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This healthy and nourishing chicken and vegetable soup is the perfect winter meal.

EatingWell Magazine, March/April 2010; updated November 2022

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Read the full recipe after the video.

Recipe Summary

active:
30 mins
total:
1 hr 30 mins
Servings:
8
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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

Ingredient Checklist

Directions

Instructions Checklist
  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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

about 1 3/4 cups
257 calories; protein 26.9g; carbohydrates 12.9g; dietary fiber 3.4g; sugars 5.2g; fat 11.4g; saturated fat 2.8g; cholesterol 75.5mg; vitamin a iu 2919.6IU; vitamin c 28.6mg; folate 78.7mcg; calcium 106.9mg; iron 3mg; magnesium 50.3mg; potassium 831.5mg; sodium 788.7mg; thiamin 0.1mg.

1 1/2 vegetable, 3 lean meat

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