This post explores the meaning of Boknal, the origins of samgyetang, and how to make it at home. A bowl of samgyetang, prepared for a sick child, carried both care for recovery and the quiet wisdom of enduring the hottest days. Here, I introduce one of Korea’s most beloved summer health foods.
.jpg "Samgyetang – traditional Korean soup with ginseng, garlic, and more")
Samgyetang – A Bowl for Getting Through Korea’s Hottest Days
🍲 Samgyetang at a Glance
- Why Koreans eat it in summer: Based on Yi-yeol-chi-yeol—fighting heat with heat
- What is Boknal? The three hottest days of the year: Chobok, Jungbok, and Malbok
- Benefits: High in protein, boosts energy, supports immunity, gentle on digestion
- Samgyetang vs Baeksuk: With ginseng it’s samgyetang; without it, baeksuk
- Cooking basics: Clean the chicken, stuff the ingredients, simmer for over an hour
- Calories: About 700–900 kcal per bowl (half portion recommended on low-activity days)
- Note: Ginseng is not recommended for children under 36 months
Just a few days ago, our younger child came down with a fever—39.5°C. She was coughing all night, throwing up, and too tired to eat even her favorite treats. She usually loves jelly and chocolate, but this time, she refused everything. I ended up making samgyetang to help bring back her appetite. Thankfully, she took a few bites, and that alone was comforting.
While caring for her, I was also exhausted myself. I needed something nourishing too. Chicken is easy to get, reasonably priced, and something kids enjoy, so it felt like the right choice. Cooking didn’t feel like a chore this time—it felt like love.
Why Do Koreans Eat Samgyetang in Summer?
You might wonder—why chicken, of all things? In Korea, chicken has long been considered one of the easiest meats to digest, especially when someone is weak or recovering. That’s why it naturally became the base of a “restorative” summer dish.
Even though I made samgyetang for my sick child, in Korea it's a traditional summer dish. It may seem odd to eat steaming hot soup in such sweltering weather, but it’s based on the wisdom of “yi yeol chi yeol (以熱治熱)”, which means "fight heat with heat." This philosophy helps explain why samgyetang is so popular in the hottest days of the year.
What Is Samgyetang?
The name comes from its ingredients: sam (ginseng), gye (chicken), and tang (soup). It’s a broth made by boiling a whole young chicken stuffed with glutinous rice, garlic, dates, and most importantly, ginseng. Other additions might include astragalus root, chestnuts, mulberry bark, or other medicinal herbs, depending on the cook.
Technically, it’s only “samgyetang” if ginseng is included. Without it, it’s simply baeksuk—a plain chicken soup. Honestly, what I made was baeksuk, not samgyetang. (Oops!) Ginseng isn’t recommended for very young children, and when I was little, I didn’t eat it either. Some people have sensitivities to ginseng depending on their constitution, so it’s best to be cautious. It’s generally advised not to give it to babies under 36 months.
If the taste of ginseng feels too strong or unfamiliar, you can simply reduce the amount or skip it entirely. Many Korean families adjust the recipe this way, especially when cooking for children.
Key Ingredients and Their Benefits
- Chicken: High protein, low fat, great for recovery
- Ginseng: Boosts immunity, relieves fatigue
- Dates & Chestnuts: Restores energy, improves circulation
- Garlic: Antibacterial, helps maintain body temperature
- Astragalus Root: Controls sweating, supports stamina
- Glutinous Rice: Satisfying, gentle on the stomach
With so many nourishing ingredients, the broth becomes rich and deep in flavor. It’s one of those dishes that fills not just your stomach but your soul.
What Are Boknal Days?
In Korea, samgyetang is most popular during Boknal—the three hottest days of the lunar calendar: Chobok, Jungbok, and Malbok. On these days, samgyetang restaurants are packed, and stores line their shelves with young chickens and fresh ginseng. For many Koreans, it's just understood: “Today is samgyetang day.”
On these days, many people don’t even question it—it simply feels like the “right thing to eat.”
These days fall between mid-July and mid-August and shift slightly each year because they follow the lunar calendar. This season is often referred to as “Sambok Heat”—the peak of summer.
🥣 Samgyetang Recipe – Make It at Home
[Ingredients]
- 1 or 2 small chickens (young hens)
- 2 roots of ginseng
- About 3 liters of water
- 10–20 garlic cloves
- 1/4 piece of fresh ginger
- 1 stalk of green onion
- 1 cup glutinous rice (soaked for 2+ hours)
- 4–6 jujubes (Korean dates)
- 4 chestnuts
- 1–2 pieces of astragalus root (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
[Instructions]
.jpg "Parts to Trim for Clean Samgyetang – Neck, Tail, Wing Tips, and Joint Ends")
.jpg "Sealing the Chicken After Stuffing – Samgyetang Preparation")
- Soak the glutinous rice for at least 2 hours.
- Clean the chicken thoroughly under running water. Remove innards using a spoon or chopsticks.
- Trim off excess fat and blood-heavy parts like the neck skin, tail, wingtips, and joint ends.
- Stuff the chicken with soaked rice, ginseng, garlic, jujubes, and chestnuts.
- Seal the cavity with a skewer so the filling won’t spill out. Then make a slit in one leg and tuck the other leg through it—this helps hold everything in place and keeps the shape neat. Finally, tuck the neck into the cavity as well.
- Place the chicken in a pot, add water, astragalus root, and green onion. Boil on high heat.
- Once it starts boiling, skim off the foam and reduce to medium-low. Simmer for over an hour.
- When the broth turns milky white, it’s ready. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with kimchi or ginseng wine if desired.
Tip: Removing the chicken skin makes for a lighter, clearer broth.
If handling a whole chicken feels difficult, you can use pre-cut chicken parts instead. It may not be traditional, but it still makes a comforting and nourishing meal.
Bukicooki-Style Baeksuk
- Clean and trim the chicken, removing fatty skin parts.
- Boil with 1 whole onion, 1–2 green onions, and about 15–20 garlic cloves.
- Once fully cooked, debone the chicken. Eat it as-is or use it to make rice porridge with the broth. It’s easier to digest and very comforting.
Calories and Notes
One bowl of samgyetang typically contains 700–900 kcal and more than twice the recommended daily protein. On less active days, consider sharing or adjusting the broth and skin.
A Bowl of Love
There’s a Korean saying that summer guests aren’t welcome—it’s just too hot to host. But a bowl of samgyetang served with care says something else entirely. It says: “I want you to be well.”
Samgyetang isn’t just a seasonal dish—it’s a warm act of kindness. Maybe today is the day to share one with someone you love.
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