Chicken-herbal Soup Recipe

Clean and blanch chicken

Rinse the chicken and trim excess fat. In a large pot, bring 1.5 liters of water to a boil. Add the chicken pieces and boil for 3–5 minutes until surface scum appears. Remove chicken and discard blanching water. Rinse chicken briefly under running water to remove any impurities.

Rehydrate mushrooms and prepare herbs

If using dried mushrooms, place them in warm water for 20–30 minutes until softened. Reserve soaking liquid, strain through a fine sieve or cheesecloth and set aside. Rinse ginseng quickly if dusty. Rinse goji berries and red dates. Slice ginger and lightly crush garlic. Tie white parts of the spring onion into a knot or halve lengthwise.

Combine base ingredients

In a clean large stockpot (6–8 liters), add the blanched chicken, the 3 liters of fresh water and the reserved mushroom soaking liquid and/or 500 ml chicken stock. Add sliced ginger, crushed garlic, ginseng slices, rehydrated mushrooms, red dates, goji berries and the tied spring onion.

Bring to a simmer

Bring the pot to a gentle boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat immediately to low to maintain a steady gentle simmer. Partially cover the pot with a lid to limit evaporation but allow some steam to escape.

Simmer slowly

Simmer gently for 1.5 to 2 hours. During the first 30 minutes skim any foam or excess fat that rises to the surface with a ladle to keep the broth clear. If you prefer a richer broth, simmer closer to 2 hours; for a lighter broth, 1.25–1.5 hours is fine. Check occasionally and add a little water if the level drops too low.

Seasoning and finishing

About 10 minutes before finishing, add salt and white pepper and taste. Adjust seasoning gradually—add soy sauce or fish sauce 1 tsp if you want more umami. Swirl in 1 teaspoon sesame oil if using. Remove and discard ginseng slices and spring onion knot if desired (they can be left in for presentation or removed if you prefer a cleaner broth).

Ladle soup into bowls, making sure each bowl gets pieces of chicken, mushrooms and some goji berries/dates. Garnish with chopped cilantro or chives. Serve hot alongside steamed rice or as part of a multi-dish meal.

Leftovers: cool quickly and refrigerate within 2 hours. Soup will keep 3–4 days in the fridge or up to 3 months frozen. Reheat gently until just simmering.