Hot and Sour Chicken Soup Recipe, as the name suggest this soup has a spicy and tangy taste which makes it so addictive. Delicious peppery soup made with chicken, mixed vegetables, ginger, garlic cooked in a hot and sour broth. Comforting soup which nourishes the soul on a cold winter's day. Serve it with wontons, mandu, spring rolls or momos for making it more substantial meal.
Hot and Sour Chicken Soup
When I was young, Every time we go to restaurants with family the only soup which I order is spicy hot & sour soup. And also fish fingers and chicken wings will be my Appetizer of choice. The combo is unbeatable. Making this soup at home reminds me of my childhood days. When I made this soup for the first time, I served it with crispy chicken croquettes and everyone enjoyed it.
Table of Contents
About Hot and Sour Chicken Soup
Perfect amount of spiciness with sour taste makes this soup so popular. This soup is for all my spicy food lovers. Hot and sour soup is one of the popular soup in Sichuan cuisine. It is also equally popular in Southeast Asia, India & Pakistan. This soup is easily adaptable and modified according to each region.
Vegetables and chicken cooked in a hot and sour broth which is thickened with cornstarch slurry and beaten egg. Traditionally this soup is made with variety of mushrooms like wood ear mushrooms or cloud ear fungus. But button mushrooms or shiitake mushrooms is the most common variety used in the soup. Hot and sour soup taste spicy while my chicken clear soup is more on the milder side.
Watch Chicken Soup Video
The soup starts with a soup broth. The broth or stock forms the base of the soup. I like to add all my flavourings and sauces in the broth and create a base which is hot and sour.
Once the broth is ready you can start making the soup. In a stock pot or soup pot, flavourings like ginger, garlic and spring onions is sauted first. Mixed vegetables is added and then the broth. I add beaten egg and chicken in this soup. But if you wish you could make it entirely vegetarian by skipping the chicken and egg. Instead use extra tofu and mushrooms.
More Popular Soups to Try,
Hot and Sour Broth (Stock) Ingredients
Stock of Choice - I used chicken stock, I mixed 2 tbsp of chicken bouillon with 1 litre of water to make my instant stock. Optionally you can make my homemade chicken stock or easy version of chicken broth which I made in my chicken clear soup recipe. If you are making vegetarian or vegan soup, then use vegetable stock.
Soy Sauce - this adds colour to the soup and adds the umami note.
Vinegar - the sour taste for the soup comes from vinegar. You can use rice vinegar which is more traditional or white vinegar which is more commonly used.
Chilli Garlic Paste - I prefer using chilli garlic paste instead of chilli sauce. choose any good brand of chilli paste sambal oelek or homemade chilli garlic paste.
Seasonings - as basic as salt, black pepper & sugar!
Hot and Sour Chicken Soup Ingredients
Aromatics - basic aromatics ginger, garlic, spring onions form the base for all Chinese or Sichuan Cuisine.
Vegetables - make sure your vegetables are chopped pretty fine. carrots, cabbage, bell peppers, mushrooms is what I used. You can add bamboo shoots, baby corn.
Protein of Choice - cooked shredded chicken, tofu is popular choice in this soup.
Toasted Sesame Oil - adds toasty and nutty flavour to the soup. If you don't have sesame oil, you can opt for regular cooking oil.
Eggs - this thickens the soup and adds velvety texture to the soup.
Cornstarch - for silky glossy restaurant style soup, a simple cornstarch slurry is added.
Hot and Sour Chicken Soup in 3 Easy Steps
Making Broth - Make sure you get the hot and sour taste balance perfectly by tasting and adjusting the broth.
Base of Soup - use the Holy Trinity of Spring Onion, Garlic & Ginger which forms the base aromatics.
Finishing Soup - thicken the soup with egg and cornstarch slurry to create restaurant style soup.
How to Make Hot and Sour Chicken Soup (Stepwise Pictures)
Making Hot and Sour Soup Stock
1) Take chicken stock in a bowl. I used chicken stock powder (chicken bouillon) mixed with some water. Add in soy sauce into the chicken stock.
2)Now for the spicy and sour part. Add in chilli garlic sauce and vinegar to taste.
3)Add in sugar to balance the taste. Add in salt and black pepper and mix this well.
4)Hot and sour stock is ready. Taste and adjust the chilli sauce, vinegar and salt level in the stock.
Making Hot and Sour Soup
5)Heat oil in a stock pot. If you have sesame oil, add toasted sesame oil for maximum flavour.
6)Add in chopped spring onion white part alone, chopped garlic and ginger. Saute for 1 minute.
