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Ginger & Lemongrass Chicken Cabbage Soup

A bowl of ginger and lemongrass chicken cabbage soup.
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This Ginger & Lemongrass Chicken Cabbage Soup is comforting, deeply savoury and packed with fresh aromatics. Chicken legs are gently simmered with charred onions, ginger and lemongrass to create a beautifully fragrant broth before being shredded and returned to the pot with tender cabbage. Finished with fresh coriander, spring onions and a little chilli, it’s delicious on its own or ladled over rice for a heartier meal.

  • Author: zenak
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
  • Yield: 4-6 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil (or any neutral oil)
  • 2 onions, halved
  • 75g fresh ginger, halved lengthways
  • 6 lemongrass stalks, tough outer layers removed and bruised
  • 1.5 litres water
  • 3 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 3 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tsp chicken powder or 1 chicken stock cube
  • 4 chicken legs
  • 1 small sweetheart, hispi, white or savoy cabbage (not red), thinly sliced
  • 25g fresh coriander, finely chopped
  • 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 red chilli, thinly sliced (optional)

To serve (optional):

  • cooked rice
  • chilli oil

Instructions

  1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven or saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the onion and ginger, cut-side down, and cook without moving them until deeply charred, 2 to 3 minutes.
  2. Turn the onion and ginger over, then add the bruised lemongrass, water, light soy sauce, oyster sauce and chicken powder (or stock cube). Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer.
  3. Add the chicken and return the broth to a gentle simmer. Skim off any scum that rises to the surface (don’t worry if you don’t get it all), then cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 1 hour, or until the chicken is very tender.
  4. Transfer the chicken to a plate and leave it until cool enough to handle.
  5. Using a spider or slotted spoon, remove the onion, ginger and lemongrass from the broth. Alternatively, strain the broth through a sieve into a large bowl or jug, then return it to the pot.
  6. Bring the broth back to a gentle simmer. Add the cabbage and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until tender but still retaining a little bite.
  7. Meanwhile, remove the skin and bones from the chicken, then shred the meat into bite-sized pieces.
  8. Return the shredded chicken to the soup and stir until heated through.
  9. Remove the pot from the heat and stir through the coriander, spring onions and chilli, if using. Taste and season with salt, if needed.
  10. Serve the soup as it is, or ladle it over cooked rice for a heartier meal. Finish with a drizzle of chilli oil, if you like.

Notes

Char the aromatics well. The dark caramelisation on the onions and ginger adds depth and complexity to the broth, so don’t be tempted to rush this step.

Use chicken legs. They produce a richer, more flavourful broth than boneless chicken and stay beautifully tender after an hour of simmering.

Don’t overcook the cabbage. It should be tender but still have a little bite, adding freshness and texture to the finished soup.

Rice is optional, but highly recommended. I love serving this soup over steamed rice, which soaks up the fragrant broth and turns it into an even more satisfying meal.

Find it online: https://zenaskitchen.com/ginger-lemongrass-chicken-cabbage-soup/

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