Torigara: Japanese Chicken Stock Powder
鶏がらスープの素
By the Aoi's Japanese School Lunch team · November 7, 2026 · 2 min read
What Japanese chicken stock powder (torigara) is, how to use it, what to check on the label for allergies and salt, and what to use if you can't find it.
In the video "Tasty Japanese School Lunch Miso Ramen Recipes To Try Now," chicken stock powder goes into the pan with water to make the ramen soup. Often called torigara, it's a Japanese granulated chicken soup base used for Chinese-style soups and stir-fries. About 50 recipes on this site use chicken stock like this.
What is torigara?
- A chicken soup base in powder or granules. Tori means chicken and gara means bones. In Japan it's sold as 鶏がらスープの素 (torigara sūpu no moto).
- Quick to use. Dissolve it in water or sprinkle it into a stir-fry. The package tells you how much to use.
- Already seasoned. It contains salt, so taste before adding more.
How it's used in the video
- 0:47 Water and chicken stock powder go into the pan with the stir-fried pork and vegetables.
- 0:51 School lunch kitchens simmer chicken bones and vegetables for this soup. At home, the video keeps it easy with the powder.
- The video description lists 4 g of powder for 1,000 ml of water. Miso and soy sauce season the soup too, so it needs only a little.
Check the label
- Allergens. Some powders contain milk (often as lactose) or wheat, and some also contain soy, sesame or pork. The allergen notes on our recipes come from the Japanese recipe records and can't cover every brand, so read the label on the powder you buy.
- Salt. Salt can be the main ingredient. Add the recipe's other seasonings a little at a time and taste.
For children
In her spinach namul video (in Japanese), Aoi notes that the nursery school didn't use special children's seasonings. It used ordinary supermarket ones like this powder and adjusted them so the flavor wouldn't get too strong.
Can't find it?
- Look in Asian markets. Chinese-style chicken powder works in a similar way.
- Use chicken bouillon powder or granules. The flavor and saltiness vary, so start with less and taste.
- Use a light chicken stock or broth in place of the water and powder.
Also in this video: nira and tube garlic.
