Samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup) is a nourishing soup that’s made with a small, young chicken for its tender and tasty meat. The ginseng flavored meat is tasty and tender, and the broth is rich and delicious!
This boiling hot ginseng chicken soup, called samgyetang (삼계탕), is an iconic summer dish in Korea.Sam(삼) refers to ginseng (insam, 인삼), gye (계) means chicken, and tang (탕) is soup. It’s extremely popular as a nourishing food which helps fight the summer heat. As the Korean saying goes, eating the hot soup is “fighting the heat with heat.”
On sambok (삼복) days, it’s a Korean tradition to eat foods that are healthy and restorative. Samgyetang is a popular choice. Sambok days are 3 distinct days that mark the hottest summer period. Based on the solar terms (24 seasons based on lunar calendar), they are chobok (초복, beginning), jungbok (중복, middle), and malbok (말복, end). Tomorrow is malbok, which means the summer is winding down!
Hope you get to enjoy samgyetang before the summer goes by. But, don’t worry about it even if you don’t get to, this ginseng soup is a nutritious, comfort food which you can enjoy all year around! Here’s everything you need to know about Korean ginseng chicken soup!
Ginseng for samgyetang
Ginseng is highly prized for its medicinal benefits, including boosting energy and the immune system.
If you can’t find ginseng, you can omit the ginseng from this recipe and still make a tasty chicken soup, although, without ginseng, it can’t be called ginseng soup. In Korea, whole chicken soup made without ginseng is called baeksuk (백숙). When I don’t have ginseng, I also make another type of chicken soup called dak gomtang(닭곰탕).
Korean markets around here sell fresh ginseng in the summer for samgyetang. I usually buy a pack and freeze the leftovers. You can also use dried ginseng roots after soaking in the water to soften. Of course, use that water to cook the chicken.
Garlic, ginger, and jujubes (daechu, 대추) are other common ingredients. Jujubes are quite sweet, so do not use too many of them. Sometimes, other medicinal herbs such as milk vetch roots (hwanggi, 황기) are added as well as chestnuts and ginkgo nuts.
For the convenience, you can find samgyetang kits in Korean markets. They usually contain dried ginseng, jujubes, dried chestnuts, sweet rice, etc. If you choose to use a kit, follow the package instructions to prepare the ingredients (such as soaking) before using.
How to stuff the chicken
Samgyetang is made with a small, young chicken for its tender and tasty meat. Here in the U.S., I use Cornish hen, which is a young small chicken variety.
If you can’t find a Cornish hen, use the smallest chicken you can find, adjusting cooking time. If you need to feed more people, it’s better to cook two small chickens in a larger pot rather than one large one. It takes much longer to cook the inside if the chicken is big, which will cause the outside to be overcooked.
The chicken is stuffed with soaked sweet rice (aka glutinous rice), chapssal (찹쌀). Some people stuff the chicken with ginseng, jujubes, etc., along with the rice, but I boil them in the broth to draw out the maximum flavors. Be sure to leave enough room in the cavity for the rice to expand in volume as it cooks.
How to make the soup more flavorful
In Korea, the restaurants specializing samgyetang are very popular. Some are also highly sought-after by locals and tourists. Those restaurants usually feature a deeply flavored, thickened soup. They use all sorts of medicinal herbs and aromatic vegetables, and start with well-prepared chicken stock to boil the chicken.
At home, we don’t generally go that far. But, if you like a deeper flavor, start with good quality chicken stock (commercially prepared or homemade). I sometimes make chicken stock with the roast or boiled chicken remains and use it as a base for samgyetang.
To make the soup slightly thick, soak more sweet rice than the amount called for the stuffing and then add to the water or chicken stock while boiling the chicken. It would be even better if you blend the rice with a little bit of water for a creamier texture. The starch of the sweet rice will thicken the soup slightly and give a bit of sweetness to the soup.
