Chicken, Shiitake Mushroom and Bok Choy Soup

Chicken, Shiitake Mushroom and Bok Choy Soup is a healthy and exceptionally delicious Asian inspired soup. Made from roasted or rotisserie chicken and broth made from its bones, this immune boosting soup, flavored with ginger, garlic and sesame oil, is perfect for the cold months ahead, especially if you are not feeling well.

Homemade Chicken Stock, made from the leftover bones of a chicken roasted until golden brown and delicious, can transform a simple soup into something exceptional. Rich and gelatinous, you’ll think of the stock as liquid gold. Making chicken stock is easy and it’s healthier for you than the canned or boxed chicken broth you can buy because of all the iron, collagen, and vitamin rich marrow that comes from the bones. What is even more appealing, is that the stock is made from the carcass of a leftover chicken that you might have thought about throwing away…think of the stock as being almost free.

Every time I buy a rotisserie chicken, stock is made from the carcass. I keep quarts of it in my freezer and then use the chicken stock when making soups and sauces. A quart of the stock makes a wonderful base for this simple Chicken, Shiitake Mushroom and Bok Choy Soup. Not only is it flavorful, it is a healthy soup that has nutrients, antioxidants and anti inflammatory properties that could help the next time you are under the weather with a cold, cough or sore throat. Even if it doesn’t help improve your symptoms, what could be more comforting than a bowl of warm, homemade soup?

Healthy Asian Chicken, Shiitake Mushroom And Bok Choy Soup

Chicken, Shiitake Mushroom and Bok Choy Soup

• 1 Tbsp. peanut or vegetable oil
• 8 oz. shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1 qt. chicken stock (from recipe below)
• 1 tsp. tamari or soy sauce
• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• 1 – 2 tsp. chili oil, depending on taste (I suggest starting with a small about of oil then add to your liking as far as spiciness)
• 1/4 tsp. white pepper
• meat from 1/2 roasted or rotisserie chicken, pulled into bite size pieces (about 2 cups)
• 1 – 2 c. bok choy, sliced
• 2 green onions, sliced

Heat the peanut oil in a pot over medium heat then add the sliced mushrooms. Sear, allowing them to turn golden before stirring. When browned, add the ginger and garlic and cook 1 minute. Add the broth, stirring up any browned bits then add the tarmari, sesame oil, chili oil and white pepper then simmer 2 minutes. Add the chicken and bok choy and simmer until the chicken is warmed through and the greens are tender, about 2 to 3 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if necessary. Ladle the soup into bowls, sprinkle with green onions and serve.

Tips:

• You will notice that I did not add salt to the soup as there is tamari or soy sauce in the recipe. You can adjust the saltiness of the soup once it has finished simmering, if necessary.
• If using regular bok choy, separate the leaves from the stems. Chop the stems into 1 inch pieces and the green leaves into pieces about 2 inches in length.
• If using baby bok choy, halve them lengthwise and cut into 2 inches pieces.
• If you have saved the chicken carcass to make the stock but don’t have leftover chicken meat for the soup itself, you can poach a couple of chicken thighs or breasts in the stock before continuing with the recipe.

Homemade Roasted Chicken Stock Is Like Liquid Gold

Homemade Chicken Stock

• roasted chicken carcass, broken into pieces, along with any meat or skin that clings to the bones
• 1 carrot, cut into pieces
• 1 celery stalk, cut into pieces
• 1/2 onion
• 1 -2 cloves of garlic
• 1 – 2 bay leaves
• 2 – 3 fresh sprigs of thyme and parsley
• water to cover by about 2 inches, approximately 2 quarts

Put the carcass and any meat that clings to the bones into a large pot. Add the vegetables, garlic, bay leaves, thyme and parsley and cover the bones with water. Bring to a boil then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cover with a lid slightly askew and cook for 2 hours. For a more intense chicken flavor, simmer a little longer without the lid. Pour through a fine strainer into a large heatproof container and discard the solids. If you wish to remove some of the fat, let sit long enough for the fat to rise to the top then skim before refrigerating or freezing.  

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The next time you have a roasted or rotisserie chicken, think about saving the carcass and turning it into stock for a pot of this delicious Asian soup. This chicken, shiitake mushroom and bok choy soup is light enough to serve during warmer months but also perfect for the cold months that lie ahead. You can make the soup heartier by adding noodles, tofu, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots or other vegetables of your choice. One thing I’m sure of, if you make and taste the stock, you will never want to throw away a roasted chicken carcass again.