Chicken sotanghon soup is a light Filipino chicken noodle soup that locals have loved for generations — delicious, nourishing, and made with glass noodles and tender chicken. Perfect for rainy days or family dinners!
We don’t have winter in the Philippines, but what we have is rainy season — and I’m talking, nonstop rain for days, and it’s not just drizzling either.
Growing up, when classes were canceled and I was stuck at home, I always looked forward to a warm bowl of homemade chicken sotanghon soup.
So, what exactly is it?
Filipino chicken sotanghon soup is a noodle soup made with sotanghon (glass noodles) and cooked with garlic, onion, and bits of chicken.
It’s simple, nourishing, and rooted in everyday Filipino home cooking — the kind of soup that shows up on rainy days.
How do you serve sotanghon soup with chicken?
You can add two kinds of garnish (or combine them like I usually do):
- Chopped green onions
- Crispy, fried garlic
Both add aroma and crunch, so try them, and let me know which one you like best!
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Why this sotanghon soup is a keeper!
- Easy and practical. Uses simple ingredients and requires no fancy equipment or preparation, making it ideal for everyday cooking.
- Flexible and adaptable. Works well with different cuts of chicken, added vegetables, or small seasoning tweaks (like salt instead of fish sauce).
- Light but satisfying. The glass noodles soak up the flavorful broth, giving the soup a fuller substance without feeling heavy.
Ingredients
(See the recipe card below for measurements.)
- Chicken – I typically use bone-inchicken breast for preparing sotanghon soup — just the meat, though, get rid of the skin and bones once it’s cooked.
- Achiote (achuete) – same as annatto seeds.
- Oil – canola, sunflower, or any other kind of vegetable oil would be great.
- Garlic – minced or thinly chopped.
- Carrot – peeled, rinsed, and julienned.
- Onion, celery & cabbage – thinly chopped.
- Sotanghon noodles – they’re made from mung bean starch, so they’re sometimes called ‘bean thread noodles,’ but the most common name is glass or cellophane noodles.
- Fish sauce, bay leaf, ground black pepper & bouillon – for seasoning the chicken and sotanghon soup.
How to make sotanghon soup
Start by cooking the chicken.
Combine the chicken breast, 4 to 5 cups of water, and a bay leaf in a medium saucepan.
Cover with a lid, bring to a boil, then simmer for about 25 minutes or until the meat is cooked.
Cover with a lid, boil, then simmer for about 25 minutes or until the meat is cooked.
Remove the chicken from the pan and set the chicken stock for later.
Combine the achiote seeds with three-quarters cup of warm water, then set aside.
Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, separate the meat from the bones and tear them into smaller bits.
Place a medium to a large pan over medium-high heat, then pour oil.
Once the oil is ready, add garlic and onion.
Cook until the onion is soft.
Add celery and bouillon cube, and sauté for a couple of minutes.
Add carrots and cooked chicken.
Mix to combine everything.
Pour about five cups of the stock from cooking the chicken earlier.
Strain the achiote seeds and add the reddish liquid.
Cover, bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning by adding fish sauce and pepper.
Add the chopped cabbage and sotanghon noodles.
Stir gently to fully submerge the cabbage and sotanghon in the soup.
Cover for a couple of minutes or until the noodles are cooked.
Transfer your chicken sotanghon soup into bowls and serve!
Helpful tips
- You can use the same pan for cooking the chicken and the soup. Just transfer the liquid once the chicken is done and pour the oil to start with the soup.
- Use your fingers to rub the achiote seeds together and get as much color from them into the water.
- Feel free to add more liquid to the soup if you want; remember to taste it and adjust the seasoning accordingly.
- Do not hesitate to add another bouillon cube if you think it’s needed.
Recipe variation
- Bone-in chicken legs or thighs. Some locals prefer to use chicken thighs or legs because they add more flavor to the soup. I tend to use bone-in chicken breast because it cooks faster and is leaner. It’s up to you to decide which one to use.
- Peppercorns. To add more depth to the stock, you can add peppercorns when cooking the chicken.
- Salt. You can add salt to the stock or use it instead of fish sauce for seasoning the soup.
Storage
Can I freeze chicken sotanghon soup?
I do not recommend freezing the soup with the glass noodles already in it, as they will get mushy when reheated.