How to serve samgyetang
At restaurants, the whole chicken is served uncut as one serving, but it can easily be two servings. The soup is usually not seasoned while being cooked. It’s served with salt and pepper on the side, so each person can season the broth to taste and use the remainder to dip the meat in.
The ginseng flavored meat is tasty and tender, and the broth is rich and delicious. Also, the sticky rice stuffing that’s infused with the chicken and ginseng flavors is to die for. If you’re trying it for the first time, samgyetang will be nothing like any other chicken soup you’ve had before!
More chicken soup recipes
Dak Gomtang (Korean Chicken Soup)
Dak Kalguksu (Chicken Noodle Soup)
Chogyetang (Chilled Chicken Soup)
Dakgaejang (Spicy Chicken Soup with Scallions)
Slow Cooker Chicken Soup with Napa Cabbage
Pressure Cooker Nurungji Baeksuk (Boiled Chicken with Rice)
Watch how to make it
For more Korean cooking inspirations, follow along on YouTube, Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Ingredients
- 1 Cornish hen (about 1.5 pounds)
- 1 fresh ginseng root (or dried ginseng, rehydrated) See note 1
- 3 tablespoons sweet rice (2 to 3 tablespoons more to boil with liquid if desired) -- soaked for 1 hour (yields about 4 tablespoons soaked) - see note 2
- 5 - 6 plump garlic cloves
- 2 thin ginger slices (about 1 inch)
- 2 to 3 jujubes, daechu (대추)
- 1 scallion white part
- 5 to 6 cups of water (or good quality chicken stock)
- 2 scallions finely chopped, to garnish
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Clean the chicken. Do not cut off the neck and/or tail, if they are still attached. They help keep the rice inside the cavity. Place the cleaned chicken on a cutting board or a large plate. Clean the inside of the cavity with a paper towel to remove any blood. Fold the attached neck into the cavity to close the hole.
- Stuff the cavity with the sweet rice and a couple of garlic cloves, leaving room (about 1/4 of the cavity) for the rice to expand as it cooks. You can also cut off some offshoots of the ginseng and add to the cavity if you like.
- To keep the rice inside the cavity while being cooked, use of one of these two methods: (1) Make a small cut through the thick skin part between one thigh and the cavity opening, but not too close to the edge. Then, use your finger to expand the hole enough to fit the end part of a leg. Bring the other leg over, and insert the end part through the hole to keep the legs crossed together, tucking the tail in to close the opening (see the photos above); or (2) Simply cross the legs and tie together with kitchen twine. Tightly close the cavity with a toothpick if necessary.
- In a medium size pot, place the chicken and add 5 to 6 cups (or enough to cover most of the chicken) of water or chicken stock. Add the garlic, ginger, jujubes, and ginseng. If the chicken came with the neck that's been cut off, add to the pot. Also add the extra sweet rice to thicken the soup or in a herb bag to cook separately, if desired.
- Bring it to a boil over medium high heat. Skim off the foam on top. Cover, and boil for 15 minutes. You can add more water/broth if needed. Reduce the heat to medium low and boil, covered, for about 25 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken. Turn the heat off and rest the chicken in the pot for about 10 minutes. See note 3.
- Serve piping hot with the chopped scallions and salt and pepper on the side so each person can season to taste.
Notes
- You can also use a samgyetang kit (commercially packaged dry ingredients for samgyetang). Follow the package instructions to prepare the dry ingredients to use in this recipe. Usually soaking is required.
- If you like chicken flavored sweet rice, soak more rice, put in a herb pouch and add to the pot to cook with the chicken.
- If you're cooking 2 chickens, increase the second cooking time (over medium low) by 10 more minutes.
Vivian says
Thank you so much for this lovely recipe! My 78 yo Korean mother has come down with Covid and I’ve made several of your dishes for her over the past week. I was a bit nervous each time because she can be quite picky, but everything was delicious. She especially loved this one!
Hyosun says
oh happy to hear that! Hope she gets better soon.
Jacq says
Why does my broth turns brown? How do I make it milky white?
