EASY Abalone Chicken Soup
This Easy Chicken Abalone Soup is perfect for family dinners or Chinese New Year (CNY.) I use canned abalone to make it easier, and exclude the herbal ingredients to make the chicken flavor really shine.
- Prep time
- 5 min
- Cook time
- 1 hr 30 min
- Yield
- 6 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1 2.5lb whole chicken
- 1 Cup chicken broth
- 1 can abalone
- 2 inch fresh ginger
- 5 dried scallops
- 2 oz beech mushrooms (feel free to omit but I like to add some to make the soup more of a complete meal )
- ¼-½ teaspoon salt (or to taste (it will also depend on how much liquid is left in your soup pot in the end.))
Instructions
- 1
I am too lazy to blanch chicken- with pork it's essential but not for chicken, in my opinion. However, I cover blanching under "Expert Tips" above.
- 2
Rinse the dried scallops then soak in 1 cup of hot water. Normally, we would soak for at least 30 minutes, but since we're simmering for 1.5 to 2 hours, I find you can just add it to the soup pot immediately.
- 3
Wash and smash the ginger with the back of your knife then slice.
- 4
Add the water, 1 Cup chicken stock, 7 Cups of water (or enough water to cover the chicken), abalone, ginger slices, dried scallops and soaking water to a large pot.
- 5
Bring to the boil then reduce to low heat- we only want the soup to simmer. (You should not see large bubbles.)
- 6
Let the soup cook on low heat for at least 1.5 to 2 hours. (Longer gives the soup more flavor- you can even take it to 4 hours but your chicken meat will be dry and tasteless by then.) If necessary, add more water.
- 7
5 minutes before you want to serve, add the mushrooms to the pot. (You may need to increase the fire then, to ensure the mushrooms are cooked through before serving.) The chicken will be tender enough to cut with just a spoon.
- 8
I sometimes serve the soup unseasoned (there is salt from the dried scallops) but 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon of salt (or to taste) will give it a better flavor.