Chinese Hand-Pulled Chicken Noodle Soup

Name: Chinese Hand-Pulled Chicken Noodle Soup
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 1½ lb (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken breast, at room temperature, left whole; 8 cups (1900 ml) water; 3 oz (85 g) fresh ginger root, peeled, sliced into 3–4 coins (do not mince); 4 whole star anise pods; 4 whole garlic cloves, smashed with the side of a knife, skin left on; 2 whole scallions (green onions), white and light green parts cut into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces; 3 tbsp (45 ml) soy sauce (light or all-purpose); 2 tbsp (30 ml) Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry; 1 tsp (5 ml) dark sesame oil; to taste fine sea salt; to taste white pepper, ground; 12 oz (340 g) fresh hand-pulled noodles or wheat noodles, untangled and ready to cook; 3 whole scallions (green onions), thinly sliced, dark green parts only, for garnish; ¼ cup (10 g) fresh cilantro, roughly chopped (leaves and tender stems) (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A warming, aromatic chicken noodle soup built on a deeply flavored broth infused with ginger, star anise, and soy. Hand-pulled noodles, tender shredded chicken, and fresh scallions come together in a light but satisfying bowl. The broth is simmered with whole spices to develop complexity, then finished with a touch of sesame oil and rice wine for authentic flavor.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 45 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 1 hr 10 min
Makes: 4 servings, about 2 cups (480 ml) per bowl

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Ingredients

4 servings

1½ lb (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken breast, at room temperature, left whole
8 cups (1900 ml) water
3 oz (85 g) fresh ginger root, peeled, sliced into 3–4 coins (do not mince)
4 whole star anise pods
4 whole garlic cloves, smashed with the side of a knife, skin left on
2 whole scallions (green onions), white and light green parts cut into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces
3 tbsp (45 ml) soy sauce (light or all-purpose)
2 tbsp (30 ml) Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
1 tsp (5 ml) dark sesame oil
to taste fine sea salt
to taste white pepper, ground
12 oz (340 g) fresh hand-pulled noodles or wheat noodles, untangled and ready to cook
3 whole scallions (green onions), thinly sliced, dark green parts only, for garnish
¼ cup (10 g) fresh cilantro, roughly chopped (leaves and tender stems) (optional)

Equipment (5)

8-quart (7.5 L) heavy-bottomed pot with lid
Chef's knife
Cutting board
Wooden spoon or ladle
Shallow bowls for serving (12 oz / 360 ml each)

Steps

Before you start

Bring chicken to room temperature if it's been refrigerated, so it cooks evenly
Prepare all aromatics (ginger, scallions, garlic) before you start simmering—you'll add them in stages
Make or have hand-pulled noodles ready, or substitute store-bought fresh wheat noodles
Read through the entire recipe; the broth benefits from unhurried simmering

