Quick Chicken and Miso Broth

Name: Quick Chicken and Miso Broth
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 1¼ lb (570 g) boneless, skinless chicken breast, room temperature; 6 cups (1440 ml) filtered water; 2 oz (60 g) fresh ginger root, 1-inch pieces, unpeeled, lightly smashed; 6 oz (170 g) fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, halved if large; 3 whole fresh scallions, white and light green parts cut into 1-inch pieces, dark green reserved; 3 tablespoons (45 g) white or light red miso paste; to taste kosher salt

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A light, umami-rich broth made in 30 minutes by simmering chicken breast with fresh ginger, shiitake mushrooms, and miso paste. Perfect as a simple meal on its own or as a base for noodle bowls, soups, or stir-fries. The miso is stirred in at the end to preserve its probiotic benefits and bright flavor.

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 20 min
Total: 30 min
Makes: 4 bowls (1¼ cups/300 ml each)

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Steps

Before you start

Pat chicken breast dry with paper towels so it cooks evenly
Gather all ingredients—miso paste should be at room temperature for easy stirring
Use a 3- to 4-quart pot so broth simmers gently without boiling over

1
Bring broth to a simmer
- Pour 6 cups (1.44 L) water into a 3- to 4-quart pot.
- Add the whole chicken breast, ginger pieces, and shiitake mushroom halves.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, then immediately reduce heat to low.
- Skim off any foam that rises to the surface for the first 1–2 minutes with a slotted spoon or fine-mesh strainer.
- Maintain a gentle simmer (small bubbles breaking the surface at the edges, not a rolling boil).
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Ready when: Foam rises to the surface
Tip: Do not skip skimming—it removes impurities and keeps the broth clear and refined.
2
Simmer chicken gently
- Once foam is skimmed, add the white and light green scallion pieces.
- Reduce heat to low and cover the pot partway with a lid.
- Maintain a very gentle simmer—just barely moving liquid—for 15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink inside.
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Ready when: Chicken shows no pink when cut at its thickest point
Tip: A very gentle simmer keeps the chicken tender and the broth clear. Hard boiling will turn it cloudy.
3
Remove chicken and strain
- Using a slotted spoon or tongs, carefully lift the cooked chicken breast onto a clean cutting board.
- Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl or measuring cup, discarding the ginger, mushroom pieces, and scallion bits.
- You should have about 5 to 5½ cups (1.2–1.3 L) clear broth.
- Pour the strained broth back into the pot.
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Ready when: Broth is clear and chicken is cool enough to handle
Tip: Save the cooked chicken to shred and add back to bowls, or reserve for other uses like salads or fried rice.
4
Shred chicken
- Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred it into bite-sized pieces using two forks or your fingers, discarding any remaining connective tissue.
- Set aside in a small bowl.
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Ready when: Chicken is pulled into uniform, tender shreds
Tip: Shredding while still warm (but cool enough to touch) makes the meat more tender and easier to separate.
5
Dissolve miso paste
- In a small bowl, ladle about ½ cup (120 ml) of the warm broth.
- Add the 3 tablespoons (45 g) miso paste and stir until completely dissolved and smooth, breaking up any lumps with the back of a spoon.
- This prevents lumps from forming in the final broth.
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Ready when: Miso is completely smooth with no visible lumps
Tip: Never add miso directly to boiling liquid—the heat will destroy beneficial probiotics and dull the flavor. Always dissolve it separately first.
6
Finish broth
- Gently reheat the strained broth over low heat until small wisps of steam just begin to rise—do not bring to a boil.
- Pour the dissolved miso mixture into the pot and stir gently with a wooden spoon until fully incorporated.
- Taste and add kosher salt as needed.
- The broth should taste savory and umami-rich, not oversalted.
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Ready when: Miso is evenly distributed and broth steams gently
Tip: Keep the heat very low after adding miso to preserve its live cultures and delicate flavor complexity.
7
Serve
- Divide the shredded chicken among four bowls.
- Ladle 1¼ cups (300 ml) of hot broth into each bowl.
- Garnish with the reserved dark green scallion tops, sliced thin.
- Serve immediately while hot.
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Ready when: Broth steams and scallions are bright green
Tip: Add fresh scallion greens just before serving so they remain crisp and vibrant.

Good to know

Tips

For added depth, toast the mushroom pieces in a dry pan over medium-high heat for 2–3 minutes before adding to the broth. This concentrates their umami.
Turn this broth into a full noodle bowl by adding cooked ramen noodles, soft-boiled eggs, pickled vegetables, and nori strips to the finished bowls.
Miso paste oxidizes and darkens over time even refrigerated; store opened jars with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface to slow browning.
For a lighter version, use half the miso (1½ tablespoons) and add ½ teaspoon soy sauce for extra salty depth without overpowering umami.

Storage & reheating

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently over low heat on the stovetop—do not boil, as reheating can degrade the miso. The broth does not freeze well due to the miso paste, which can separate and lose flavor after thawing. For longer storage, freeze the plain chicken and broth without the miso, then add fresh miso paste when reheating.

Substitutions

white or light red miso paste → 3 tablespoons red miso paste. Red miso is more pungent and slightly saltier than white; reduce added salt by ¼ teaspoon and taste before adjusting.
fresh shiitake mushrooms → 6 oz (170 g) cremini or baby bella mushrooms. Use mushrooms with stems intact. The broth will be less deeply flavored but still delicious. Add 1 teaspoon soy sauce for depth.
fresh ginger root → 1½ teaspoons ground ginger. Stir ground ginger in with the miso paste at the end instead of simmering it whole. The flavor will be sharper and less mellow.
boneless, skinless chicken breast → 1¼ lb (570 g) chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces. Thighs take the same cooking time but yield a richer, more flavorful broth. Shred or leave in chunks as preferred.