San Antonio Express-News (Sunday)
GINGER GARLIC CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP
Time: 35 minutes
Smitten Kitchen blogger and cookbook author Deb Perelman says this is her go-to soup on a chilly weeknight. It’s the first recipe she developed for her cookbook “Smitten Kitchen Keepers.” Instead of buying chicken stock, she simmers boneless, skinless chicken thighs with aromatics to create a base. The soup also gets a flavor boost from ginger, garlic and scallions. It is finished at the table with a quick sauce made of Chinkiang vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil and chili crisp for heat. To accommodate varying spice preferences, serve the chili crisp separately at the table, so people can add as much as they like.
Storage: Refrigerate for up to 4 days (see Notes).
Where to buy: Chinkiang vinegar, also called black rice vinegar, can be found at well-stocked supermarkets, Asian markets and online. Notes: Add the noodles right before serving or they will keep “drinking” the broth until there is little left. If you do not plan to eat all of the soup at once, add the carrot as directed and cook for about 3 minutes. Then cook the noodles separately, drain them and add them to the serving bowls before ladling over the soup; store the soup and noodles separately in the refrigerator.
If you do not have ramen noodles, you can use your favorite thin noodles, including Chinese noodles and angel hair pasta.
Chinkiang vinegar is ideal for this sauce, but if you don’t have it, substitute with rice vinegar, white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
FOR THE SOUP
10 cups water
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of visible fat
6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 1 (3-inch) piece fresh ginger, minced or finely grated
1 bunch scallions (8 ounces), sliced, whites and greens separated
2 teaspoons fine salt, plus more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste (optional)
8 ounces curly or other dried ramen noodles (see Notes)
1 large carrot, cut into matchsticks (about 1 cup)
FOR THE SAUCE
¼ cup Chinkiang vinegar (see Notes)
¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
Chili crisp, to taste (optional)
Make the broth: Ina4-to 5-quart pot over high heat, combine the water, chicken, garlic, ginger, scallion whites, salt and pepper, if using, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is tender and cooked through, about 15 minutes.
Make the sauce: While the chicken simmers, in a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil and chili crisp, to taste, if using.
Make the soup: Using a slotted spoon or tongs, transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Add the noodles (see Notes) and carrots to the broth and cook following the directions on the noodle package, about 3 minutes.
While the noodles cook, using two forks, shred the chicken into bite-size pieces. Return the chicken to the pot and rewarm for 2 minutes. Taste, and season with more salt and/or pepper, as needed, keeping in mind that the finishing sauce will add both saltiness and heat.
Divide the soup among bowls. Add the scallion greens, and drizzle each bowl with 1 teaspoon of the soy sauce mixture, placing extra sauce and chili crisp on the table, if desired.
6 to 8 servings
Nutrition information per serving (1 ½ cups), based on 8:
Calories: 266; total fat: 6 g; saturated fat: 1 g; cholesterol: 94 mg; sodium: 912 mg; carbohydrates: 26 g; dietary fiber: 2 g; sugar: 2 g; protein: 26 g
Adapted from “Smitten Kitchen Keepers” by Deb Perelman
(Alfred A. Knopf, 2022)
iar and revelatory.
In Dobbertin’s presentation, an eggy Hong Kong-style bubble waffle is wrapped around a slab of crispy batter-fried chicken. On top of that goes a flavorful syrup made from concentrated Thai-style iced tea and condensed milk, punctuated with a verdant hit of Thai basil.
Best Quality Daughter, 602
Ave. A, 210-819-4236, bestquality daughter.com
Cullum’s Attagirl: Fried chicken has long been king at this popular spot just off the St. Mary’s Strip. And when paired with waffles, that yardbird becomes a perfect option in one of the city’s trendiest brunch districts.
The buttermilk waffle here is noteworthy, with a deeply browned and crisp exterior that yields to a fluffy, eggy interior. It’s a contrast of textures that perfectly mirror the craggy pile of chicken wings, which are dressed with a drizzle of honey. You’ll leave with sticky fingers but no regrets.
