Hot and Sour Chicken Soup Recipe

Hot and Sour Chicken Soup Recipe, because the name suggest this soup has a spicy and tangy taste which makes it so addictive. Delicious peppery soup made with chicken, mixed vegetables, ginger, garlic cooked in a hot and sour broth. Comforting soup which nourishes the soul on a chilly winter’s day. Serve it with wontons, mandu, spring rolls or momos for making it more substantial meal.

Hot and Sour Chicken Soup

After I was young, Each time we go to restaurants with family the one soup which I order is spicy hot & sour soup. And likewise fish fingers and chicken wings will likely be my Appetizer of alternative. The combo is unbeatable. Making this soup at home jogs my memory of my childhood days. After I made this soup for the primary time, I served it with crispy chicken croquettes and everybody enjoyed it.

About Hot and Sour Chicken Soup

Perfect amount of spiciness with sour taste makes this soup so popular. This soup is for all my spicy food lovers. Hot and sour soup is certainly one of the favored soup in Sichuan cuisine. Additionally it is equally popular in Southeast Asia, India & Pakistan. This soup is definitely adaptable and modified in accordance with each region.

Vegetables and chicken cooked in a hot and sour broth which is thickened with cornstarch slurry and beaten egg. Traditionally this soup is made with number of mushrooms like wood ear mushrooms or cloud ear fungus. But button mushrooms or shiitake mushrooms is probably the most common variety utilized in the soup. Hot and sour soup taste spicy while my chicken clear soup is more on the milder side.

Watch Chicken Soup Video

The soup starts with a soup broth. The broth or stock forms the bottom of the soup. I wish to add all my flavourings and sauces within the broth and create a base which is hot and sour.

Once the broth is prepared you may start making the soup. In a stock pot or soup pot, flavourings like ginger, garlic and spring onions is sauted first. Mixed vegetables is added after which the broth. I add beaten egg and chicken on this soup. But in case you wish you might make it entirely vegetarian by skipping the chicken and egg. As an alternative use extra tofu and mushrooms.

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Hot and Sour Broth (Stock) Ingredients

Stock of Selection – I used chicken stock, I mixed 2 tbsp of chicken bouillon with 1 litre of water to make my fast stock. Optionally you may make my homemade chicken stock or easy version of chicken broth which I made in my chicken clear soup recipe. When you are making vegetarian or vegan soup, then use vegetable stock.

Soy Sauce – this adds color to the soup and adds the umami note.

Vinegar – the sour taste for the soup comes from vinegar. You need to use rice vinegar which is more traditional or white vinegar which is more commonly used.

Chilli Garlic Paste – I prefer using chilli garlic paste as a substitute of chilli sauce. select any good brand of chilli paste sambal oelek or homemade chilli garlic paste.

Seasonings – as basic as salt, black pepper & sugar!

Hot and Sour Chicken Soup Ingredients

Aromatics – basic aromatics ginger, garlic, spring onions form the bottom for all Chinese or Sichuan Cuisine.

Vegetables – ensure your vegetables are chopped pretty nice. carrots, cabbage, bell peppers, mushrooms is what I used. You may add bamboo shoots, baby corn.

Protein of Selection – cooked shredded chicken, tofu is popular alternative on this soup.

Toasted Sesame Oil – adds toasty and nutty flavour to the soup. When you haven’t got sesame oil, you may opt for normal cooking oil.

Eggs – this thickens the soup and adds velvety texture to the soup.

Cornstarch – for silky glossy restaurant style soup, a straightforward cornstarch slurry is added.

Hot and Sour Chicken Soup in 3 Easy Steps

Making Broth – Ensure that you get the new and sour taste balance perfectly by tasting and adjusting the broth.

Base of Soup – use the Holy Trinity of Spring Onion, Garlic & Ginger which forms the bottom aromatics.

Ending Soup – thicken the soup with egg and cornstarch slurry to create restaurant style soup.

How you can Make Hot and Sour Chicken Soup (Stepwise Pictures)

Making Hot and Sour Soup Stock

1) Take chicken stock in a bowl. I used chicken stock powder (chicken bouillon) mixed with some water. Add in soy sauce into the chicken stock.

2)Now for the spicy and sour part. Add in chilli garlic sauce and vinegar to taste.

3)Add in sugar to balance the taste. Add in salt and black pepper and blend this well.

4)Hot and sour stock is prepared. Taste and adjust the chilli sauce, vinegar and salt level within the stock.

Making Hot and Sour Soup

5)Heat oil in a stock pot. If you might have sesame oil, add toasted sesame oil for max flavour.

6)Add in chopped spring onion white part alone, chopped garlic and ginger. Saute for 1 minute.

7)Add in finely carrot, cabbage, capsicum and mushrooms.

8)Saute for couple of minutes.

9)Pour in hot and sour stock. Mix well. Bring this to a full boil.

10)Add in cooked shredded chicken, chopped tofu. Let the chicken and tofu heat through.

Ending Hot and Sour Chicken Soup

11) For thickening the soup, make cornstarch slurry. Take cornstarch in a mixing bowl, add in water and blend till lump free. Pour this cornstarch mix into the soup and blend well.

12)Bring this soup to a full boil. Now the soup is thickened and glossy.

13) Take egg in a bowl, mix well till creamy. Now reduce the flame, drizzle within the egg slowly and gently mix.

14)Once egg is mixed into the soup mix it very gently. Now egg is cooked and formed into ribbons.

15)Add in finely chopped spring onions greens. Add extra sesame oil to complete the soup.

16)Soup is able to serve.

17) Serve hot.

Expert Suggestions

• I used cooked chicken breast which I chopped into small pieces. You need to use a rotisserie chicken as well. Any leftover chicken meat could be used. 
• You need to use any vegetables as you like. Add kind of as you want. Baby corn, bamboo shoots could be used.
• This soup taste needs to be tangy and spicy, so taste the broth and adjust accordingly.
• To get restaurant style taste, add MSG | ajinomoto for taste.
• I used 2 beaten eggs within the soup which resulted in thick soup. When you want barely thinner consistency, add 1 beaten egg. 
• Toasted sesame oil enhances the flavour, in case you haven’t got that use regular oil.

Serving

Chicken hot and sour soup could be served with wontons, spring rolls or momos for lighter rainy day lunch or dinner. You may serve it with primary dishes to make it into a considerable satisfying meal.

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