Nourishing Chinese Herbal Chicken Soup

A deeply comforting and restorative herbal chicken soup. Slowly simmered in a traditional clay pot with red dates, cordyceps flowers, and goji berries to create a rich, golden broth.

Ingredients

• 800 g bone-in chicken pieces (blanched)
• 1 tbsp peanut oil
• 4-5 slices fresh ginger
• 6-8 dried red dates (jujubes)
• 10 g dried cordyceps flowers
• 10 g dried longan
• 1.5 L hot water
• to taste salt
• 1 tbsp goji berries (Chinese wolfberry)

Instructions

1. 1Add chicken to the pot

   

   Carefully transfer the blanched and thoroughly dried chicken pieces into a preheated clay pot. Ensuring the meat is completely dry before adding it to the hot pot prevents hot oil or juices from splattering.

   Tip: Always pat the blanched chicken dry with paper towels; this helps it sear better and absorb the aromatics more effectively.
2. 2Stir-fry the chicken

   

   Heat a splash of peanut oil in a clay pot and add the well-dried, blanched chicken pieces. Use chopsticks to continuously stir-fry the chicken until the meat changes color and slightly browns on the edges. This helps develop a richer flavor for the soup.

   Tip: Make sure the chicken is completely dry before adding it to the hot oil to prevent aggressive splattering.
3. 3Stir-fry with aromatics

   

   Use a pair of long cooking chopsticks to stir-fry the chicken and ginger slices together in the clay pot. Keep tossing the ingredients constantly so the ginger releases its fragrant oils and coats the chicken evenly.

   Tip: Stir-frying the chicken with ginger before adding liquids removes any remaining meaty odors and builds a deep, savory foundation for the broth.
4. 4Add the red dates

   

   Once the chicken is fragrant and lightly browned, add the dried red dates to the pot. At this stage, you can also add other traditional aromatics like Chinese wolfberry, cordyceps flowers, and dried longan to infuse the soup with natural sweetness.

   Tip: Rinse the dried red dates briefly under cold water before adding them to remove any residual dust.
5. 5Incorporate the herbs

   

   Add the remaining herbal ingredients, including the golden cordyceps flowers, dried longan, and goji berries, directly over the chicken and red dates. These ingredients will infuse the soup with earthy, complex flavors and a beautiful rich color.

   Tip: Give the dried herbs a quick rinse under cold running water before using them to wash away any residual dust.
6. 6Pour in the water

   

   Pour enough fresh water into the clay pot to completely submerge the chicken and herbs. Cover the pot with a lid and bring the liquid to a rolling boil over high heat, then immediately reduce the heat to low to let the soup simmer gently.

   Tip: Using hot or warm water instead of cold water helps bring the pot back to a boil much faster and avoids shocking the clay material.
7. 7Season the broth

   

   Once the soup has simmered gently and the flavors of the chicken and herbs have fully melded into the broth, stir in salt to taste. It is important to wait until this stage to season, ensuring the meat remains tender.

   Tip: Adding salt towards the end of the cooking process rather than at the beginning helps ensure the chicken remains tender and does not dry out.
8. 8Add the wolfberries

   

   In the final few minutes of boiling, sprinkle in the Chinese wolfberry (goji berries). Let them cook very briefly just until they plump up and release their vibrant color into the rich, nutritious broth. The soup is now ready to serve directly from the pot.

   Tip: Always add wolfberries at the very end of cooking. Boiling them for too long can cause them to break apart and turn the soup slightly sour.

Storage & Reheating

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Frequently Asked Questions