Swamp Soup is a modern, viral twist on the traditional Korean dish samgyetang, which uses a whole chicken stuffed with rice and herbs. The viral version replaces the whole bird with a rotisserie chicken and blends the herbs into a bright green sauce, creating a quick, nutritious broth that still honors the herb‑filled, restorative qualities of the original.

In Korea, chicken broth dishes vary by region: the southern style often adds gochujang for heat, while the northern style emphasizes milder herbs like parsley and cilantro. Swamp Soup adapts these ideas by letting you choose the heat level with jalapeño and sriracha, and you can swap cilantro for Korean perilla leaves for a regional twist.

Traditionally, a hot chicken broth is served in a shallow bowl with the meat pieces on top, accompanied by a side of kimchi and a small bowl of rice. In the viral Swamp Soup version, the broth is poured over the shredded rotisserie chicken and garnished with sesame seeds and optional sriracha, making it a complete one‑bowl meal.

Chicken broth dishes like samgyetang are traditionally eaten on hot summer days for stamina and during the Korean New Year (Seollal) for health. Swamp Soup, being a quick version, is popular for everyday meals, post‑workout recovery, or as a comforting dish during cold weather.

Authentic ingredients include chicken bones, dark meat, garlic, ginger, and Korean herbs such as cilantro, parsley, and spinach. Acceptable substitutes are any fresh leafy greens (e.g., kale) and fish sauce can be swapped with soy sauce plus a pinch of anchovy paste if you avoid fish.

Swamp Soup pairs nicely with Korean side dishes (banchan) like kimchi, seasoned bean sprouts (kongnamul), or a simple cucumber salad (oi muchim). A bowl of steamed rice or Korean rice cakes (tteok) also complements the broth nicely.

Common mistakes include boiling the broth too vigorously after adding the green sauce (which can make it bitter), not skimming the stock, and using too many seeds from the jalapeño, which can overpower the delicate herb flavor. Also, blending hot liquid without venting can cause the blender lid to pop off.

A long, gentle simmer extracts collagen and flavor from the rotisserie chicken bones without turning the broth cloudy, preserving the bright green color of the sauce. A pressure cooker can work, but the video’s method emphasizes a clear, rich stock that balances with the fresh herb puree.

Yes, you can make the stock and green sauce a day ahead. Store the stock in the refrigerator and the green sauce in a sealed container; combine and reheat gently before serving. Both components freeze well for up to two months.

The broth should be clear amber with a vibrant green swirl from the sauce. The sauce itself should be silky, without grainy bits, and the shredded chicken should be tender but not falling apart. A final garnish of sesame seeds adds a subtle crunch.

The soup is ready when the stock is hot (just below boiling) and the chicken pieces are warmed through, usually after a 5‑minute simmer after adding the green sauce. Taste for seasoning; the broth should be savory with a hint of heat from the jalapeño.

The YouTube channel Danny Kim focuses on creative, budget‑friendly cooking hacks, often using grocery‑store staples like Costco rotisserie chicken to recreate viral recipes and elevate everyday meals.

Danny Kim blends Korean flavors with American convenience, emphasizing quick, one‑pot methods and using readily available ingredients like rotisserie chicken, whereas many traditional Korean channels focus on homemade stocks and longer preparation times.