Taiwanese Sesame Oil Chicken Noodle Soup (麻油鸡面线)
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Author:
Mandy Fu
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
40 minutes
Sesame oil chicken noodle soup is a classic Taiwanese comfort food. Just imagine delicate noodles steeped in a steaming, hearty soup that is fused with sesame oil and crispy fried ginger, then topped with tender chicken and mushrooms. It’s the kind that feels familiar and homey, like something families have been cooking for generations—so comforting that before you even realize it, you’re already reaching for another bowl.
Ingredients
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3 tbsp of toasted sesame oil
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4 oz of ginger, sliced thinly
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500g / 1.1 lb boneless Chicken thigh, cut into bite-sized pieces
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1.5 oz of dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked
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1 cup of rice wine (do not use Shaoxing wine, because they taste different)
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1 cup of mushroom soaking water
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3 cups of unsalted chicken stock
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6 red jujube dates, cut in half and remove the pit
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6 oz of cabbage, ripped into bite-sized pieces
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1 tbsp of goji berries
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1¼ tsp of salt or to taste
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4 servings of Taiwanese Mainxian or angel hair vermicelli noodles
Directions
Add the ginger slices and sesame oil to a pot and turn the heat to low. Slowly fry the ginger until slightly curved and brown. Recommend using an instant read thermometer to monitor the temperature below 350 F (Sesame oil’s smoke point). During this process, something magical happens—the sesame oil and ginger fuse into an aroma that’s warm, nutty, and somehow lightly sweet, making the soup extra comforting.
Add the chicken and soaked shiitake mushrooms and reserve the soaking liquid on the side. Toss everything together until the chicken changes color.
Add 1 cup of rice wine, 1 cup of mushroom-soaking liquid, and 3 cups of unsalted chicken stock. Turn the heat to high and let it boil for 5 minutes to volatilize the alcohol. If you don’t have the mushroom water, simply use 4 cups of chicken stock instead. If you can’t take alcohol, use all chicken stock.
Add a few red jujube dates, which I cut into halves and remove the pits using a pair of kitchen sears.
Put on the lid. Switch the heat to low and let everything simmer for 20 minutes.
Once the chicken soup is done, add the cabbage and cook for a few minutes or until soft. Add goji berries and season with salt to taste.
Boil the noodles in a separate pot for 2-3 minutes or to your preferred doneness. Serve them with the sesame-ginger chicken soup poured over the top.
Recipe Note
- Dried mushrooms need 1–2 hours to soak, so if you’re short on time, fresh mushrooms are fine. Just know you’ll miss out on that flavorful mushroom water later.
- In Taiwan, this dish is not just comfort food—it’s a classic postpartum dish. Traditionally, when cooking for a woman who has just given birth, we use an entire bottle of rice wine and no water at all, believing it helps with recovery. However, for everyday cooking, you can absolutely adjust the ratio.
