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5.0 from 3 votes

Chinese Hot and Sour Chicken Soup

Chinese Hot and Sour Chicken Soup is one of the most popular takeaway dishes that is almost on every Chinese restaurant's menu.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
soaking time
30 mins
Total Time
1 hr 20 mins
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 334 kcal
Course: Main Course , Appetizer , Soup
Cuisine: Asian , Chinese

Ingredients

  • 1¼ litre chicken stock or vegetable stock
  • ½ TSP chili flakes or chili powder (adjust to your taste)
  • 1 TSP salt
  • 4 tablespoon all purpose soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon mirin
  • 1 tablespoon Shaoxing cooking wine (replace with same amount of mirin or sake if you don't have it)
  • 1 teaspoon grated ginger
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 4-6 chicken drumstick (approx 500 grams)
  • 20 g dried shiitake mushroom (or 150 g sliced fresh shiitake mushroom) (soaked in 250 ml hot water for 30 minutes and chopped)
  • 150 g wood ear mushroom or oyster mushroom (sliced)
  • 1 small carrot (chopped julienne)
  • 250 ml soaking liquid from the dry shiitake mushroom (replace with extra chicken stock if used fresh shiitake mushroom)
  • 75 g vermicelli pasta (or rice noodles if you prefer)
  • 4 spring onions (or 2 Chinese chives) (sliced)
  • 2 tablespoon corn flour (make slurry with 2 tablespoon cold water)
  • 2 medium eggs (lightly beaten)
  • ¼ cup white wine or apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • ½ teaspoon Freshly ground white pepper

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. In a saucepan, combine the chicken stock, chili flakes or chili powder, salt, all-purpose soy sauce, mirin, Shaoxing cooking wine, grated ginger, and sugar.
  2. Put the saucepan on medium heat and bring to a boil then add the chicken drumsticks.
  3. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked and easily falls off the bone.
  4. When the chicken is cooked, remove it from the pan, put it on a plate, and shred it into bite-size.
  5. Return the chicken to the pan then add sliced mushrooms, spring onions, carrot, soaking liquid from the dry shiitake mushroom, and vermicelli pasta.
  6. Bring the saucepan to a boil and simmer gently for another 10 minutes.
  7. Add the cornflour slurry to the saucepan and stir until the soup has thickened.
  8. Slowly drizzle in the egg mixture in a thin stream while you stir the soup continuously to create egg ribbons. Remove the pan from the heat.
  9. Add the sesame oil, vinegar, and freshly ground white pepper, check the seasoning and add more salt, vinegar, or chili if needed.

Notes

  • Add the cornstarch flurry before adding the egg ribbons.
  • Gently swirl the whisked egg into the soup using a wooden spoon, avoid using a whisk!
  • Add the white pepper, vinegar, and sesame oil at the very end of the cooking process.
  • Homemade stock is the best for this soup. However, you can use a very good quality shop-bought stock if that's more convenient for you. Reduce the amount of salt if using shop-bought stock as they might contain some already.
  • Adjust the amount of chili, white pepper, vinegar, and soy sauce to your taste. The amounts stated in the recipe card are perfect for our taste buds, however, you might find it too strong or too weak!

Nutrition Information

Calories 334kcal (17%) Carbohydrates 30g (10%) Protein 23g (46%) Fat 13g (20%) Saturated Fat 3g (15%) Polyunsaturated Fat 4g Monounsaturated Fat 5g Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 152mg (51%) Sodium 1755mg (73%) Potassium 601mg (17%) Fiber 3g (12%) Sugar 4g (8%) Vitamin A 2454IU (49%) Vitamin C 3mg (3%) Calcium 45mg (5%) Iron 3mg (17%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4people

Amount Per Serving

Calories 334

% Daily Value*

Calories 334kcal 17%
Carbohydrates 30g 10%
Protein 23g 46%
Fat 13g 20%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Polyunsaturated Fat 4g 24%
Monounsaturated Fat 5g 25%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 152mg 51%
Sodium 1755mg 73%
Potassium 601mg 13%
Fiber 3g 12%
Sugar 4g 8%
Vitamin A 2454IU 49%
Vitamin C 3mg 3%
Calcium 45mg 5%
Iron 3mg 17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.