Korean Cold Vinegar Mustard Chicken Soup

Quick answer

Total time: 75 min
Level: Medium
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients: 7

About this dish

Chogye-tang is a chilled Korean chicken soup where boiled, shredded breast meat sits in an ice-cold broth sharpened with rice vinegar and hot mustard paste.

The broth must be thoroughly refrigerated before seasoning and serving - at a warm temperature the mustard loses its sharp bite and the vinegar's acidity becomes dull, collapsing the defining tang that makes the dish what it is. Shredding the chicken along its grain rather than chopping it allows the cold, pungent broth to soak into every fiber rather than sitting on the surface of the meat. Julienned cucumber layered on top provides a crisp, cooling contrast to the shredded meat. The flavor logic mirrors that of Pyongyang-style cold noodles - sour, spicy, and bracingly cold - but replaces starch with lean protein, making it a lighter and more protein-forward meal. Historically associated with royal court cuisine as a restorative summer dish, it continues to be eaten in the same cold format during the hottest months.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmountUnit

chicken breast500 gg

water1700 mlml

cucumber120 gg

vinegar2 tbsptbsp

hot mustard1 tsptsp

sugar1 tbsptbsp

salt⅔ tsptsp

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Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Control

Place 500g chicken breast and 1.7L water in a pot over medium heat.

Once it starts simmering, skim off the foam and cook for about 20 minutes so the broth stays clean.
2

Step

Lift out the chicken breast and let it cool through.

Do not shred it while hot, because the meat loses moisture more easily, so wait until it is comfortable to handle.
3

Season

Strain the broth through a sieve to remove foam and small solids.

Let the steam fade at room temperature, then refrigerate it until fully cold before seasoning.
4

Season

Shred the cooled chicken breast thinly along the grain.

Avoid chopping it into short pieces, because longer fibers absorb the cold seasoned broth more evenly between the strands.
5

Season

Stir 2 tbsp vinegar, 1 tsp hot mustard, 1 tbsp sugar, and 0.7 tsp salt into the cold broth.

Add the mustard gradually and taste, since its sharpness changes the balance quickly.
6

Finish

Julienne 120g cucumber and place it over the shredded chicken in bowls.

Pour the cold seasoned broth over the top and serve immediately; add ice only when an extra cold bowl is wanted.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Chogye-tang provides a chilled chicken breast soup sharpened with tangy rice vinegar and hot mustard paste.
Finish cue: Julienne 120g cucumber and place it over the shredded chicken in bowls.
Avoid this: Do not shred it while hot, because the meat loses moisture more easily, so wait until it is comfortable to handle.
Storage and reheating: The broth must be thoroughly refrigerated before seasoning and serving - at a warm temperature the mustard loses its sharp bite and the vinegar's acidity becomes dull, collapsing the defining tang that makes the dish what it is.