Chicken-herbal Soup Recipe

Prepare chicken

Rinse the chicken pieces and pat dry. Blanch the chicken in a large pot of boiling water for 2–3 minutes to remove impurities: place chicken in boiling water, bring back to a boil, then remove and discard that blanching water. Rinse the chicken briefly under warm running water and set aside.

Initial sauté

In a clean large soup pot, add 1 tbs neutral oil (optional) and warm over medium heat. Add sliced ginger and crushed garlic; sauté for 1 minute until fragrant but not browned. Add the blanched chicken pieces and 2 tbs cooking wine; toss for 1 minute to coat.

Simmer broth

Add 3 liters of fresh cold water to the pot with the chicken. Bring to a gentle boil over high heat, then immediately reduce to a low simmer. Skim any foam that rises for the first 10–15 minutes. Maintain a gentle simmer — not a rolling boil — for the remainder of the cooking time to keep the broth clear.

Season the broth

After the first hour of simmering, add 1 tsp white pepper and 1 tsp salt (adjust later to taste). Taste the broth toward the end of cooking and increase salt in ½ tsp increments if needed.

Reconstitute and rinse dried herbs/mushrooms

Place the dried black mushrooms (or shiitake) in a bowl and cover with warm water for 20–30 minutes until softened. Drain, reserve soaking liquid, trim stems and slice large caps. Rinse dried ginseng and other dried Chinese herbs briefly under running water to remove dust. Drain goji berries and red dates; remove pits from dates if present.

Add medicinal herbs

After skimming and once the broth is at a low simmer (about 15–30 minutes into simmering), add the ginseng, angelica (dang gui) if using, reconstituted mushrooms, red dates, and 1 tablespoon of the mushroom soaking liquid (strain any grit) to the pot. Continue to simmer gently for 1–1.5 hours so the herbs infuse without breaking down entirely.

Add delicate ingredients

In the final 10–15 minutes of cooking, add the goji berries (they will soften quickly and release flavor). Taste the soup and adjust seasoning. Do not over-simmer delicate herbs like goji berries to prevent disintegration.

Finish and rest

Turn off the heat and let the soup rest, covered, for 5–10 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Remove any whole ginseng or large herb pieces to serve on the side or slice them into smaller pieces and return to the pot if desired.

Garnish and serve

Ladle the soup into bowls, ensuring each bowl gets a mix of chicken, herbs, mushrooms, and a couple of red dates. Sprinkle the spring onion pieces over each bowl, drizzle 1 tsp sesame oil across the surface of the pot (or per bowl), and garnish with cilantro if using. Serve hot.

Storage

Cool quickly and refrigerate leftover soup within 2 hours. Keeps 3–4 days refrigerated; reheat gently over low heat. For longer storage, freeze broth and solids in airtight containers for up to 2 months.