Chicken Sotanghon Soup is the ultimate cold-weather comfort food! Loaded with flavorful chicken, cellophane noodles, and veggies, this Filipino soup is a hearty and tasty way to warm up!
It’s starting to get chilly here in my neck of the woods and hearty soups have been my steady companions of late. I have a long list of soups I love to cozy up to during colder months but no offense to chicken sopas or arroz caldo, this chicken sotanghon happens to be my all-time favorite.
Nothing warms the body and nourishes the soul like a piping hot bowl of moist chicken, cellophane noodles, tender-crisp veggies, and flavorful broth in my book!
This Filipino-style noodle soup is typically made with chicken parts simmered in aromatics and shredded into strips. However, I prefer to use bone-in chicken wings cut up into manageable pieces in mine.
Not only do they keep moist and not stringy like the dry flaked meat, but the bone-rich chicken wings also brings an extra depth of flavor to the broth. Add aromatics, good-for-you vegetables, and delectable toppings, and you have a soup that’s both hearty and delicious.
What is Sotanghon
Sotanghon, also known as cellophane, glass. or mung bean thread noodles, are a type of clear noodles made from potato, mung bean, sweet potato, or tapioca starch and water. They’re usually packaged in dried form and then reconstituted to use in stir-fries and soups.
The noodles are a staple in my house. I just love how they can easily be thrown together into a quick, delicious, and budget-friendly meal!
Cooking tips
- Although I encourage you to use bone-in chicken parts for maximum flavor, shredded leftover rotisserie chicken is also a quick and budget-friendly option.
- The recipe calls for Chinese celery, carrots, and napa cabbage. Feel free to swap or add shitake or wood ear mushrooms, pechay, and Baguio beans.
- I do not presoak the noodles as they tend to overcook quicker. Just add the dry coils and push down in the hot broth to cook and soften.
- Chicken is the choice of protein in this recipe, but you can also use diced pork, meatballs, shrimp, or crisp tofu for variety.
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How to serve
- Chicken sotanghon makes a delicious and filling midday snack or light meal. Serve with steamed rice, pandesal, or puto.
- Ladle the soup in serving bowls and top with toasted garlic, chopped green onions, and hard-boiled egg.
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How to store
- Allow leftovers to cool completely and store in a container with a tight-fitting lid without the toppings. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- As with any noodle or pasta recipes, this soup does not freeze well as the sotanghon tends to change texture when frozen and thawed.
- To reheat, transfer to a sauce pot and heat until completely warmed through. Add more broth or water as needed to loosen the consistency and adjust seasonings to taste.
