In honor of my friend’s upcoming baby shower, here is my version of black chicken soup. This is a dish I’ve always wanted to make, and I’m excited to finally share the experience and recipe.
You are probably thinking – Whoa! Black chicken? What? What does this have to do with a baby shower?
Black chicken, aka silkie chicken, is a type of chicken that naturally has black skin, meat and bones. In Chinese food therapy, chicken is warm and sweet in nature, and works to tonify qi and benefit digestion. Black chicken in particular is known for being especially rich in nutrients. In addition to chicken, this soup also includes many Chinese herbs that supplement qi (energy) and build the Blood. Because of its nourishing characteristics, this soup is traditionally served to women who are recovering from childbirth. However, you can enjoy this soup anytime you’re feeling run down or recovering from illness.
**This recipe is a variation of the State-of-Return Chicken Soup recipe from Ancient Wisdom, Modern Kitchen, written by two of my professors from acupuncture school. I used the same base recipe, but added some extra herbs and substituted the black chicken. Ancient Wisdom, Modern Kitchen is a great crash course in Chinese food and herbal therapy, plus it includes over 100 recipes that incorporate traditional Chinese medicine principles for various symptoms and overall health. Check it out, it’s one of my favorite cookbooks!
Here are the herbs that went into the soup:
Chinese Red Dates
Jujubes (Da Zao) are commonly used in soups and other food therapy. They are sweet and warm in nature to supplement qi, strengthen digestion, and nourish the Blood.
Chinese Yam
Chinese yam (Shan Yao) is commonly sold in dried and sliced form at Asian markets. In Chinese herbal medicine, Shan Yao tonifies the Qi and Yin of the Spleen, Stomach and Lungs.
Dang Gui
Dang Gui is a classic herb used in women’s health due to its ability to both nourish and invigorate the Blood, making it a great herb for menstrual disorders or postpartum exhaustion. If pregnant, omit Dang Gui from the recipe.
Dang Shen
Dang Shen supplements the digestion and is good for fatigue, lack of strength and poor appetite.
Huang Qi
Huang Qi is considered sweet and slightly warm. It is a great boost for the immune system and supplements qi.
Ginger
Ginger is considered warm and acrid, and is used to warm the stomach and digestion. Ginger tea is my go-to whenever my stomach feels upset or I feel like I’m coming down with a cold.
Goji Berries
Goji berries (gou qi zi) are sweet and neutral, nourishing the Blood and Yin to help improve vision. They are also high in anti-oxidants and rich in Vitamin C and beta-carotine.
Shiitake Mushrooms
Shiitake mushrooms strengthen digestion and boost the immune system.
INGREDIENTS
1 small whole black chicken
12 cups water (enough to cover the chicken when it’s in the pot)
4 tablespoons rice wine
10 Chinese red dates
8 medium sized Chinese yam (break in half or quarters if using dried)
8 pieces Dang Gui (omit if pregnant)
8 pieces Dang Shen
8 pieces Huang Qi
1 (2 inch) piece ginger, sliced thin
2 tablespoons goji berries
2 handfuls dried shiitake mushrooms (6-8 mushrooms if using fresh, sliced)
Soy sauce, to taste
5 green onion, chopped
Side Note: If you bought a whole chicken, remove the head and feet before starting. My chicken luckily had the head removed already, because I was surprisingly squeamish about removing the feet. I’ve eaten plenty of chicken feet in my day, but it was another thing trying to chop the feet off!
DIRECTIONS
In a large soup pot, combine the chicken and water, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, remove any excess oil or fat.
Add all herbs and wine to the pot.
Bring the pot back up to a boil, then simmer, covered with the lid slightly ajar (I’ll take two chopsticks and lie them flat over the pot opening, then balance the lid on top of the chopsticks. This works better if you use non-rounded chopsticks).
Simmer for about 1 hour, or until chicken breaks apart easily with a spoon.
When the soup is done, remove the Dang Shen and Huang Qi (these should be pretty easy to spot because they’re the longest herbs). You can remove the ginger or eat around it, or if you’re like me, eat it and relish the spicy bites!
Add soy sauce to taste and green onion to garnish. Enjoy!
References
Bensky, D., Clavey, S., Stoger, E., & Gamble, A. (2004). Chinese Herbal Medicine: Materia Medica, 3rd Edition. Seattle, WA: Eastland Press, Inc.
Pitchford, Paul. (2002). Healing With Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition, 3rd Edition. Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books.
Wang, Y., Sheir, W., & Ono, M. (2010). Ancient Wisdom, Modern Kitchen: Recipes from the East for Health, Healing, and Long Life. Cambridge, MA: Da Capo Press.