📝 About This Recipe
Tori Paitan is the luxurious, velvety cousin of Tonkotsu, featuring a deeply savory chicken broth that has been emulsified to a creamy, milk-like consistency. Originating as a lighter yet equally satisfying alternative to pork-based soups, this dish captures the pure essence of chicken through a long, vigorous boil. With its golden hue and collagen-rich texture, it provides a comforting, sophisticated bowl that defines modern Japanese soul food.
🥗 Ingredients
The Paitan Broth
- 2 kg Chicken Carcasses (cleaned of organs and excess blood)
- 500 g Chicken Feet (claws clipped; adds essential collagen)
- 4 liters Water (filtered water preferred)
- 1 large Yellow Onion (halved, skin on for color)
- 1 head Garlic (sliced in half crosswise)
- 50 g Ginger (sliced into thick coins)
Shio Tare (Seasoning Base)
- 2 tablespoons Sea Salt (fine grain)
- 2 tablespoons Mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)
- 1 tablespoon Sake (dry cooking sake)
- 1 piece Kombu (approx 5cm square)
Noodles and Toppings
- 4 portions Fresh Ramen Noodles (thin, straight noodles work best)
- 2 pieces Chicken Breast (sous-vide or gently poached and sliced)
- 4 pieces Ajitsuke Tamago (marinated soft-boiled eggs, halved)
- 1 bunch Green Onions (finely sliced)
- 100 g Menma (seasoned bamboo shoots)
- 2 teaspoons Black Garlic Oil (Mayu) (optional for finishing)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Blanch the chicken carcasses and feet in a large pot of boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse thoroughly under cold water, scrubbing away any grey marrow or blood bits to ensure a clean flavor.
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2
Place the cleaned chicken parts back into a clean, large stockpot and cover with 4 liters of fresh water. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
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3
Once boiling, use a fine mesh skimmer to remove any foam that rises to the surface for the first 20 minutes.
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4
Add the onion, garlic, and ginger. Maintain a vigorous, aggressive boil. Unlike a clear Shio broth, Tori Paitan requires high heat to agitate the fats and water into an emulsion.
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5
Cover the pot partially and boil for 6 to 8 hours. Every hour, check the water level; if it drops significantly, add just enough boiling water to keep the bones submerged.
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6
In the final hour, use a heavy wooden spoon or potato masher to crush the bones directly in the pot, releasing more marrow and thickness.
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7
While the broth finishes, prepare the Tare: Combine mirin, sake, and kombu in a small saucepan. Simmer for 2 minutes, whisk in the salt until dissolved, then remove the kombu and set aside.
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8
Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot. For a professional 'frothy' finish, use an immersion blender to blend the broth for 30 seconds until it turns milky white and bubbly.
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9
Boil a separate pot of water for the noodles. Cook the ramen noodles according to package instructions (usually 1-2 minutes for fresh thin noodles) until 'al dente'.
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10
Warm your serving bowls by rinsing them with hot water. Place 1.5 tablespoons of the Tare into the bottom of each bowl.
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11
Pour approximately 350ml of the hot, creamy broth into each bowl and stir gently to incorporate the Tare.
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12
Add the cooked noodles, lifting them with chopsticks to fold them neatly into the broth.
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13
Top with sliced chicken, half an egg, bamboo shoots, and a generous sprinkle of green onions. Drizzle with black garlic oil if desired and serve immediately.
💡 Chef's Tips
Clean the bones meticulously; any blood left on the spine will turn the broth grey instead of white. Maintain a hard boil—if you simmer gently, you will get a clear soup instead of a creamy paitan. Use an immersion blender right before serving to create a 'cappuccino' style foam on top for a modern touch. If the broth isn't thickening enough, add more chicken feet; they are the secret to that lip-smacking collagen feel. Adjust the saltiness by adding the Tare gradually; different salts have varying levels of salinity.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Pair with a crisp, cold Japanese Lager or a dry Junmai Ginjo Sake. Serve with a side of pan-fried Chicken Gyoza for a complete meal. A small side of spicy pickled mustard greens (Takana) provides a great acidic contrast to the rich broth. Offer extra toasted sesame seeds and chili oil (Rayu) at the table for customization. Finish with a 'Kae-dama' (extra noodle serving) if you have leftover broth in your bowl.