Ginger chicken and rice noodle soup

Fresh ginger, carrot and leafy greens give this clear chicken soup plenty of flavour. Rice noodles turn it into a satisfying lunch or light dinner, while a short ingredient list makes it easier to check what goes into your bowl.

Serves: 4   Preparation: 15 minutes   Cooking: approximately 25 minutes   Total: approximately 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 15 ml olive oil
• 20 g fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
• 400 g carrots, trimmed and thinly sliced into half-moons
• 600 g plain skinless chicken breast, cut into even bite-sized pieces
• 1,500 ml water
• 3 g fine salt, or less to suit your needs
• 200 g dried flat rice noodles, made from rice and water
• 120 g baby spinach, washed
• 10 g fresh coriander leaves, washed and roughly chopped
• 20 ml fresh lemon juice, optional

Method

1. Prepare the vegetables before handling the raw chicken. Use a separate board for the chicken, then wash your hands and clean utensils and surfaces thoroughly.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the ginger and carrots. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring, without letting the ginger burn.
3. Add the chicken, water and salt. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a steady simmer. Cook for 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are tender and the chicken is cooked through. Check that the centre of the largest chicken pieces reaches at least 75°C with a food thermometer; allow more time if needed.
4. Meanwhile, cook or soak the rice noodles in a separate pan according to their packet directions. Drain well. Preparing them separately keeps the broth clearer and makes portioning easier.
5. Stir the spinach into the soup and simmer for 1–2 minutes until wilted. Remove from the heat and add the optional lemon juice.
6. Divide the noodles equally among four bowls. Ladle over the chicken, vegetables and broth, dividing these evenly too. Finish with coriander and serve straight away.

Intolerance considerations

• Lactose: the listed ingredients contain no dairy. Use plain chicken and check the noodle label for added ingredients.
• Onion and garlic: neither is added. Water is used instead of stock so there is no hidden onion or garlic from a stock powder or concentrate.
• Gluten and wheat: choose rice noodles labelled gluten free if required. For coeliac disease or a food allergy, also check all packaged ingredients and prevent cross-contact during preparation.
• FODMAPs: this recipe has not been laboratory tested or certified low FODMAP. If you are following a prescribed low FODMAP plan, check your chosen ingredients and portions with your dietitian or current Monash app guidance. Each serving contains 50 g dried noodles, 100 g carrot and 30 g spinach before cooking.
• Starch: rice noodles contain starch. This is not a starch-free recipe; anyone with a prescribed starch restriction needs an individual adaptation.

Practical substitutions

Replace the coriander with 10 g flat-leaf parsley. For a milder ginger flavour, use 10 g ginger. Leave out the lemon juice if acidic flavours do not suit you.

If you prefer stock, replace the water with 1,500 ml of a stock you already tolerate and omit the added salt initially. Check its ingredients for onion, garlic, dairy, wheat and other personal triggers; a stock substitution changes the recipe’s dietary suitability.

Store and reheat

For leftovers, cool the soup and noodles in separate shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours. Keep below 5°C and use within 2 days. Reheat only the portion you need until steaming hot throughout, stirring well; reheat the noodles only once. Add a little water if needed. See NSW Food Authority’s leftovers guidance.

The chicken temperature check follows the principle of using a thermometer rather than appearance alone; see NSW Food Authority’s cooking temperature advice.

More everyday cooking ideas

For help checking packaged ingredients, read our guide to inulin and sugar alcohols on food labels. Find more meals to adapt in our recipe collection. Individual tolerance varies; seek advice from an Accredited Practising Dietitian if you need to manage several restrictions.

Original recipe created 22 September 2026. Cooking times are estimates; check doneness as described. This recipe has not been kitchen tested.