Chicken soup with shikuwasa

This chicken soup with shikuwasa is a homemade Japanese recipe, freely inspired by Okinawan cuisine.
It is not a codified traditional recipe, but a simple family preparation, made with fresh ingredients and without any industrial products.

Everything is prepared homemade, from the broth to the seasoning. The recipe is easy, but requires some time and patience, especially for the preparation of dried beans and Dashi broth.

This chicken soup can be served:

For 4 people, as a light soup or an appetizer
For 2 people, as a main dish served with rice

Total preparation time: at least 1 hour (excluding bean soaking)

Everyday cooking, simple and natural

This Japanese cooking recipe is based on simple principles:

No additives
No industrial sauces
Only raw ingredients
Simple steps, accessible even for beginners

If you do not live in Japan, the only difficulty may be finding certain specific ingredients. Solutions are provided later in the article.

Package of dried green mung beans on a kitchen surface

Bowl of homemade chicken soup with vegetables and beans

Ingredients

Recipe For 2 to 4 people

For the Dashi broth

1 L of water
10 g dried kombu seaweed
30 g slightly thick dried bonito flakes

For the chicken soup

30 g small dried green beans (Mango)
30 g small dried red beans (Azuki)
2 large chicken fillets, or 4 medium, or 6 small
1/2 onion. If the onion is small, use 1 whole
2 medium-sized bok choy
Salt
1/4 shikuwasa (zest only)

Bowls of chopped bok choy, dried bonito flakes, diced onion, and mixed beans for making chicken soup

Raw chicken breast sliced and arranged on a plate

Bean preparation

The day before around 6 pm:

Wash the dried beans thoroughly
Place them in a bowl with cold water
Let them soak

Change the water:

At least once in the evening
Three to four times the next morning

The next day around 11 am, after about 17 hours of soaking, the beans are ready to be cooked.

Dashi broth preparation

This fish-based Dashi is intentionally a little stronger in flavor. It pairs very well with chicken meat.

Pour 1 liter of cold water into a saucepan
Add the dried kombu to the cold water
Heat over medium heat until boiling

Dried kombu soaking in cold water before heating

While the water is heating:

Cut the onion into small cubes
Cut the chicken into fillets or strips

As soon as the water reaches a boil:

Turn off the heat
Immediately add the dried bonito
Let it steep for 5 minutes

Important
Never turn the heat back on at this stage.
The bonito must not boil, otherwise it becomes bitter.

Note: If you use frozen chicken breasts, blanch them briefly in boiling water during the preparation of the dashi broth.

Kombu seaweed soaking in water next to dried bonito flakes

Dried bonito flakes added to kombu broth in a saucepan for making chicken soup

After 5 minutes:

Remove the bonito and the kombu
Strain the broth to remove all impurities

When the broth is clear:

Put it back on the heat over medium heat
Without high heat to avoid excessive evaporation

Bonito dashi broth gently boiling in a saucepan

Cooking the chicken soup

When the broth starts to boil:

Add the drained dried beans
Add the sliced onion
Cook for 25 minutes

Dashi broth simmering next to bowls of dried red and green beans

Light bonito broth simmering with diced onion

After 25 minutes:

Add the chicken

10 minutes later:

When the beans start to become tender

Add the bok choy
Salt to your taste

Continue cooking for another 10 minutes.

During cooking:

Regularly remove the impurities that rise to the surface

Chicken breasts and light broth with diced onions simmering in a saucepan to make chicken soup

Chicken soup being prepared with pieces of chicken simmering in broth with vegetables on a stovetop.

Shikuwasa

During cooking, grate the zest of about 1/4 of a shikuwasa.

At the end of cooking:

Turn off the heat
Add the zest
Gently mix

Important advice
Shikuwasa zest is very powerful, almost like an essential oil.
It is recommended to add it in small pinches, taste, then adjust according to your preference.

Whole shikuwasa citrus fruit placed in a bowl

Chicken soup simmering in a pot with vegetables and beans

Total cooking time

Between adding the beans and the end of cooking, allow about 45 minutes.

This time may vary depending on:

The variety of beans
The desired texture

some prefer them firm, others very tender

Plating and serving

For a neat presentation:

First arrange each ingredient in the bowl or ramekin
Then pour the dashi broth over the top

For a Japanese-style chicken soup:

The broth should not completely cover the ingredients
It should just reach their surface

A homemade chicken soup, simple and naturally balanced

This chicken soup with shikuwasa can be considered a healthy everyday cooking recipe.
It is prepared exclusively with fresh and raw ingredients, without any additives or industrial products.

The homemade dashi broth, made with kombu and 100 percent pure dried bonito, naturally provides flavor without the use of artificial flavor enhancers.

The vegetables, dried beans, and shikuwasa citrus contribute to a simple and natural balance, typical of Japanese family cooking.

This Japanese cooking recipe has no medical purpose, but fits into an approach of homemade, light cooking that respects the ingredients.

If you do not live in Japan

What can the ingredients be replaced with and where to find them?

Outside Japan, some ingredients may be more difficult to find. It is recommended to turn to specialized Asian grocery stores.

Examples of well-known retailers:

In France: Tang Frères
In the United States: Mitsuwa Marketplace
In Germany: Go Asia
In Spain: Oriental Market

Possible substitutions:

Shikuwasa can be replaced with a very acidic small citrus fruit, preferably yuzu, and as a last option calamansi or a mix of lime juice and zest
Bok choy can be replaced with young Swiss chard or Chinese cabbage
Small dried beans can be replaced with larger red beans and green flageolet beans. In this case, reduce the quantities
Dried bonito can be found under the name Katsuobushi

Dried azuki beans packaged for Japanese home cooking

Fresh bok choy placed on a kitchen countertop

Chicken soup recipe in video

For a visual presentation and the complete step by step process, I published a detailed video on my YouTube channel, where the entire recipe for this Chicken soup with shikuwasa is prepared step by step.

Japanese Chicken Soup with Shikuwasa | Simple Okinawan Home Cooking

Click to watch the recipe on YouTube

Texts, images, and videos © Japan Okinawa Daily Life
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