Servings
Font
Back
5.0 from 9 votes

EASY Abalone Chicken Soup

This Easy Chicken Abalone Soup is perfect for family dinners or Chinese New Year (CNY.) I use canned abalone to make it easier, and exclude the herbal ingredients to make the chicken flavor really shine.

Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 5 mins
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 119 kcal
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Chinese

Ingredients

  • 1 .5lb whole chicken You can also use the same amount of chicken parts. I would strongly recommend a mix of chicken wings, chicken quarters/ thighs, and chicken feet if you can get them. (The wings and feet give gelatine to the broth, whilst the chicken thighs or quarters are less likely to be overcooked than chicken breasts, resulting in juicier meat.)
  • 1 Cup chicken broth I used homemade chicken stock- it should be thick enough to form a jell- but you can also use shopbought, chicken powder, or a chicken bouillon cube. If not using your own, I suggest using more wings/ feet as the soup will not have enough collagen (the mouthfeel will not be as silky and it may taste quite watery.) If you substitute with water and do not increase the chicken cooking time, the soup will be bland and thin. (I chose not to cook the chicken for longer, as I want it still juicy, and not too dry and tasteless to eat.)
  • 1 can abalone : These come in all shapes, styles, and price points. (Cans with bigger pieces of abalone tend to be more expensive.) For example, some canned abalones are preserved in their natural state whilst others are braised. I used the former for this recipe but you can also use braised ones. (Abalone is a staple at the Chinese New Year table- click here for more ways to use canned abalone, such as Chinese abalone porridge and abalone salad!)
  • 2 inch fresh ginger There's no need to peel if you wash it well but if you really want to do so, the easiest way is with the back of the spoon.
  • 5 dried scallops You can also replace with other types of dried seafood such as dried anchovies or dried conch.
  • 2 oz beech mushrooms  feel free to omit but I like to add some to make the soup more of a complete meal
  • ¼-½ teaspoon salt or to taste (it will also depend on how much liquid is left in your soup pot in the end.)

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. I am too lazy to blanch chicken- with pork it's essential but not for chicken, in my opinion. However, I cover blanching under "Expert Tips" above.
  2. Rinse the dried scallops then soak in 1 cup of hot water. Normally, we would soak for at least 30 minutes, but since we're simmering for 1.5 to 2 hours, I find you can just add it to the soup pot immediately.
  3. Wash and smash the ginger with the back of your knife then slice.
  4. Add the water, 1 Cup chicken stock, 7 Cups of water (or enough water to cover the chicken), abalone, ginger slices, dried scallops and soaking water to a large pot.
  5. Bring to the boil then reduce to low heat- we only want the soup to simmer. (You should not see large bubbles.)
  6. Let the soup cook on low heat for at least 1.5 to 2 hours. (Longer gives the soup more flavor- you can even take it to 4 hours but your chicken meat will be dry and tasteless by then.) If necessary, add more water.
  7. 5 minutes before you want to serve, add the mushrooms to the pot. (You may need to increase the fire then, to ensure the mushrooms are cooked through before serving.) The chicken will be tender enough to cut with just a spoon.
  8. I sometimes serve the soup unseasoned (there is salt from the dried scallops) but ½ to ¾ teaspoon of salt (or to taste) will give it a better flavor.

Notes

  • Note: the nutritional information is an estimate automatically calculated using the WPRM recipe maker and I am not responsible for its veracity.

Nutrition Information

Calories 119kcal (6%) Carbohydrates 9g (3%) Protein 8g (16%) Fat 6g (9%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Polyunsaturated Fat 2g Monounsaturated Fat 2g Cholesterol 8mg (3%) Sodium 9562mg (398%) Potassium 186mg (5%) Fiber 0.3g (1%) Sugar 7g (14%) Vitamin A 1IU (0%) Vitamin C 1mg (1%) Calcium 75mg (8%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6people

Amount Per Serving

Calories 119

% Daily Value*

Calories 119kcal 6%
Carbohydrates 9g 3%
Protein 8g 16%
Fat 6g 9%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g 12%
Monounsaturated Fat 2g 10%
Cholesterol 8mg 3%
Sodium 9562mg 398%
Potassium 186mg 4%
Fiber 0.3g 1%
Sugar 7g 14%
Vitamin A 1IU 0%
Vitamin C 1mg 1%
Calcium 75mg 8%
Iron 1mg 6%

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