7)Add in finely carrot, cabbage, capsicum and mushrooms.
8)Saute for couple of minutes.
9)Pour in hot and sour stock. Mix well. Bring this to a full boil.
10)Add in cooked shredded chicken, chopped tofu. Let the chicken and tofu heat through.
Finishing Hot and Sour Chicken Soup
11) For thickening the soup, make cornstarch slurry. Take cornstarch in a mixing bowl, add in water and mix till lump free. Pour this cornstarch mix into the soup and mix well.
12)Bring this soup to a full boil. Now the soup is thickened and glossy.
13) Take egg in a bowl, mix well till creamy. Now reduce the flame, drizzle in the egg slowly and gently mix.
14)Once egg is mixed into the soup mix it very gently. Now egg is cooked and formed into ribbons.
15)Add in finely chopped spring onions greens. Add extra sesame oil to finish the soup.
16)Soup is ready to serve.
17) Serve hot.
Expert Tips
- I used cooked chicken breast which I chopped into small pieces. You can use a rotisserie chicken as well. Any leftover chicken meat can be used.
- You can use any vegetables as you prefer. Add more or less as you like. Baby corn, bamboo shoots can be used.
- This soup taste has to be tangy and spicy, so taste the broth and adjust accordingly.
- To get restaurant style taste, add MSG | ajinomoto for taste.
- I used 2 beaten eggs in the soup which resulted in thick soup. If you want slightly thinner consistency, add 1 beaten egg.
- Toasted sesame oil enhances the flavour, if you don't have that use regular oil.
Serving
Chicken hot and sour soup can be served with wontons, spring rolls or momos for lighter rainy day lunch or dinner. You can serve it with main dishes to make it into a substantial satisfying meal.
- Sesame Chicken Noodles
- Chicken noodles
- Veg, Egg or Chicken fried rice
- Nasi Goreng
- Veg Noodles
More Soups to Try
📖 Recipe Card
Hot and Sour Chicken Soup | Chicken Hot and Sour Soup Recipe
Equipment
- Cooking pot
Ingredients
For Hot and Sour Chicken Soup
- 1 tbsp Toasted Sesame Oil
- 1 tbsp Ginger peeled & minced
- 2 tbsp Garlic peeled & minced
- 2 Spring Onion (white part) chopped finely
- ¼ cup Carrot chopped finely
- ¼ cup Cabbage chopped finely
- ¼ cup Capsicum | Bell pepper chopped finely
- ¼ cup Mushrooms chopped finely
- 1 cup Chicken cooked & shredded
- ½ cup Tofu chopped (optional)
- 2 tbsp Cornstarch
- 1 large Egg
- 2 Spring Onion (green part) chopped finely
- 1 tsp Toasted Sesame Oil optional
For Hot and Sour Broth
- 1 litre Chicken Stock
- 2 tbsp Soy sauce
- 2 tbsp Vinegar
- 2 tbsp Chilli Garlic Paste
- 2 tsp Sugar
- Salt to taste
- Black Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Start by making the broth. Take all ingredients given for the broth in a bowl. Mix well. Taste and adjust vinegar, soy sauce, sugar and chilli paste to your taste. Set aside till use.
- Before making the soup. Mix cornstarch with water to form a slurry. Set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs till mixed. Set this aside till use.
- Now let's make the soup. Heat oil in a stock pot or casserole. Add in ginger, garlic and spring onion whites. Saute for 1 minute till fragrant.
- Add in vegetables. I used carrots, capsicum, cabbage, mushrooms. Stir fry the vegetables with ginger and garlic for 1 more minute.
- Pour the mixed hot and sour broth over the veggies and bring it to a full boil.
- Once the broth reaches a boil. Add in shredded cooked chicken and tofu cubes. Simmer the flame and let it warm through for couple of minutes in the broth.
- Now add in the cornstarch slurry and mix gently. The soup will thicken immediately.
- Reduce the flame to low. Drizzle in the beaten egg little at a time and gently mix. The eggs will form a ribbon like texture.
- Now turn off the flame, add in spring onion greens and drizzle with some toasted sesame oil. Serve hot.
Video
Notes
- I used cooked chicken breast which I chopped into small pieces. You can use a rotisserie chicken as well. Any leftover chicken meat can be used.
- You can use any vegetables as you prefer. Add more or less as you like. Baby corn, bamboo shoots can be used.
- This soup taste has to be tangy and spicy, so taste the broth and adjust accordingly.
- To get restaurant style taste, add MSG | ajinomoto for taste.
