Chinese Chicken Soup Recipe

Chinese Chicken Soup with Red Dates and Mushrooms is a nourishing, comforting classic that’s deeply rooted in traditional Chinese cooking. It’s warm, subtly sweet, and filled with natural goodness from dried mushrooms, red dates, and goji berries. Whether you’re feeling under the weather or just want a wholesome, flavorful broth, this soup delivers every time.In this recipe, I’ll guide you step by step—and share tips along the way to help you get the clearest, richest, and most balanced chicken soup. Let’s get cooking!

Chinese Chicken Soup Recipe

Serves: 4 to 6
Prep time: 5 minutes
Rest time: 2 hours
Cook time: 1 hour

For the shiitake mushrooms:
1 ½ cups water
12 pieces dried shiitake mushrooms

For the soup:
1 whole chicken (4 pounds)
8 cups water
6 pieces ginger
2 tablespoons rice wine
12 red dates, deseeded
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon goji berries

Chinese Chicken Soup Instructions

1. Soak the mushrooms

• Place the dried shiitake mushrooms in a bowl and cover with 1 ½ cups of water. Let them soak for 2 hours until fully rehydrated.

2. Blanch the chicken

• In a large pot, place the whole chicken and fill with enough water to cover. Bring to a simmer over high heat.
• Skim off any foam or impurities that rise to the surface, then discard this water and rinse the chicken for a cleaner broth.

3. Simmer the soup base

• Return the blanched chicken to the pot with 8 cups of fresh water. Add the sliced ginger, rehydrated shiitake mushrooms along with their soaking water, and rice wine (if using).
• Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook over low heat for 30 minutes.

4. Add the red dates

• Remove seeds from the red dates and add them to the soup. Cover and simmer for another 20 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).

5. Finish with seasoning and goji berries

• Season the soup with salt to taste. Add the goji berries and simmer for another 5 minutes just before serving.

Tips & notes

• Start with cold or hot water: Use cold water if your goal is a more flavorful broth. Use hot water if you prefer tender, better-tasting meat.
• Clear vs rich broth: For a clear broth, simmer gently on low heat. For a richer, more robust flavor, cook at a slightly higher heat.
• Rehydrating mushrooms: Use the soaking water for extra umami, but strain it first if it contains grit.
• Red dates: Always deseed red dates to avoid a sour taste and to prevent excessive internal heat (“shang huo”). Add them midway so they hold their shape and flavor.
• Goji berries: Add these last to preserve their nutrients and texture—they’ll break apart if cooked too long.