 minutes. Transfer chicken to cutting board, let cool slightly, then shred into bite-size pieces using 2 forks.
- Return soup to simmer, stir in noodles and coleslaw mix, and cook until noodles are tender, about 4 minutes. Stir in chicken and spinach and cook until spinach is wilted, about 1 minute. Stir in scallion greens and sesame oil. Season with salt, pepper, extra soy sauce, and extra sesame oil to taste. Serve.