1
Build the broth base
- Place the whole chicken breast into an 8-quart pot and add 8 cups (1.9 L) of cold water.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, then immediately lower the heat to medium-low.
- Let simmer gently for 2 minutes, then use a slotted spoon to skim off any pale foam and scum that rises to the surface.
- This will give you a clearer broth.
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Ready when: Foam begins to gather on the surface
Tip: Skimming impurities at the start makes for a cleaner, more refined broth. Do not skip this step.
2
Simmer chicken with aromatics
- Add the sliced ginger coins, star anise pods, smashed garlic cloves, and the white and light green parts of scallion to the pot.
- Reduce heat to low and maintain a gentle simmer—the surface should barely bubble.
- Cover the pot partially (leave the lid ajar about 2 inches) and simmer for 25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
- You should be able to pierce the thickest part with a fork without resistance.
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Ready when: Chicken is opaque throughout and easily pierced; broth is fragrant
Tip: Keep the heat low to avoid boiling the chicken, which will make it tough and the broth cloudy.
3
Remove and shred chicken
- Using tongs, carefully lift the chicken breast out of the broth and place it on a clean cutting board.
- Let it rest for 2 minutes so it's cool enough to handle.
- While it cools slightly, add the soy sauce and Shaoxing rice wine to the broth and stir gently to combine.
- Once the chicken is cool, use two forks or your fingers to shred it into bite-sized pieces (about ½ inch or 1 cm wide).
- Discard any thick tendons.
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Ready when: Chicken is in shreds, no large pieces remain
Tip: Shred against the grain for more tender pieces. Don't worry about perfection—rustic shreds look and taste better.
4
Strain and season broth
- Place a fine-mesh strainer over a large bowl or clean pot.
- Carefully pour the broth through the strainer to catch the ginger, star anise, garlic, and scallion pieces.
- Discard the solids (they've given their flavor).
- Return the clear broth to the pot.
- Taste it and add sesame oil, salt, and white pepper to your liking.
- The broth should taste well-seasoned and aromatic—slightly savory and warm from the ginger and anise.
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Ready when: Broth is clear and tastes balanced; season to your preference
Tip: Taste before adjusting salt—the soy sauce already adds saltiness. Go easy with white pepper; it should warm, not dominate.
5
Cook noodles
- Bring the broth back to a rolling boil over medium-high heat.
- Carefully add the hand-pulled noodles, gently separating any that clump together with a wooden spoon.
- Stir gently and occasionally.
- Boil for 3–5 minutes (check the noodle package for guidance—fresh noodles cook faster than dried ones).
- The noodles are done when tender but still with a slight chew; they should not be mushy.
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Ready when: Noodles are tender with a slight firmness when bitten; broth returns to boil
Tip: Stir gently while the noodles cook to prevent sticking. If you're using dried noodles, add 1–2 extra minutes to the cooking time.
6
Finish and serve
- Return the shredded chicken to the pot and stir to distribute it evenly throughout the broth.
- Heat through for 1–2 minutes (the chicken is already cooked, so you're just warming it).
- Ladle the soup into shallow bowls (about 2 cups / 480 ml per bowl), making sure each bowl gets some chicken and noodles.
- Top each with thinly sliced scallion greens and cilantro if desired.
- Serve immediately while piping hot.
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Ready when: Soup is steaming and fragrant; chicken is heated through
Tip: Garnish just before serving so the scallions stay fresh and bright. Cilantro is optional but adds a lovely herbal note.

Good to know

Tips

For deeper, more complex broth, roast the ginger and garlic in a dry pan over medium heat for 1–2 minutes before adding to the pot. This caramelizes them slightly and adds toasty notes.
If you prefer a richer broth, replace 2 cups of water with chicken stock instead. Use low-sodium stock so you can control the salt level.
Hand-pulled noodles are available fresh at most Asian markets. If you can't find them, ask the noodle vendor for a wheat noodle that cooks in 3–5 minutes.
Leftover noodles can be pan-fried the next day with a little oil and soy sauce for a quick noodle stir-fry side dish.

Make ahead

The broth (through step 4) can be made up to 2 days ahead, cooled, and refrigerated in an airtight container. Reheat gently before adding noodles. The shredded chicken keeps for 1 day refrigerated separately.

Storage & reheating

Leftover soup (without noodles) keeps, refrigerated in an airtight container, for 3 days. Noodles can be stored separately for up to 1 day and added fresh when reheating. Freeze the broth for up to 2 months. To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge and bring to a gentle boil, then add fresh noodles and chicken. Do not freeze noodles—they become mushy.

Substitutions

fresh hand-pulled noodles or wheat noodles → dried wheat noodles or ramen noodles. Increase cooking time to 5–7 minutes. The texture will be less tender but still delicious.
Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry → dry sherry or a dry white wine. The flavor profile will be slightly lighter; use the same amount.
star anise pods → 1 cinnamon stick (about 2 inches / 5 cm) plus a pinch of clove. You'll lose some of the licorice note but gain warm spice. Use half the amount of clove—it's potent.
fresh cilantro → fresh mint or a combination of mint and cilantro. Mint adds a cooling, aromatic finish instead of cilantro's herbaceous brightness.