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Hot and Sour Chicken and Mushroom Soup Recipe

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★★★★★

5 from 99 reviews

This Hot and Sour Soup with Chicken and Mushrooms is a warming and flavorful Asian-inspired dish that perfectly balances spicy, tangy, and savory notes. Featuring tender chicken breast, a medley of mushrooms including shiitake and wood ear, silky tofu, and a rich broth enhanced with soy sauce, ginger, and vinegar, this soup is thickened with cornstarch and finished with delicate egg ribbons. Ideal as a comforting starter or a light meal, it’s easy to prepare with fresh ingredients and low sodium broth for a healthy twist.

Ingredients

Scale

Protein

  • 220 g / 7 oz chicken breast
  • 125 g / 4 oz firm tofu, cut into 1.2 cm (0.5″) cubes
  • 2 eggs, whisked

Mushrooms

  • 12 dried shiitake mushrooms (or 150 g / 5 oz fresh shiitake mushrooms)
  • 1/2 cup wood ear mushrooms, chopped into 1.5 cm (3/5″) pieces

Vegetables

  • 1/4 cup bamboo shoots, thinly sliced
  • 1 shallot / scallion, finely sliced

Liquids & Broth

  • 6 cups (1.5 L / 1.5 qt) low sodium chicken or vegetable stock
  • 2 tsp dark soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup (65 ml) white vinegar (adjust to taste)
  • 1/4 cup (125 ml) water
  • 1 tsp sesame oil

Spices & Seasonings

  • 1 tsp dried chili / red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
  • 1 tsp ginger, finely grated
  • 1/2 tsp white pepper (can substitute black pepper)
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • Salt to taste

Thickening Agent

  • 1/4 cup (40 g) cornstarch / cornflour

Instructions

  1. Soak Mushrooms: Cover dried shiitake mushrooms with plenty of boiling water and let them stand for 20–30 minutes until soft. Drain and slice thinly. Reserve or discard soaking liquid as desired.
  2. Prepare Broth: Place chicken broth, grated ginger, dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, dried chili, sugar, white pepper, and sesame oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
  3. Cook Chicken: When the broth begins to simmer, add the chicken breast, cover the pot, and reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
  4. Shred Chicken: Cook the chicken for 10 minutes until fully cooked. Remove from the broth and shred into bite-sized pieces.
  5. Add Ingredients to Broth: Add the vinegar, sliced shiitake mushrooms, chopped wood ear mushrooms, bamboo shoots, firm tofu cubes, and shredded chicken into the simmering soup broth.
  6. Simmer to Blend Flavors: Stir the soup gently and let it simmer for 10 minutes to blend the flavors.
  7. Thicken Soup: Mix the cornstarch with water to create a slurry. While stirring the soup steadily at medium pace, slowly pour the cornstarch mixture in to avoid lumps. Continue stirring until the soup thickens.
  8. Add Egg Ribbons: When the soup starts simmering again, stir constantly and slowly pour the whisked eggs into the soup in a thin stream, forming the signature silky egg ribbons.
  9. Adjust Seasoning: Taste the soup and add salt if needed, or more chili for extra heat according to your preference.
  10. Garnish and Serve: Garnish with finely sliced shallots or scallions and serve hot for a comforting meal.

Notes

  • Adjust the amount of dried chili flakes to control the heat level of the soup.
  • If using fresh shiitake mushrooms, you can skip the soaking step but clean and slice them before adding.
  • The soaking liquid from dried shiitake mushrooms can be reserved and added to the broth for extra flavor if desired.
  • Use low sodium broth to better control the saltiness of the soup.
  • For a vegetarian version, substitute chicken broth with vegetable broth and omit the chicken.
  • Gently stirring while adding the cornstarch slurry and eggs prevents lumps and achieves the perfect soup texture.

Keywords: Hot and Sour Soup, Chicken Soup, Chinese Soup, Mushroom Soup, Comfort Food, Healthy Soup, Asian Soup

Find it online: https://busyrecipe.com/hot-and-sour-chicken-and-mushroom-soup-recipe/