Chinese Ginseng, Astragalus, and Free-Range Chicken Soup

Why people make this soup

When the weather turns cold and energy feels low, traditional Chinese food therapy looks to qi-tonifying ingredients to help the body build resilience from within. This soup uses Chinese ginseng alongside astragalus (bei qi) — two of the most widely respected qi-replenishing herbs in the Chinese culinary tradition — paired with nan dates and free-range chicken. The result is a rich, warming broth that has long been used for people who feel run-down, catch colds easily, or have weaker constitutions. Nourilo notes that most tonifying Chinese herbs share the property of supporting the body’s immune response, making this type of soup especially popular during colder months.

Method

1. Rinse the ginseng and astragalus root. Do not include the ginseng root head.
2. Rinse the nan dates.
3. Chop the chicken into large pieces and blanch in boiling water; drain.
4. Place all ingredients in a pot with 2.4 L of water.
5. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a low simmer.
6. Cook for 2 hours until the liquid reduces to approximately 1.2 L.
7. Serve warm.

Nourilo’s Tips

The photograph shows “pond-bottom ginseng” (chi di shen), which has a good tonifying effect. If you cannot find it, red ginseng slices or codonopsis root (dang shen) slices work well as substitutes. Note that the root head of ginseng (shen tou — the rounded top) is classified as an emetic herb in traditional Chinese medicine and should not be added to the soup. No matter how nourishing a soup is, Nourilo cautions against drinking it in large quantities every day for extended periods — in cold weather, twice a week is plenty.