Soups
Astragalus, Goji Berry and Red Date Silkie Chicken Soup
Traditionally supports immune function, qi, and blood — gentle enough for all constitutions
In short: Astragalus, Goji Berry and Red Date Silkie Chicken Soup is a soup that Traditionally supports immune function, qi, and blood — gentle enough for all constitutions. It is most often made for energy & vitality, immune support, everyday balance. Total time about 1 hr 45 min. Key ingredients: astragalus root, goji berries, red dates, ginger.
Why people make this soup
During a period when immunity is on everyone’s mind, Nourilo kept being asked the same question: what should I eat to strengthen my body’s defences? This soup is his reliable answer. Astragalus (bei qi, also written huang qi) is one of the best-studied adaptogenic herbs in Chinese medicine — it is associated with stimulating the production of immune cells, supporting the body’s natural defences against viral and bacterial challenge, and helping the body cope with stress and fatigue. Paired with goji berries and red dates (classic qi and blood tonics), and slow-cooked with silkie chicken (a breed prized for its particularly dark, nutrient-dense meat), you get a soup that is both genuinely nourishing and pleasant to eat. Nourilo notes that most tonic herbs help support immune function to some degree — but this combination is especially practical because it is not overly warming or drying, making it broadly suitable without needing a precise constitution diagnosis first.
Method
- Rinse the astragalus and goji berries. Pit the red dates.
- Clean and prepare the silkie chicken: remove head and tail, chop into large pieces, then blanch briefly in boiling water. Drain and rinse.
- Place all ingredients in a pot with 2.4–2.7 L of water.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for 1.5 hours until the liquid reduces to 1.2–1.5 L.
- Serve the broth and eat the chicken and other ingredients.
Nourilo’s Tips
Astragalus, goji berries, and red dates are all tonic ingredients that support without being excessively warm or drying — they are suitable for most people most of the time, and the mild herb flavour makes this soup very approachable even for those new to Chinese herbal soups. For those with diabetes who still want to enjoy this soup, replace the red dates with coconut dates (jiao zao), which do not elevate blood glucose in the same way. Note that this soup should be avoided during an active cold or fever — wait until the illness has passed before resuming.
What studies say about the key ingredients
Traditional use is not the same as clinical proof. Here is the strongest human research we found for each ingredient, limitations included.
- Astragalus root
TA-65 was associated with longer leukocyte telomeres compared with controls, but the meta-analysis found no significant improvement in frailty measures or inflammatory markers (CRP/IL-6). Mild gastrointestinal effects were reported.Limitation: Industry-funded trials reported larger effects than others, and the compound is a purified extract at doses not comparable to eating Astragalus root.PubMed 41286474 · 3 more astragalus root studies - Goji berries
Compared with placebo (n=80), the goji juice group (n=81) reported greater improvements in several self-rated symptoms, including stress, mental acuity, sleep quality and overall well-being, under a random effects model.Limitation: Outcomes were self-reported symptom questionnaires, and several symptoms showed significant heterogeneity across the four pooled trials of a single branded juice.PubMed 22897500 · 3 more goji berries studies - Red dates
Jujube was associated with significantly lower BMI and triglycerides, and lower fasting blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes. LDL and total cholesterol fell only in some subgroups. HDL, AST and ALT did not change significantly.Limitation: The authors state the overall quality of the evidence is limited, and results varied significantly by dose, treatment duration and disease type.PubMed 40399274 · 3 more red dates studies
From the Nourilo Research Library. Findings come from specific doses, extracts and populations and may not apply to a home-cooked recipe.
Safety first — read before you cook
This is a traditional food, not a treatment. Please check with your doctor or pharmacist before making it a regular part of your diet if you:
- are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are cooking for a young child;
- take regular medicines — especially blood thinners, blood-pressure, diabetes or immune-suppressing drugs;
- have a kidney, liver or heart condition, or a known food allergy.
Ingredient notes for this recipe
- Goji berries: A few cases of raised INR (a bleeding-risk marker) have been reported in people taking warfarin after drinking concentrated goji tea or wine. If you take a blood thinner, check with your doctor. Source: Memorial Sloan Kettering — Lycium
- Astragalus: May interact with medicines that suppress the immune system. A thorough safety evaluation has not been done, and little is known about its safety in pregnancy or breastfeeding. Source: NIH NCCIH — Astragalus
Stop eating it and seek advice if you notice an allergic reaction or feel unwell. Safety notes reviewed 8 October 2026 · How we write safety notes
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