This recipe was prepared by Chef John Maxwell on Real Virginia, Virginia Farm Bureau’s weekly television program.

Maxwell, a certified executive chef, culinary educator and member of the American Academy of Chefs, shares delicious seasonal recipes in a Real Virginia segment sponsored by Virginia Grown, a program of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

Korean-style Shredded Chicken Soup

8 plump garlic cloves
2 cups thinly sliced onion
1 inch peeled ginger root, thinly sliced
2 scallions
1 quart chicken stock
2 8-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 medium zucchini, julienned (2 cups)
6 ounces cooked noodles. 

Heat a stock pot large enough to hold the ingredients, and add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil.

Add the garlic cloves, and fry until golden brown. Remove garlic from oil. Add the onion and ginger. Sauté until the onions begin to clear. Add the scallions and chicken stock. Mash the garlic, and add half of it back into the stock. Bring the stock to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer. Add the chicken breasts and poach until done. When the chicken is cooked through, remove it from the pot. Add the soy sauce.

Sprinkle the julienned zucchini with salt, let it sit for about 15 minutes and then squeeze out the water. In a heated ban, briefly sauté zucchini with a little bit of oil. Set aside.

Pull or cut the chicken breasts into shreds or strips no larger than ¼" thick and about 3"-5" long. Season the meat with the following spice mix:

Spice Mix

1 teaspoon minced roasted garlic (Use the rest of what you browned in the first step)
1 teaspoon sesame oil
salt (about ½ teaspoon) and pepper to taste

To serve, ladle the noodles and soup in a serving bowl, top with the chicken pieces and zucchini. Serves 4.