Homemade Samgyetang: Korean Ginseng-Style Chicken Soup
Posted by Mira on October 6, 2026 in recipes
Whenever we visit Korean restaurants, Samgyetang (参鸡汤) is always one of my absolute favorites. The ingredients are pure and simple, but the broth turns out naturally rich, fragrant, and deeply comforting.
When I spotted young Cornish game hens at the grocery store, I realized making this nourishing soup at home is surprisingly simple. Even without fresh Korean ginseng root, fresh ginger slices provide that warm, aromatic, soul-soothing depth.
The best part? Eating it is pure joy: carving into the tender chicken belly reveals all the hidden treasures tucked inside—fragrant sweet rice, soft chestnuts, sweet jujubes, and melt-in-your-mouth garlic!
Ingredients & Equipment
Ingredients
- 1–2 Cornish game hens (or young spring chicken), cleaned inside and out
- ¼ cup glutinous / sweet rice (糯米), soaked for 30–60 minutes
- 4–6 dried jujubes / red dates (红枣)
- 4–6 peeled chestnuts (栗子)
- 8–10 whole cloves garlic (大蒜)
- 3–4 thick slices fresh ginger (姜片)
- Water, enough to almost submerge the chicken
- Chopped scallions / green onions (for garnish)
- Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Equipment
- Lodge Cast Iron Double Dutch Oven (or Instant Pot)
- Heavy-Duty Kitchen Shears (for securing chicken legs and trimming)
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Clean the Chicken
Rinse the Cornish hen thoroughly under cold running water, both inside the cavity and out. Pat dry with paper towels and trim away any excess skin or fat around the neck and tail.
Rinse the Cornish hen thoroughly inside and out.
2. Soak the Sweet Rice
Place the glutinous / sweet rice in a bowl and cover with cold water. Let it soak for 30 to 60 minutes, then drain well. Soaking ensures the rice cooks through evenly and becomes soft and creamy inside the chicken cavity.
Soak the glutinous rice for 30–60 minutes before stuffing.
3. Prepare the Stuffing Ingredients
Rinse the dried jujubes (red dates), peel the garlic cloves, and prepare the whole chestnuts.
Simple, whole-food aromatics: jujubes, whole garlic cloves, and chestnuts.
4. Stuff the Chicken Cavity
Spoon the soaked sweet rice into the chicken cavity, layering in the jujubes, garlic cloves, and chestnuts. Fill the cavity snugly, but leave a tiny bit of room for the rice to expand as it cooks.
Stuffing the cavity with soaked sweet rice, jujubes, garlic, and chestnuts.
5. Make the Leg Slits
To keep all the stuffing locked inside without needing kitchen twine, use kitchen shears to cut a small slit in the flap of skin on both sides near the tail.
Cut small slits in the skin on each side near the tail.
6. Cross and Lock the Legs
Cross the chicken's legs and push each foot/drumstick end through the opposite slit in the skin. This neatly closes the cavity and holds the chicken in a classic, elegant bundle throughout cooking.
Cross the legs and tuck each foot into the opposite slit to seal the cavity.
7. Place in Dutch Oven with Aromatics & Water
Place the chicken into your Lodge Cast Iron Dutch Oven. Add the remaining garlic cloves, ginger slices, and any extra jujubes around the sides. Pour in fresh water until it comes up to about 80–90% of the chicken's height (almost submerged).
Add remaining garlic, ginger slices, jujubes, and water into the Lodge Dutch oven.
8. Bring to a Boil & Skim the Scum
Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring to a rolling boil. As the chicken releases natural proteins, use a spoon or skimmer to skim off any foam and impurities that rise to the surface. This step ensures a clean, pure, golden broth.
Skim off any surface foam for a clear, clean broth.
9. Gentle Simmer
Cover the Dutch oven with the lid slightly ajar (leave a small crack). Lower the heat to gentle low and simmer:
- 1 Cornish hen: 45–60 minutes
- 2 Cornish hens: 70–90 minutes
The soup is ready when the chicken is fall-apart tender and the stuffed sweet rice is soft and velvety. (If you are using an Instant Pot, cook on High Pressure for 25–30 minutes with a 15-minute natural release.)
Slow-simmering until the meat is succulent and the rice is tender.
10. Garnish, Season & Serve!
For a cleaner broth, you can remove the ginger slices before serving. Transfer the whole chicken into a wide, shallow bowl and ladle the piping-hot broth all around it.
Sprinkle generously with freshly chopped scallions. Serve with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper on the side so everyone can season their broth and dip their tender chicken meat to taste.
Tender, comforting Samgyetang ready to enjoy!
Eating this soup is so rewarding—cut open the chicken belly, and enjoy the fragrant sweet rice, tender chestnuts, and soft garlic infused with rich chicken broth!