Hyosun says
Did you skim off the foam when it was coming to a boil? The broth from boiling a chicken usually does not get milky white. If you’re looking to achieve milky broth some samgyetang restaurants offer, the restaurants add some other ingredients to make milky broth. They probably boil extra chicken bones and parts to make broth too. You can add some sweet rice to the water or use chicken stock to boil the chicken. The starch of the sweet rice will thicken the soup slightly and give a bit of sweetness to the soup.
Ailina says
Hi i hv a question. Can we serve this ginseng chicken to a small kid like 1yo toddler?
Hyosun says
I’m not an expert on the matter, but I’d suggest you don’t to be safe. Ginseng is a strong medicinal herb, so a little one year old body might not take it well.
Melinda says
My mom is korean and i have had this soup since I was a toddler.
Hyosun says
Nice! Hope you try making it.
Justin says
Hi Hyosun, Is it normal to eat the ginseng in the soup? Your picture shows large chunks of ginseng root – which I used. They taste delicious, but I was wondering if it is culturally acceptable to eat the cooked roots.
Hyosun says
Yes definitely! enjoy!
James Slocomb says
While on a port visit to Inchon in 1984 with the US Navy, a friend and I were sightseeing in town when a kind Korean elder stopped us and offered to buy us dinner. We were surprised and very happy as we really wanted to try as many Korean dishes as we could. The Korean gentleman treated us to a super delicious Chicken stuffed with rice which was cooked in a tall cast iron pot in the shape of a pagoda. Ever since then, I have been searching for the name of that dish and I think I have found it with your Samgyetang (Ginseng Chicken Soup) recipe. I can’t wait till our summer heats up to the three dog days of the year to try this recipe. Thank you SO much!
Lynne says
Hi, thanks for all the wonderful recipes!
Would chopped chicken do in this recipe? Or it has to be whole？
Hyosun says
oh not conventional but you can achieve the similar flavor with cut up chicken.
Febry says
Hi.
I saw a ginseng look alike named Doraji. Can I use it?
Hyosun says
Hi! Not the same thing, but won’t hurt to add.
Claudia says
Hello Hyosun,
I do not have a Korean mother-in-law but if I had one, I’d surely impress her with your Samgyetang recipe 🙂 thank you for teaching me how to cook samgyetang step by step.
I first tried at the end of the summer and now, while having a cold, I am trying ro fight or with the soup as well!
I have recently ordered samgyetang from a Korean restaurant in Bucharest, Romania (Europe) and it was blunt compared to mine (I mean, yours from the site)!
I’d have a question though, what are the herbs used in some restaurants for seasoning samgyetang?
Thank you
Alex says
Would it be possible to make this with chicken parts?
Lindsay says
Can I make this using an Instant Pot pressure cooker?
Rosario Aydil says
Thank you for your Recipe I love Korean food I spend 6 years in Korea I can not wait to order gengsin I live in Turkey now there’s not a whole lot of oriental store I have order from Amazon I have no option but to order thank you do you have a recipe book for your recipe again thank you
Rosario Aydil
Joanne says
Do you season with salt? If no ginseng available could we use other option?
Hyosun says
Yes season with salt. You can simply leave the ginseng out. Koreans make a similar dish without ginseng, and then it’s called baeksuk.
Linda says
Hi was wondering where to buy jujubes
What do they taste like
Thank you
Hyosun says
Korean or Asian markets usually sell dried jujubes all year round. They are chewy, and nicely sweet with an earthy fruity flavor.
S L says
Hello,
Is ginseng usually not recommended for pregnant women? I’ve been reading few sources that say that… so just wondering!
Hyosun says
oh I’m not sure.
Kate says
My acupuncturist recommended against using ginseng while pregnant. They said it may “move the blood” too much.
san says
Do you cook it with all the skin? I would cut it off.
Hyosun says
It’s totally up to you.
Audrey-Rose Cheng says
I was wondering if your putting two chickens do you just double the recipe? Including time?
