How to Make Chicken & Bok Choy Soup
Soak the Dried Shiitake Mushrooms
Dried shiitake mushrooms are a key ingredient, providing two elements to the soup. First, the dried mushrooms are soaked in 3 cups of boiling water until softened. The soaking liquid is full of flavor, so don't throw it out. It's added to the base of the soup, giving it a boost of umami and depth. Then, the mushrooms are sliced and added to the soup.
Prep the Vegetables
Before you start cooking, it helps to prep all of your ingredients beforehand. This includes dicing onions, peeling ginger, cutting fennel and chopping green onions and bok choy.
How to Serve Chicken & Bok Choy Soup
Serve the soup with chile sauce, such as Sriracha, for an extra kick of heat. You can also serve the soup over noodles to make it a more substantial main dish.
How to Store Chicken & Bok Choy Soup
This soup can be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 5 days. You can reheat the soup on the stovetop or microwave it on High until warm.
Additional reporting by Jan Valdez
Ingredients
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1/2 ounce (about 1/2 cup) dried shiitake or mixed dried mushrooms
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3 cups boiling water
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1 tablespoon peanut oil or canola oil
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2 cups diced onion
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3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
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6 1/8-inch-thick slices peeled fresh ginger
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6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
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¼ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
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1 2-to-3-inch cinnamon stick
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1 whole star anise
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1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
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2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
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1 bulb fennel, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces
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8 scallions, whites cut into 2-inch pieces and greens chopped, divided
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1 pound bok choy, preferably baby bok choy, white stems sliced lengthwise and greens chopped, divided
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2 cups (4 ounces) mung bean sprouts (see Note)
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½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
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2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
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Lime wedges for garnish
Directions
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Place mushrooms in a heatproof measuring cup and cover with boiling water. Soak for at least 30 minutes or up to several hours. Remove the mushrooms from the water, remove and discard stems (if any) and cut into 1/8-inch slices; set aside. Strain the soaking liquid and reserve.
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Heat oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Pour in the reserved mushroom liquid, broth, soy sauce, cinnamon stick, star anise and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and stir in chicken. Simmer for 20 minutes.
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Stir in fennel, scallion whites and the reserved mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes. Add bok choy stems, return to a simmer and cook for 3 minutes more. Stir in bok choy greens and bean sprouts. Cook until the greens are just wilted, about 2 minutes more.
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Discard the cinnamon stick and star anise. Ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish each bowl with scallion greens, cilantro and a 1/4-teaspoon drizzle of sesame oil. Serve with lime wedges, if desired.
Equipment
Large soup pot or Dutch oven
Note
Mung bean sprouts (germinated mung beans), often simply labeled "bean sprouts," are white with a light yellow tip.
People with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity should use soy sauces that are labeled "gluten-free," as soy sauce may contain wheat or other gluten-containing sweeteners and flavors.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
257 | Calories |
11g | Fat |
13g | Carbs |
27g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
---|---|
Servings Per Recipe 8 | |
Serving Size about 1 3/4 cups | |
Calories 257 | |
% Daily Value * | |
Total Carbohydrate 13g | 5% |
Dietary Fiber 3g | 12% |
Total Sugars 5g | |
Protein 27g | 54% |
Total Fat 11g | 15% |
Saturated Fat 3g | 14% |
Cholesterol 76mg | 25% |
Vitamin A 2920IU | 58% |
Vitamin C 29mg | 32% |
Folate 79mcg | 20% |
Sodium 789mg | 34% |
Calcium 107mg | 8% |
Iron 3mg | 17% |
Magnesium 50mg | 12% |
Potassium 832mg | 18% |
Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate.
* Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.