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    Home » Main Dishes

    Dak Kalguksu (Chicken Noodle Soup)

    Published 06/28/2015. Updated 08/02/2020

    Jump to Recipe

    Kalguksu is a warming, soothing noodle soup that’s made with knife-cut noodles. Made with chicken broth and shredded chicken meat, it’s delicious and comforting!

    DSC2876 1 - Dak Kalguksu (Chicken Noodle Soup)

    It’s been extremely hot and humid here! I previously mentioned the Korean idea of cooling off and boosting energy with boiling hot chicken soups, such as samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup) and dak gomtang (chicken soup). Add this dak kalguksu (닭칼국수) to the list!

    What is kalguksu

    Kalguksu (칼국수) means “knife noodles,” but it actually refers to a steaming hot noodle soup that’s traditionally made with handmade, knife-cut noodles. There are many variations using different ingredients for the soup base or for the dough. Dak (chicken) kalguksu is made with a rich chicken broth, and shredded chicken meat.

    Typically, kalguksu also includes julienned or sliced vegetables such as onion, zucchini, carrot, and/or potato.

    Kalguksu is delicious with baechu geotjeori (fresh kimchi)!

    DSC 1041 - Dak Kalguksu (Chicken Noodle Soup)

    The broth

    Dak kalguksu is typically made with a whole chicken. It’s a cheap way to feed more people, not to mention the stock will be more flavorful. You can cut up a whole chicken before boiling if you want it to cook a little faster.

    If you want to use cut chicken pieces, leg quarters and chicken wings will be good for a flavorful stock. The soup is made similar to dak gomtang. Boil the chicken, with some aromatic vegetables, to make a flavorful broth, and shred the meat to use as a topping.

    The noodles

    You can certainly use commercially packaged fresh kalguksu noodles available in the refrigerated section of Korean markets. There are also dried kalgusu noodles in the dried noodle section.

    DSC 0874 1 - Dak Kalguksu (Chicken Noodle Soup)

    Homemade noodles

    However, making noodles at home without a machine is not that difficult! You can make them at a moment’s notice as long as you have flour and salt! Homemade noodles taste so much better, and obviously they are much cheaper.

    A bit of oil makes the dough silkier and a little easier to work with, but it’s not absolutely necessary.

    DSC 0914 1 - Dak Kalguksu (Chicken Noodle Soup)

    DSC 0948 1 - Dak Kalguksu (Chicken Noodle Soup)

    I usually parboil the noodles in a separate pot before adding to the chicken broth. Otherwise, the soup can get very thick from all the starch the noodles release while cooking. However, it’s a matter of preference.

    DSC 0974 2 - Dak Kalguksu (Chicken Noodle Soup)

    For more Korean cooking inspirations, follow along on YouTube, Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

    DSC 0974 2 300x300 - Dak Kalguksu (Chicken Noodle Soup)

    Dak Kalguksu (Chicken Noodle Soup)

    4.66 from 69 votes
    Main
    Servings: 4
    Print Recipe

    Ingredients

    For the soup

    • 1 small whole chicken 2.5 to 3 pounds, or bone-in pieces
    • ½ medium onion
    • 8 plump garlic cloves
    • 3 to 4 thinly sliced ginger pieces
    • 2 white parts of scallions
    • 1 3- inch square dried kelp - optional
    • 1 tablespoon soup soy sauce

    For the chicken meat

    • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
    • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
    • salt about 1/2 teaspoon and pepper to taste

    For the vegetables

    • 1/4 medium onion thinly sliced
    • 1 medium zucchini, julienned julienned carrot or sliced potato is also great.
    • 2 scallions finely chopped

    For the noodles

    • 1 package (4 servings) fresh or dried kalguksu noodles or see below for homemade noodles

    For the sauce (Yangnyumjang) - Optional

    • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
    • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
    • 1 teaspoon Korean red pepper flakes gochugaru
    • 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
    • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
    • 2 – 3 scallions finely chopped

    For the homemade noodles - Optional

    • 3 cups all-purpose flour
    • 3/4 teaspoon salt
    • 1 tablespoon cooking oil - optional
    • 1 cup water (start with 3/4 and gradually more, a tablespoon at a time until needed)

