Nepalese Himalayan Chicken Noodle Soup

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This warming noodle soup from the Himalayan regions of Nepal combines tender chicken, fresh vegetables, and hand-pulled-style noodles in a deeply spiced broth. Ginger, garlic, and the signature tingle of Sichuan pepper (timur) give this comforting bowl its soul-warming character, perfect for cold mountain evenings.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 485 kcalCalories
• 17 gFat
• 4 gSaturated Fat
• 46 gCarbs
• 6 gFiber
• 8 gSugar
• 38 gProtein
• 720 mgSodium
• 820 mgPotassium
• 95 mgCalcium
• 4.5 mgIron
• 48 mgVitamin C
• 290 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the chicken broth

• 1.5 lbs bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed
• 8 cups cold water
• 1 large yellow onion, quartered
• 4 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 inch fresh ginger, sliced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp whole black peppercorns

For the spice base

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
• 2 ripe tomatoes, diced
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns, ground (timur)
• 1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
• 1.5 tsp kosher salt

For the vegetables and noodles

• 2 cups green cabbage, thinly shredded
• 1 large carrot, julienned
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 cup cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 2 green Thai chilies, slit lengthwise
• 12 oz fresh egg noodles
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges

Directions

1. Combine chicken thighs, water, quartered onion, smashed garlic, sliced ginger, bay leaves, and peppercorns in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Skim any foam and cook uncovered for 25 minutes until chicken is tender and broth is golden.
2. Remove chicken from broth and set aside to cool slightly. Strain the broth through a fine sieve into a large bowl, discarding solids. You should have about 6 cups of clear, flavorful broth. Once chicken is cool enough to handle, shred the meat into bite-sized pieces and discard bones.
3. Heat vegetable oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add diced onion and cook for 5 minutes until translucent and lightly golden. Stir in minced garlic and grated ginger and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Add diced tomatoes, turmeric, cumin, coriander, ground Sichuan pepper, chili powder, and salt. Cook for 4-5 minutes, mashing the tomatoes, until the mixture forms a thick, fragrant paste and oil begins to separate at the edges.
5. Pour the strained chicken broth into the spice base and bring to a rolling boil. Add cabbage, carrot, bell pepper, mushrooms, and slit green chilies. Simmer for 5-6 minutes until vegetables are tender-crisp. Return shredded chicken to the pot and warm through.
6. Meanwhile, bring a separate pot of salted water to a boil and cook the egg noodles according to package directions until just tender, about 3-4 minutes for fresh noodles. Drain well and divide among 4 large serving bowls.
7. Ladle the hot soup with vegetables and chicken over the noodles in each bowl. Top generously with sliced scallions and fresh cilantro, and serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing over each serving.

Cook’s Notes

• Timur (Nepali Sichuan pepper) provides the signature tingly numbness essential to authentic flavor; substitute with a pinch of regular Sichuan pepper if unavailable.
• Cook noodles separately and add directly to serving bowls to prevent them from soaking up the broth and turning mushy during storage or extended cooking.
• For a vegetarian version, replace chicken with 1.5 cups cubed firm tofu and use vegetable broth simmered with dried shiitake mushrooms for umami depth.
• Bone-in chicken thighs yield a richer, more collagenous broth than breast meat; do not skip the initial simmer step for best flavor.
• Adjust the amount of green chilies and chili powder to suit your heat tolerance; traditional preparations can be quite warming.

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