This Chinese Chicken Mushroom Soup (香菇雞湯) is on my rotation week after week. It’s not hard to see why, the broth is insanely tasty, as the soup is made with one whole chicken, shiitake mushrooms, red dates and more!

About the Ingredients

To make Chinese Chicken Mushroom Soup, you will need chicken, dried shiitake mushrooms, dried red dates, michiu, salt, and optionally, dried scallops.

Chicken

We use a whole chicken for this recipe! It makes the most delicious broth. However, if you can’t find any, you could use parts of a chicken.

There are different types of chicken you can use for this recipe. You can purchase the regular chicken you can find at the grocery store, which is what I am using here today. I recommend using free range organic chicken – you can taste the difference! You can also use cornish hen.

Or if you prefer you can also hunt down some black skinned chicken aka Silkie. This type of chicken is very popular in Asian cuisine, and in traditional Chinese medicine, it is known to be healing. This type of chicken can usually be found in your local Asian supermarket.

I will say don’t be surprised if you go the Asian grocery store and your chicken still has it’s head and feet intact! You would just cut those off and discard.

Dried Shiitake Mushrooms

Traditionally Chinese Chicken Mushroom Soup uses shiitake mushrooms. Shiitake originates from China and Japan, and is super flavorful. They’re more dense, similar to portobello mushrooms, and have an earthy, almost smokey flavor compared to the other mushrooms.

It’s important to use dried shiitake mushrooms because not only is the mushroom itself tasty, but after we soak this mushroom, the leftover water has so much flavor, and is added in to the soup for extra flavor.

If you can’t find any in your local Asian super market, shiitake mushrooms are actually also sold on amazon!

Dried red dates

Red dates, aka Jujube or hong zao, is popular in Chinese cuisine and traditional Chinese medicine. It is known for its many health benefits – rich in antioxidants, improves sleep and brain function, improves digestion, and boosts your immune system.

When adding to the soup, it adds a sweet flavor to contrast with the savory soup. You can find it at your local Chinese or Asian supermarkets. If you can’t locate any, you could technically skip this ingredient also, or you can also find red dates on amazon!

Dried goji berries

Goji berries are a bright orange or red fruit that is native to Asian. It is also known as wolfberries.

This is an optional ingredient, but when I have it I add it, it adds a slightly sweet flavor to the dish like the dried red dates. It’s a nutritious ingredient so what’s not to love!

Michiu

Michiu is also known as Rice cooking wine. It contains about 20% alcohol, and is very popular in Taiwanese cooking. Many folks get this cooking wine confused with another cooking wine – Shaoxing.

The difference is that Shaoxing is lower in alcohol and darker. Michiu is more dry and has a higher alcohol content.

If you’re hunting down some michiu at your local Asian supermarket, you can sub with shaoxing, or you can also find michiu on amazon.

Dried Scallops or shrimp

Dried Scallops is a dried seafood product made from the adductor muscle of scallops, whereas the dried shrimp is made of shrimp. They’re both often times used in Asian cooking because of its umami flavor and while it definitely taste of seafood, has a less ‘fishy’ flavor.

In this dish, the dried scallop and or shrimp is optional, but it definitely adds an additional tasty flavor to the soup! I never make it without!

This item can be found in your local Asian supermarket usually, but if you’re having trouble finding it – you can actually also find some dried scallops and dried shrimp on Amazon.

How to make Chinese chicken mushroom soup?

First gather your ingredients:

• 1 whole chicken (~2 lb)
• 10 dried shiitake mushrooms
• 8 dried red dates
• 2 tbsp goji berries, optional
• 2 tbsp michiu
• 5 small dried scallops or shrimp (optional)
• Salt, as desired

Rinse shiitake mushrooms and soak it in a bowl of water for about 15 minutes or until soft; do not discard the water. If you are using dried scallops, also rinse dried scallops and soak in another bowl for about 15 minutes.

Place chicken in a pot and cover with enough water to cover the chicken pieces, bring to the boil. Impurities/scums will float to the top. Turn off heat and discard the impurities/scum water and rinse chicken under some water.

In the pot, add chicken, shiitake mushrooms, red dates, goji berries, dried scallops or shrimp, michiu, and the water you used to soak shiitake mushrooms. Add enough water to cover the ingredients.

Let it cook on high heat until it boils, and then turn the heat down to low and let it simmer for about 45 minutes. Add salt to taste!

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If you’re looking for more delicious Chinese soups, check out my favorite soup of all times – Luo Song Tang aka Chinese Borscht Soup!

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