Cullum’s Attagirl, 726 E. Mistletoe, 210-437-4263, cullums attagirl.com
Gold Feather: Tucked into a corner unit along Blanco Road in the sprawling North Park shopping center, this restaurant offers chicken and waffles in a vibrant sports bar setting with plenty of cold beer flowing from the many taps.
Waffles are available in traditional, red velvet, churro and rotating waffle-of-the-day flavors, and the chicken can be served as either wings or tenders. The tenders were the best sampled for this story, with a perfect balance of crunch and juiciness. Sauce options range from a mild garlic and Parmesan flavor to the ominously named Midnight Cowboy, which promises to deliver more heat than a habanero. Proceed with caution.
Gold Feather, 834 NW Loop 410, Suite 106, 210-342-2473, goldfeatherbb.com
Mr. C’s Fried Chicken and Waffles:
As the name of this restaurant implies, Mr. C’s takes chicken and waffles seriously. The waffles are anything but ordinary, offered in red velvet, blueberry and cinnamon flavors in addition to traditional.
From there, you have a choice of nine combinations built around chicken wings, tenders, breasts, drumsticks and thighs. Some of those get smothered in gravy, while others are served with a bowl of buttery grits. However you order, you definitely won’t leave hungry.
Mr. C’s Fried Chicken and Waffles, (two locations) 9390 Huebner Road, 210-368-2957;
7907 W. Loop 1604 N., Suite 102, 210-598-0114, mrcsfcw.com
Stixs & Stone: Once served only as a brunch special at this Leon Valley restaurant, chicken and waffles proved so popular it earned a spot on the regular menu. A reflection of chef and owner Leo Davila’s Mexican and Chinese heritage, the dish gets a multicultural makeover here.
The Hong Kong-style bubble waffle incorporates sweet potato into the batter, and the fried chicken tenders are glazed with soy sauce, honey and chile.
Topped with a pinch of microgreens and an optional slab of roasted pork belly, the results are a sweet, savory and sophisticated flavor bomb.
Stixs & Stone, 5718 B Wurzbach Road, 210-592-1187, stixs-stone. business.site
Tony G’s Soul Food: Chicken and waffles is an all-day affair at this East Side institution near the Alamodone.
While Tony G’s does offer fried tenders, whole wings are the way to go, providing plenty of crisp skin to gnaw off the wing
tips once the drums and flats are gone.
Tony G’s serves one of the most distinct waffles of all those sampled for this story. The batter is laced with flakes of rock sugar that don’t dissolve during cooking, providing a waffle with crunchy texture that bursts into a hit of sweetness.
Tony G’s Soul Food, 915 S. Hackberry St., 210-451-1234, tonygssoulfood.com
Vegan Avenue: There’s no reason for vegans or vegetarians to feel left out of the chicken
and waffle trend. At this Monte Vista restaurant, the dish is prepared with several portions of breaded and fried Chick’n brand poultry-alternative patties.
The waffles are dense and chewy, offering a contrast to the deep crunch of the crusty Chick’n. The dish is dressed with fresh and flavorful strawberries and blueberries, maple syrup and a dusting of powdered sugar for a sweet and savory two-step.
Vegan Avenue, 2512 N. Main Ave., 210-332-9284, eatvegan avenue.com
What the Waffle: This new food trailer has brought chicken and waffles to the Northeast Side of San Antonio and can regularly be found parked at the sprawling CO-OP SA culinary
incubator campus.
Your choices start with fried chicken wings or tenders and expand from there. The waffles, which are prepared on a stick for easy on-the-go eating, can be flavored with ingredients including bacon, blueberries and cookies. The sauce options range from basic ketchup or ranch to more complex concoctions such as the Kickin’ Bourbon (which pairs exceptionally well with the Shakin’ Bacon waffle) or a fiery blend of mango and habanero chile.
What the Waffle, 11911 Crosswinds Way, 210-544-6086, Facebook: What The Waffle SA