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Solomon's Seal and Silkie Chicken Soup

Traditionally associated with nourishing tendons and relieving arm stiffness or weakness

In short: Solomon's Seal and Silkie Chicken Soup is a soup that Traditionally associated with nourishing tendons and relieving arm stiffness or weakness. It is most often made for energy & vitality, bone & joint wellness, everyday balance. Total time about 2 hr 15 min. Key ingredients: solomon's seal rhizome, silkie chicken (black chicken), ginger, red dates / jujubes, pitted.

By · Published under our editorial policy · Research library

Prep
15 min
Cook
2 hr
Total
2 hr 15 min
Makes
0.9–1.2 L
Energy & VitalityBone & Joint WellnessEveryday Balance
Solomon's Seal and Silkie Chicken Soup

Why people make this soup

In traditional Chinese food-therapy, the arms and tendons are thought to depend on nourishment from the blood and fluids in the body. When those resources run low — through overwork, ageing, or prolonged illness — tendons can feel tight, the arm may struggle to lift above the shoulder, or the muscles may feel stiff and weak. This is the context where Cantonese cooks have long turned to yu zhu (Solomon’s seal), a sweet, mellow herb, combined with silkie chicken to make a gentle restorative soup. Nourilo finds this one of the most reliable everyday soups for people in their middle years who feel their arms “just aren’t the same as before.”

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.

  • Ginger · Meta-analysis, 23 studies · 2022
    Overall, acute and delayed nausea and vomiting did not differ significantly between ginger and control groups. A subgroup taking 1 g/day or less for over four days had less acute vomiting (OR 0.30).Limitation: Clinical heterogeneity between trials required subgroup analyses, and the authors state that sufficiently large, high-quality RCTs are still needed.PubMed 36501010 · 3 more ginger studies
  • Red dates · Meta-analysis, 483 participants · 2025
    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.

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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