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chinese herbal soup with chicken and pork neck bones square
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Chinese Herbal Soup

A simple and fortifying soup of chicken and pork bones, gently simmered with herbs trusted for millennia for their restorative properties.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time3 hours
Total Time3 hours 30 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Chinese
Keyword: chicken broth, chicken soup, chicken stock, chinese soups, herbal soups

Equipment

  • 1 large stockpot
  • 1 skimmer

Ingredients

  • 1 whole chicken substitute 4 chicken quarters
  • 5 pounds pork neck bones
  • 16 cups water
  • 1 thumb ginger sliced
  • 4 bay leaves dried
  • 4 slices Chinese wild yam dried
  • 4 pieces astragalus root dried
  • 4 pieces codonopsis root dried
  • 1-4 pieces angelica root dried, 1-4 depending on desired strength
  • 8 longan berries dried
  • 2 tbsp goji berries
  • Salt to taste

Instructions

  • Prepare the pork and chicken. Rinse pork bones well. Butcher chicken into roughly 8 equal sized pieces. I like to do 2 thighs, 2 legs, 2 breasts, 2 wings, and the leftover rack/skeleton; but any way you slice them is fine.
  • Start soup and skim. In a large stockpot over high heat, add chicken, pork bones, and just enough water to submerge everything. Bring to a boil then reduce to medium low heat. Simmer for 10 minutes, skimming the top of soup occasionally. Jostle meat occasionally to dislodge any stuck impurities.
  • Add (almost all) other ingredients and simmer. Once soup is clear of impurities, add bay leaves, sliced ginger, Chinese dried wild yam, astragalus root, codonopsis root, Chinese angelica root (use 1-2 for light taste; 4 for a stronger medicinal flavour), and dried longan. Reduce heat to low. Close the lid and simmer gently for 2.5 hours, until meat is fall-off-the-bones tender.
  • Add goji berries and serve! Add goji berries and continue cooking for 1 minute to keep them sweet and plump. Turn off the heat. Ladle into bowls and serve. Salt to taste. Sip and say “ahhh!”