Double-boiled cordyceps and silkie chicken soup with whole wild cordyceps, red dates, and goji in a white pot

A Slow Double-Boiled Cordyceps and Silkie Chicken Soup

Cordyceps and silkie chicken soup is a clear, savory soup made by double-boiling blanched silkie (black) chicken for two to three hours and adding a few whole cordyceps near the end. Silkie chicken - a black-skinned, black-boned bird - is the traditional choice for a clean, delicate broth. Here's the Ten Lei Yen way to make it at home.

Silkie (black) chicken gives a clearer, more delicate broth than regular chicken. Blanch it first, then double-boil for 2-3 hours, and add 6-10 whole rinsed cordyceps in the last 30-60 minutes. A couple of ginger slices is the standard aromatic for a savory soup. Whole cordyceps are a caterpillar-and-stalk fungus, so just rinse them and don't over-soak.

White porcelain ladle lifting a piece of silkie chicken and a whole wild cordyceps from the soup pot

Ingredients

1 small silkie (black) chicken, or about 300-500 g chicken pieces
6-10 whole dried cordyceps
2-3 slices fresh ginger
Optional: a few red dates and a small handful of goji berries
800 ml - 1 L water
Salt, to taste

How to make cordyceps and silkie chicken soup

1. Blanch the chicken

Cover the chicken with cold water, bring to a boil for 2-3 minutes, then drain and rinse off the foam. This keeps the broth clear.

2. Rinse the cordyceps

Give the dried cordyceps a quick rinse in cool water to remove surface dust. Do not soak whole wild cordyceps for long.

3. Double-boil

Put the chicken, ginger, and water in a double-boiler inner pot, set it in the outer pot of simmering water, and cook gently for 2-3 hours.

4. Add the cordyceps

In the last 30-60 minutes, add the cordyceps (and the red dates and goji, if using) so their flavor and shape stay intact.

5. Season and serve

Add salt at the end. Serve hot, and eat the softened cordyceps along with the soup.

A few tips for a clear broth

Double-boiling keeps the broth especially clear; if you don't have a double boiler, simmer gently in a covered pot. Add the cordyceps late so they don't overcook. The finished soup tastes mild, earthy and savory.

Browse wild cordyceps and cultivated cordyceps, or current cordyceps offers. For more soups, see our cordyceps chicken soup and cordyceps pork-bone soup.