    Instructions

    • If making homemade noodles, see the instructions below and make the dough ahead of time. You can roll it out and cut while boiling the chicken.
    • Place the cleaned chicken in a stockpot large enough to hold the chicken and 12 cups of water. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, scallions, and 12 cups water. Bring it to a boil over medium high heat. Skim off any foam on top. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer, covered, for about 40 minutes. Adjust cooking time for cut pieces of chicken.
      DSC 08671 1024x685 - Dak Kalguksu (Chicken Noodle Soup)
    • Sprinkle the julienned zucchini with salt for about 15 minutes and then squeeze out the water.
      DSC 0890 1024x685 - Dak Kalguksu (Chicken Noodle Soup)
    • Cut through the thickest part of the breast, with a knife, to see if the chicken is cooked and tender. Turn the heat off and carefully remove the chicken.
      DSC 0877 1024x685 - Dak Kalguksu (Chicken Noodle Soup)
    • Strain the broth and remove the excess fat. You can spoon off or use a fat separator.
      DSC 0894 1024x685 - Dak Kalguksu (Chicken Noodle Soup)
    • When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the meat off the bones. Shred the meat into small bite size pieces. Add the garlic, salt and pepper to the chicken. Combine well.
      DSC 0905 1024x685 - Dak Kalguksu (Chicken Noodle Soup)
    • Return the broth back to the pot. Add the soup soy sauce, onion slices, and optional dried kelp. Bring it to a boil and boil for a few minutes. Remove the kelp. Add salt and pepper to taste.
      DSC 0961 1024x685 - Dak Kalguksu (Chicken Noodle Soup)
    • Meanwhile, in another pot, boil water to parboil the noodles. Or the soup will get too thick. Add the noodles, and stir. Cook halfway through.
      DSC 0919 1024x685 - Dak Kalguksu (Chicken Noodle Soup)
    • Remove the noodles with a strainer and add to the pot with boiling broth. (This is a good time to add potato slices if using.) Continue to boil until the noodles are cooked through. Add the zucchini (and julienned carrot if using) with 2 to 3 minutes remaining.
      DSC 0922 1024x685 - Dak Kalguksu (Chicken Noodle Soup)
    • To serve, ladle the noodles and soup in a serving bowl, top with the chicken pieces and chopped scallion.

    For the homemade noodles - optional

    • Mix the flour, salt, optional oil and add 3/4 water by hand until the dough starts to come together. You'll need to add more water, depending on your flour. Add 2 tablespoons water and see how it is. The dough should feel stiff to work with. If still too dry, add a little more.
      DSC 0882 640x428 - Dak Kalguksu (Chicken Noodle Soup)
    • Flour the surface to knead. Knead with the heel of your hand until the dough is fairly smooth, about 5 minutes. The dough should feel slightly too stiff to work with at this point. You can adjust the dough by kneading in a little more flour or more water (just enough to wet your hands). Cover with plastic wrap, and let it rest for 30 minutes to an hour. After resting, the dough should feel soft and smooth. You can prepare the dough up to this point a day in advance.
      DSC 0892 1024x685 - Dak Kalguksu (Chicken Noodle Soup)
    • When ready to use, knead the dough for 2 to 3 minutes. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into 2 pieces. Dust the work surface generously with flour. Flatten a piece, and roll it out with a rolling pin to make a thin sheet, about 12 x 14-inch.
      DSC 0918 1024x685 - Dak Kalguksu (Chicken Noodle Soup)
    • From the longer side, fold the dough over 3 to 4 times into layers. Again, generously flour the surface and the dough as you roll it out and fold to keep the dough from sticking.
      DSC 0902 1024x685 - Dak Kalguksu (Chicken Noodle Soup)
    • Cut the dough with a sharp knife into about 1/4-inch thickness. Unfold the noodles and dust with flour to keep the noodle strands separate.
      DSC 09221 1024x685 - Dak Kalguksu (Chicken Noodle Soup)

    Notes

    If you want to make noodles for 2 to 3 servings, use 2 cups of flour, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 2 teaspoons of oil, and ⅔ cup of water. Basically, the ratio is, for every cup of flour, you will need 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon oil, and ⅓ cup of water. This may vary depending on the condition of your flour. You can always adjust the dough by kneading in a little more flour or water. 
    Tried this recipe?Mention @koreanbapsang or tag #koreanbapsang!

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    Comments

    1. Hannah says

      April 15, 2025 at 4:24 pm

      5 stars
      Hello! If we have leftovers/saving for later, is it okay to put all the chicken in the broth and keep it that way? Or should the broth and the chicken be stored separately?

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        April 15, 2025 at 8:17 pm

        Yes it’s okay either way.

        Reply
    2. Shannon says

      February 23, 2025 at 11:13 am

      5 stars
      Thank you for this thorough recipe! My daughter attended university at Yonsei and now that she’s returned home to the US I’m trying to find good recipes to make food she ate regularly in Korea. I will be trying this one next!

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        February 26, 2025 at 5:43 pm

        How nice your daughter had that opportunity! Hope you and your daughter enjoy this recipe and many more.

        Reply
    3. Kim Y says

      January 28, 2025 at 4:33 pm

      Hello! Thank you for the recipe. Instead of chicken, how do you make bajirak kalguksu (clam noodle soup)? I assume a lot of the steps are the same, I am not sure how to prepare the clams. We had this soup in a small village when we were visiting my husband’s grandparent’s grave in Korea this past winter and I can’t stop thinking about it! It was so delish with the fresh kimchi. Thank you for your hard work!!

