Silkie (Black) Chicken Soup

The Chinese believe in drinking more tonic soups (补汤) during winter to balance the "yin" (cold) in the body, and for nourishment. 冬天要进补 - 来个乌鸡汤! Some of you might not be familiar with Silkie (Black) Chicken but it is quite common in some parts of Asia.

Silkie (Black) Chicken Herbal Soup is often considered "tonic" soup because of the medicinal-cure tag that the Silkie (Black) Chicken carries. Silkie (Black) Chicken is nutritional (contains proteins - more than 10 types of amino acids, Vitamin Bs, and tonnes of trace minerals - iron, phosphorus, potasssium etc.); and considered much more nutritional than the common chicken breed. As it has MORE amino acids and iron, it is also believed to nourish our body (esp. the lungs and blood), enable us to fight fatigue, enhance our bones density, and especially beneficial for women. Here in California, we can sometimes get Silkie (Black) Chicken in the Asian supermarkets (they are imported from Canada), fresh or frozen.

I do not have any Chinese herbs on hand, so I cook this Silkie (Black) Chicken Soup simply basic, with the ingredients I have.



Silkie (Black) Chicken Soup
Ingredients: green onions, ginger, Medjool dates (Note: An alternative. In Chinese cooking, we often use red dates); fresh shitake mushrooms; 1 black silkie chicken; osthamus flowers garnish and finishing touch; salt to taste

Directions: Boil the chicken soup with all the ingredients (except the osthamus flowers) till cooked. Pinch of salt to taste and osthamus flowers garnish (option)



A nourishing soup I am bringing to Souper Sunday at Kahakai Kitchen; also worth sharing at Hearth and Soul and Friday Potluck.

Tag: soup, silkie black chicken, chicken soup

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