Hyosun says
Double everything but not the time. You’ll need to cook longer, but not as much as double the time. It’s best to check doneness by cutting a little through the thick thigh part or into the cavity if you stuffed it with rice and see if the rice is cooked. Hope this helps.
Susan says
Hi! Can this be done with Instant pot?
Hyosun says
Yes it can be. Adjust the time depending on the size of the chicken.
Hyosun says
Yes you can cook it in the Instant pot.
Ruth says
When you say chestnuts does that mean the actual nut that is from the tree, or water chestnuts? And how much of the chestnuts or ginkgo would you put in the broth?
Hyosun says
oh sorry missed the question. Actual chestnuts
Cynthia says
Can I use slow cooker to make ginseng chicken?
Hyosun says
It should work. Not the same, but see my Slow Cooker Chicken Soup with Cabbage as a ref. Also, samgyetang made with a small young chicken is quick to cook over the stove top.
Lynn Pham says
Hi! If I am using my instant pot would I have to rehydrate the ginseng?
Thanks!
Hyosun says
Sorry not sure. I’ve never tried the dry one in the instant pot. I’d soften it a little and then try it for the first time. And then, depending on how it turns out, you can see if you need to or not next time. Let me know how it turns out. It’ll be interesting to know.
Loan says
I’m from Sweden where can I buy ginseng root?somone know the website I can order from?
Hyosun says
Is Amazon.com an option for you? Not sure how overseas shipping works, but there’s also Hmart.com. Sorry I’m just not familiar with European on-line shopping, but let’s hope to hear from other people here.
Sung Kyong, Kim says
Can I use the pictures and recipe?? I need for my app project. I am doing Korean recipe app.
Sung Kyong, Kim says
Of course, I will leave the site, too. 🙂
Hyosun says
Are you doing that as a school project?
Edie says
May I use the same ingredients in the samgyetang and cook them the Instant Pot using your
Chicken with sweet rice recipe?
Hyosun says
Definitely! I’ve done it. Please come back and let me know how you liked it. I know other readers will appreciate it too.
Jos says
I’m such a lazy cook. Can I make this in Instant Pot Pressure cooker? What would be the timing? Thanks.
Hyosun says
Sure! I do it all the time. 25 min to 30 min depending on the size at the poultry setting. Enjoy!
Elka says
Thank you! I impressed by korean mother in law with this soup 🙂 She did not believe I cook korean and was super worried her son starves! Everything I cook from your blog comes out great!
Hyosun says
Haha Korean mother-in-law! I’m glad to hear my recipes help you feed your Korean husband. Thanks for visiting and leaving me comments. It means a lot to me.
Lina Dewanto says
thanks for.this recipe. i cant find ginseng in my city. what i use for replace the ginseng? i’m really curious the taste of this soup 🙁 i hope can cook it…
deebee says
do you think it can be made in a croc pot?
Hyosun says
I haven’t tried it, but I think it will work. Let me know how it turns out if you try it.
Dee says
Hi! I’m really interested in trying this! How can I make the broth super milky white like the one I had in Korea? This looks sooo delish <3
Byul Tara says
Hello dear,
Thank you so much for your recipe.
I really want to try this recipe ‘couz it looks really delicious.
Hyosun says
It is delicious! Hope you try it soon. Thanks for coming by!
Sue says
Hi, just wondering what is sweet rice? Korean rice?
Hyosun says
Hi Su – Sweet rice is glutinous rice, called chapssal in Korean. It’s much stickier than regular short grain rice. Hope this helps.
edwin says
can I check with you, can I cook this without the rice? will it taste different?
Hyosun says
Yes you can omit the rice, and it won’t make the taste different. Enjoy!
Susanne says
I guess I would like this dish. Once in a while the Chinese merchant I use to buy at has fresh ginseng. I’m going to buy some next time and try this recipe. How exactly is it served? In a bowl from where everybody ladles broth into a personal soup bowl and some of the meat, rice and vegetables? Is there served additional rice?