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        January 28, 2025 at 5:47 pm

        Oh glad you had a bajirak version in Korea! It’s so good! Yes the steps are pretty similar, but the base for bajirak kalguksu usually is a good flavorful anchovy broth. You can ignore all chicken related steps and make good anchovy broth in step 6. Then add vegetables and clams (use small ones). Depending on the size of clams, it may take about 3 minutes for the clams to open up. I suggest you boil the noodles until they are cooked through in step 7 and add them to the broth at the end for a nice and clean broth bajirak kalguksu is known for. Here’s how to make anchovy broth: https://www.koreanbapsang.com/how-to-make-anchovy-broth-for-korean/

        Reply
    4. Renee says

      September 09, 2024 at 7:01 pm

      5 stars
      It’s absolutely delicious. And easy to do. Thank you for this good recipe

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        September 22, 2024 at 12:05 pm

        Happy to hear that! You’re very welcome!

        Reply
    5. Katie Thoms says

      April 25, 2024 at 8:56 pm

      5 stars
      I just made this for dinner tonight and it was perfect. My kitchen smelled amazing. I used just chicken breasts because I am not partial to dark meat and the chicken was so tender. Do you recommend using Guk ganjang or just regular soy sauce? I have both but used the soup soy sauce. Does it make a difference?

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        April 26, 2024 at 11:46 pm

        Great to hear that! Thanks! I use guk ganjang as noted in the recipe. Regular soy sauce is different in flavor and a bit too dark for Korean soups.

        Reply
    6. JinJoo says

      April 06, 2023 at 12:35 pm

      I love your recipes! Can this be modified to use the instant pot to cook the chicken?

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        April 14, 2023 at 11:17 pm

        Of course! Please see my dak gomtang recipe for cooking the chicken in the instant pot.
        https://www.koreanbapsang.com/dak-gomtang-korean-chicken-soup/

        Reply
    7. Emma says

      January 23, 2022 at 4:30 pm

      5 stars
      My boyfriend laid in bed with a cold and I decided to make this soup. After eating it, he started feeling better within two days and was cured after five days. Thanks for the recipe! 🙂

      Reply
    8. Jordyn says

      February 15, 2021 at 10:11 pm

      5 stars
      This was so good! Everyone in the family loved and devoured it. Thank you for the wonderful recipe!

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        February 16, 2021 at 1:35 am

        Happy to hear that! Thank YOU for using my recipe and letting me know!

        Reply
    9. Melissa says

      November 28, 2020 at 10:36 pm

      5 stars
      I made this today, and used turkey parts to make the broth instead of chicken. It turned out fantastic! The broth was so flavorful and appropriate to the season, noodles were perfectly chewy. My kids want me to make it again tomorrow😂 thank you for the wonderful recipe! ❤️

      Reply
    10. Jia says

      July 11, 2020 at 12:28 pm

      Hi, may I know how long I can keep the noodles in the refrigerator if I plan to make a lot in advance?

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        July 11, 2020 at 6:40 pm

        I’d say up to 4 days, but dust generously with flour so they don’t stick together.

        Reply
    11. Maria says

      July 16, 2019 at 11:10 pm

      Do you think I could just use chicken broth instead

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        July 19, 2019 at 2:02 am

        Sure!

        Reply
    12. Dipa says

      October 03, 2018 at 12:31 am

      Hi I have made it several times…and this is so tasty and healthy…my son loves it so much…thank you 🙂

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        October 03, 2018 at 8:09 pm

        Great! Happy to hear you son loves it.

        Reply
    13. dee says

      September 28, 2016 at 5:12 am

      Can you use the banjuk to make sujebi? Or is the recipe for sujebi banjuk different?

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        October 01, 2016 at 8:52 pm

        It’s the same. You can make it slightly softer/wetter for easier pulling. Sujebi sounds so good right now. I should make it soon too. Enjoy!

        Reply
    14. Christine says

      July 01, 2016 at 6:05 am

      Hello, this looks very good! Is the sesame oil in this dish toasted or regular?

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        May 19, 2020 at 9:47 am

        Either one works.

        Reply
    15. Tiffany says

      November 28, 2015 at 9:30 am

      I found this today looking for something new to do with Thanksgiving leftovers. I can’t wait to try making the noodles.

      Reply
    16. Linder says

      September 23, 2015 at 11:41 am

      Thank you so much for adding the PDF feature! It makes things a lot easier!

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        September 26, 2015 at 4:31 pm

        My pleasure! I love it too. It looks much better. Thank you for leaving me a note about it!

        Reply
    17. Yucong says

      August 12, 2015 at 1:29 am

      As an international student from China, I really enjoy your recipe! I once tried Dak Kalguksu in a Korean noodle house near Zion market and it was great. Hope I can make it in my apartment 🙂

      Reply
    18. aspyn says

      August 02, 2015 at 1:14 pm

      Hi there (≧∇≦)/ i just wanted to check if the Yangnyumjang is used to dip the noodles in while eating or do you put it directly into the soup? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        August 06, 2015 at 12:02 am

        Usually directly put into the soup.

        Reply
    19. Dawn says

      July 12, 2015 at 8:14 pm

      What sort of flour do you use to make the noodles?

      Thanks,
      Dawn

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        July 12, 2015 at 8:31 pm

        All purpose flour. Hope you try it.

        Reply
    4.66 from 69 votes (62 ratings without comment)

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