- I used 2 beaten eggs in the soup which resulted in thick soup. If you want slightly thinner consistency, add 1 beaten egg.
- Toasted sesame oil enhances the flavour, if you don't have that use regular oil.
Irene
My favorite soup. You made it look so simple and delicious. Will definitely try this recipe 🙂
Suja
Filling and delicious soup..yummy
Carolina
A fantastic soup for cold days.
Kisses
Ann from Sumptuous Spoonfuls
Oh I love hot and sour soup ... I order it every time I go to a Chinese restaurant, but I've never tried to make it! Thank you for the step by step instructions to make it 🙂
Kristy Lynn
aarthi! this looks delish! I am planning something similar for tonight - weird huh?
thanks for stopping by 🙂 Hope to see more of you!
XO
Kristy
soujanya
Chicken soup looks mouthwatery!!!
perfect!!!!
Catherine
Dear Aarthi, I followed along every step of the way in your directions. I would just love this soup. It something I would just adore. Blessings, Catherine xo
Yuvana's Favourites
WOW. Comfort food. i love it. bookmarked
Sumee
other than ohhh and ahhhs nothing is coming out of me.!!!! YUMMY.!!! and love your pics.
S.Menaga
super,one of my fav soup!!
MyKitchen Flavors-BonAppetit!.
Mouthwatering and a warming soup.Luv it.
Chitra
perfect soothing soup for a rainy day
Dzoli
Thank you for this recipe.I sure would like to try next time I make chicken soup:)
Holly
This soup sounds yummy!
Neha
Nice recipe...Very well explained...
Jasna's kitchen creations
I love hot & sour soup. Thanks for sharing!
sangee vijay
Mmmm...really a hot n sour soup...wonderful recipe !!
Rekha shoban
this is really very different type of chicken soup!!looks yummy!
Poornima Nair
My favorite kind of soup!
Julie
I love hot and sour soup~ this looks delicious.
Tina
Refreshing and perfect soup..
Ann
This sounds delicious! I always wondered what was in hot and sour soup! Now I will be happy to order it when we're out at an appropriate restaurant - AND I can make it!
Nags
your step by step pics are killing me! 🙂
Priya
Wat a droolworthy and tempting soup, fabulous soup for chilled weather..
hemalata
perfect soup,sounds so delicious.
ente pachakasala
delicious chicken soup thanks for ur comments in my blog
Balakrishna Saraswathy
that bowl of hot and sour chicken soup is wht I crave for the cozy evenings in CBE Aarti..send me a bowl:D
Anonymous
What's chilli paste ? And it looks awesome can't wait to try it !
Aarthi
@AnonymousIt is just ground dry chilli with some water or vinegar. Will share that recipe soon.
Anonymous
Its poach ,not pouch..
Aarthi
@Anonymousthank you...edited
Anonymous
Can u please tell me what is red chilli paste
Aarthi
@AnonymousIt is dry red chillies which is soaked in hot water and ground to a paste
Anu S
Nice. Can u pls update veg. Hot n sour soup
Rajesh Kumar
Brilliant photographs! wow....lovely n delicious .it tastes yummy too!
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Purnima Selvamurugan
I tried this couple of week back, it came perfect.. all your recipes are good, your pictorial in all recipes is the highligh. Pictures makes me Clear.. Thanks a lot.
Anonymous
Hi aarthi, i made this soup in a big pot with 1.5 kg chicken. Got a bit generous with the sauces snd i thought i addded too much vinegar. But my husband totally loved it. Thank you so much for all your recipes. I only recently stumbled into your website and i should admit that i m addicted to it. Every day i visit it and for almost every dish that i make now, i refer your recipe. your simplified steps and pictures inspire me to cook more. God bless you!
Jay
Selena Gomez
wow yummy recipe ...too good to see...
order online food delhi
shiney rosario
Hi Aarthi....can you plz post the recipe for red chilli paste wch u have used in this soup...TIA
Aarthi
@shiney rosariohere is the link
https://www.yummytummyaarthi.com/2015/06/homemade-chilli-garlic-paste-recipe-how.html
[email protected]
Hi, tried it for the second time today. It has become family favourite. Thank u
Tanisha Singh
This blog is looking repository of food and found here every kind of food. it looks beautiful and superb in taste.share more recipe with better information resturent menu order
Ain Riz
Awesome, love your blog it is so easy and helpful. Thank you for sharing such good recipes and making cooking fun.
Unknown
Tried this. Soup was just awesome. Thank u.
Sandhya
Aarthi, how much stock do you add?
Pippa
This turned out exactly like the one in the restaurant! Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe. It was very easy to follow.