Trinh says
Hi, thanks for your recipe.
I am just back from Korea and really enjoyed Ginseng chicken soup there (Tosokchon).
I also brought some fresh ginseng home and would like to try with your recipe.
But, is it safe for children under 10 to eat this chicken soup?
Peter says
Hello dear, thank you very much for sharing your Samgyetang recipe, but I wonder do you know any Korean restaurant in bay area, north ofCalifornia, cook this kind of dish? thanks again.
Hyosun says
I am not familiar with northern California, but typed “samgyetang” on Yelp San Francisco and saw a few restaurants serving the dish. See if any is closed to where you live. Hope you find one.
Yanna says
Hi. I’m wondering if I can I use normal rice instead the sweet rice to put inside the chicken?
Hyosun says
You can, but the sweet rice is traditionally used because they stick together. Normal rice will mostly separate in the soup. It will be a little different but I am sure you can still enjoy it. Happy cooking!
Yanna says
Thank you 🙂
Claudia says
Hello, I love all your recipes, especially because they’re written in English for this Korean-American mom who has a hard time understanding written Korean. 🙂 My question for you is: is sweet rice the regular Korean rice we get in the Korean markets? Is it something different? If so, what’s it called in Korean (so I can ask the Korean ladies at the Korean grocery store). Thank you!
Hyosun says
Not the same as regular rice. It’s called 찹쌀, chapssal.
James says
Thanks for the recipe! I used it and made my first sam gye tang today. SOO good! 🙂
Hyosun says
So happy to hear that! Thanks for stopping by to let me know!
Josh L. says
Tried your recipe, came out fabulous! I couldn’t find fresh Ginseng in the Korean markets in Chicago, so I used dry and soaked per your recommendation.
Also, next time, I would definitely not over-fill the chicken with the sweet rice. With the cooking times from the recipe, the rice wasn’t as cooked as I would have wanted it to be.
The cornish hens had a plastic bag filled with the chicken innards. Make sure to check yours for that before boiling!
Hyosun says
Glad to here it came out well for you! You’re right. Over-stuffing will take longer to cook the rice inside, which may overcook the chicken. Thanks!
Christy says
Love this! I’m so happy for these recipes…now I can have all my favorite Korean dishes when I leave Korea. So sad to be leaving..
Hyosun says
That must be tough! Hopefully you can go back there soon. In the mean time, I’m glad you can cook some of your favorites using my recipes. Safe travels!
Grace Lew says
oh thank goodness I found your blog! I’m stuck all the way out in the Czech Republic and getting desperate for recipes. I’m excited to try this recipe. Any suggestions on how to make this work in a slow cooker? Thank you Ms. Ro!
Hyosun says
This doesn’t take that long to cook, so it will be best to be done over the stove top. I haven’t cooked this soup in a slow cooker, so not sure how long it will take this small chicken with stuffing inside to cook. Thanks for finding my blog! I hope you find many recipes to try.
Ginger says
I made the soup in a crock pot, cooked on low 6 hours. It was perfect. Delicious recipe.
Hyosun says
Great to know! Thanks! I am sure my readers want to know that as well.
Gulsen says
This soup was simply our favourite dish during our visit to Korea ,and me and my husband already missed the flavour. Thanks for sharing! I probably won’t be able to find ginseng though, I believe we will still enjoy the soup without it. Loves!
Myung Moon says
My kids love the sweet glutinous rice so I usually stuff extra rice in a large Japanese tea bag and cook them together. Just rip the bag open and enjoy!
Hyosun says
That’s a great idea! Thanks!
Cecilia says
This is a great tip!
Nina says
Thank for your recipes, this soup look good
Hyosun says
Thanks!
jun Santos says
Kindly share also korean beef stew. Thank you and God bless!
Hyosun says
Are you talking about galbijjim? If yes, I have two recipes on the blog. Your can go to the Recipe index tab, Main dish, and click on the meat. If not, Can you describe it a little so I know which dish you are talking about. Thanks!