Korean Astragalus Chicken Soup
Hwanggi-dak-tang is a Korean herbal chicken soup built around astragalus root, a staple of traditional East Asian medicine valued for its restorative properties. A whole chicken simmers for well over an hour with the dried root, jujubes, and garlic, producing a clear yet full-bodied broth with a faintly sweet, earthy undertone from the herb. The extended cooking dissolves collagen from the skin and joints, giving the liquid a velvety weight that coats the palate. The chicken meat, by the time the soup is ready, pulls apart effortlessly. Jujubes soften into the broth and add a subtle fruity sweetness that bridges the medicinal and culinary sides of the dish. Seasoning is limited to salt, keeping the focus on the herb-infused stock. In Korea, this soup appears most often during seasonal transitions or after illness, served steaming in a stone pot.
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Instructions
- 1
Rinse chicken pieces thoroughly.
- 2
Combine chicken, astragalus, jujube, garlic, and water in a pot and boil.
- 3
Skim foam, reduce to low heat, and simmer for 60 minutes.
- 4
Remove astragalus root and add green onion for 5 more minutes.
- 5
Season with salt and serve chicken with broth.
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