Chicken Egg Drop Soup with Shiitake Mushrooms is a quick and comforting Chinese soup made with tender shredded chicken, savory mushrooms, and silky egg ribbons in a flavorful broth. It comes together in about 25 minutes and is perfect for a light lunch, easy dinner, or cozy cold-weather meal.
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This version is heartier than classic egg drop soup, while still being simple enough to make with leftover chicken and a few basic ingredients.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ready in about 25 minutes
- A great way to use leftover cooked chicken
- Made with simple, easy-to-find ingredients
- Light yet filling
- Dried shiitake mushrooms add deep umami flavor
- Easy to make thicker or keep traditionally light
- Perfect for lunch, dinner, or cold-weather comfort food
Types of Egg Drop Soup
While egg drop soup is one of the most common Chinese soups in the States, at our house we almost never make just egg drop soup.
Tomato Egg Drop Soup
One of the popular homecooked soup is Tomato Egg Drop Soup (番茄蛋花湯 in Chinese). This is egg drop soup with the addition of tomato wedges - adding an additional layer of flavor, and more vitamin C too!
Seaweed Egg Drop Soup
Another popular way to cook egg drop soup at home is Seaweed Egg Drop Soup (紫菜蛋花湯 in Chinese).
Seaweed egg drop soup is made very similar to regular egg drop soup, except with the addition of dried seaweed. This adds an additional umami taste to the soup, and additional health benefits!
About the Ingredients
- Chicken: Leftover roasted, poached, or rotisserie chicken all work.
- Shiitake mushrooms: Dried give stronger flavor; fresh are faster.
- Chicken broth: Low-sodium gives you more seasoning control.
- Eggs: Beaten thoroughly for smooth ribbons.
- Sesame oil: Add at the end, not while boiling.
- Cornstarch: Optional for restaurant-style thickness.
How to make Chicken Egg Drop Soup with Shiitake Mushrooms (Step by Step)
First, gather your ingredients
- 1 cooked chicken breast, shredded
- 5 dried shiitake mushrooms (or fresh shiitake mushroom, sliced)
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 4 cup chicken broth
- Salt, as desired
- ½ tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 scallion, chopped
- (Optional) 1.5 teaspoons cornstarch, mixed well with 2 tablespoons water (Used as thickener)
- (Optional) Turmeric or food coloring (if you prefer a more yellow egg drop soup - read notes for more info)
Shred cooked chicken breast, and set aside.
Chop one green onion (aka scallion), this is technically optional but I like it for garnish and taste.
If using dried shiitake mushrooms: Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms in warm water for 15 minutes or until soften. Remove shiitake mushrooms and slice. Do not discard the water as we will add this to the broth. If using fresh shiitake mushrooms, just slice it (no need to soak).
Add chicken broth in a medium pot and bring to a boil.
Add shredded chicken and shiitake mushrooms (along with the water it was soaked in if you used dried version and had to soak it), and mix well.
If you like your soup to be thicker, you're going to want to add the cornstarch mixed with water and stir. Traditionally, egg drop soups (and many other Chinese soups) are not 'thickened' as much as their American counter parts. So, I usually just skip this step, but it is up to you.
Reduce the soup to a gentle simmer. Slowly drizzle in the beaten eggs while stirring gently in one direction. For larger ribbons, wait a few seconds before stirring.
Add sesame oil and sprinkle the chopped scallions at the end so that it remains fresh green
Mix well and serve!
What to Serve With It
Here are some tasty ideas:
- Fried rice
- Chinese green beans
- Shrimp Noodles Stir Fry
- Dumplings or wontons
- Garlic bok choy
- Stir-fried vegetables
Storage, Reheat, and FAQ
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Warm gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Avoid boiling to keep eggs tender.
- Freezing: Not recommended; eggs and mushrooms lose their texture.
Can I make this vegetarian?
Yes! Skip the chicken and use vegetable broth for a delicious mushroom egg drop soup.
What if I don't have shiitake mushrooms?
You can substitute button mushrooms, cremini, or leave mushrooms out altogether.
How do I get those pretty egg ribbons?
Make sure the soup isn't boiling when you pour in the eggs, and stir slowly in one direction as you drizzle them in.
Chicken Egg Drop Soup with Shiitake Mushrooms
This easy Chicken Egg Drop Soup with Shiitake Mushrooms is made with tender shredded chicken, savory mushrooms, and silky egg ribbons in a flavorful broth. It is light, comforting, and perfect for using leftover chicken.
Ingredients
- 1 cooked chicken breast, shredded
- 5 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked and sliced, or 5 fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced
- 3 large eggs, well beaten
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- Up to ½ cup strained mushroom soaking liquid, optional
- 1½ teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water, optional
- ½ tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 scallion, thinly sliced
- Salt, to taste
- White pepper, to taste, optional
- Pinch of turmeric or food coloring, optional
Instructions
- Prepare the ingredients. Shred the cooked chicken and slice the scallion.
- Prepare the mushrooms. If using dried shiitake mushrooms, soak them in warm water for about 15 minutes, or until softened. Remove the mushrooms, slice them, and strain the soaking liquid through a fine-mesh strainer or coffee filter to remove any grit. If using fresh mushrooms, simply slice them.
- Make the soup base. Add the chicken broth to a medium pot and bring it to a boil. Add the sliced shiitake mushrooms, shredded chicken, and up to ½ cup of the strained mushroom soaking liquid, if using.
- Thicken the soup, if desired. Stir the cornstarch slurry again, then slowly pour it into the soup while stirring. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the broth thickens slightly.
- Add the eggs. Reduce the heat so the soup is at a gentle simmer. Slowly drizzle in the beaten eggs while gently stirring in one direction with chopsticks, a fork, or a spoon. For larger egg ribbons, wait a few seconds before stirring.
- Finish the soup. Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the sesame oil and season with salt and white pepper to taste.
- Serve. Garnish with sliced scallions and serve hot.
Notes
- Mushroom Choice: Both fresh and dried shiitake work; dried gives a deeper umami flavor.
- Soup Color: Some restaurants add turmeric or food coloring for a vibrant yellow color. This is optional—the taste doesn’t change.
- Texture: If you like thicker soup (more American-style), add the cornstarch slurry. For traditional Chinese style, skip it.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 155Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 171mgSodium: 1008mgCarbohydrates: 7gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 16g
The nutrition information for this recipe is an approximate total per serving. Please double check the nutrition information for your exact ingredients and brands for more precise nutrition information. Keep in mind that if there is a marinade, often times not all the ingredients will be consumed.
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Love This? Try More Egg Drop Soup Variations
If you enjoyed this hearty version with chicken and mushrooms, you might also like these other takes on classic egg drop soup:
- Classic Egg Drop Soup - The simplest version with just beaten eggs in flavorful broth-light, silky, and soothing.
- Chinese Corn Egg Drop Soup - A quick and comforting classic made with cream-style corn, savory broth, and silky egg ribbons. Ready in just 15 minutes.
- Tomato Egg Drop Soup - Adds a touch of sweet and tangy flavor with juicy tomatoes.
- Seaweed Egg Drop Soup - Boosted with dried seaweed for extra umami and a mineral-rich twist.
Each of these variations brings something different to the table while keeping that cozy, familiar egg drop base!
Got questions or comments? Drop them below!