If you plan to freeze it, divide the liquid and the chicken parts, then store them separately. Combine both when reheating, then add the glass noodles, and you’re good to go.
FAQs
Can I make it ahead of time?
You can prepare the soup base earlier, but it’s better to add the sotanghon noodles when you are actually serving it. It prevents the noodles from absorbing all the liquid and becoming mushy when left in the soup for too long.
What else can I add to make it more filling?
Mushrooms are an excellent addition to the soup, adding texture and depth to the flavor.
Plus, chicken and mushrooms — they’re an unbeatable combo.
What’s the difference between chicken sotanghon and Filipino sopas?
Both are classic Filipino soups with chicken, but they have very different flavors and textures.
Chicken sotanghon uses glass noodles and has a clear broth, while chicken sopas is made with macaroni and milk, resulting in a creamier soup.
Serving suggestions
Chicken sotanghon soup is light but flavor-packed, making it easy to pair with other Filipino dishes without overwhelming any meal.
Whether you’re serving it as a main or a starter, these serving suggestions will give you ideas for flavors that complement the delicate glass noodles.
Pair the sotanghon soup with crispy Filipino vegetable spring rolls for contrasting textures and to add more vegetables to your meal.
The crunch of the fried vegetable rolls complements the delicate texture of the glass noodles — you can enjoy this combo as a meal or a late-afternoon snack. 😉
Tortang Giniling with Potatoes
You can serve the chicken sotanghon soup as a light first course, then follow it with Filipino-style omelette and steamed rice.
The subtle, garlicky soup pairs perfectly with the pan-fried ground pork, giving you a full meal without feeling heavy.
If you want a fuller meal, start with a small serving of sotanghon soup, then serve steamed rice with Filipino chicken stew in tomato sauce.
Both classic Filipino chicken dishes that locals love — and you can easily enjoy in your part of the world.
So if you haven’t tried making chicken sotanghon soup at home yet, this is a great place to start.
And if you’re curious to explore more dishes like this, take a look at other Filipino recipes for more soups, mains, and everyday favorites that reflect the flavors and traditions of Filipino home cooking.
OR GET IDEAS FROM THIS LIST OF SOUP RECIPES FROM AROUND THE WORLD!
📖 Recipe
Chicken Sotanghon Soup Recipe
Equipment
- Medium-Sized Saucepan
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breast (about 500 grams)
- 2 to 3 tablespoons oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced or finely chopped
- 1 medium onion, thinly chopped
- 1 stalk celery, thinly chopped
- 1 medium carrot, julienned
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup cabbage, chopped
- 3 1/2 ounces sotanghon noodles (100 grams)
- 3 teaspoons achiote (achuete/annatto)
- 1 piece bay leaf, dried
- 1 cube chicken bouillon
- fish sauce & ground black pepper, to season
Instructions
Cooking the chicken:
- Combine the chicken breast, bay leaf, and 4 to 6 cups of water using a medium to large pan.
- Cover, boil, then simmer for about 25 minutes or until the meat is cooked.
- Remove the chicken from the pan and set the chicken stock aside for later.
- Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, separate the meat from the bones, then tear the meat into smaller pieces.
Making sotanghon soup:
- Combine the achiote seeds with 3/4 cup warm water, then set aside.
- Place a medium to a large pan over medium-high heat, then pour oil.
- Once the oil is ready, add garlic and onion and cook until they soften.
- Add celery and bouillon cube, and sauté for a couple of minutes.
- Add carrots and cooked chicken, then stir to combine.
- Pour about 5 cups of the stock from the chicken you cooked earlier.
- Strain the achiote seeds and add the reddish liquid.
- Cover, boil, then simmer for 10 minutes — taste and adjust the seasoning by adding fish sauce and pepper.
- Add the chopped cabbage and sotanghon noodles.
- Stir gently to fully submerge the cabbage and sotanghon in the soup.
- Cover for a couple of minutes or until the noodles are cooked.
- Transfer your chicken sotanghon soup into bowls and serve!
Notes
- Cook’s Tip #1: Use your fingers to rub the achiote seeds together and to get as much color from them into the water.
- Cook’s Tip #2: Add more liquid to the soup if you want; remember to taste and adjust the seasoning accordingly.
- Refer to the post for more tips and suggestions.
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