HERBAL BLACK SILKIE CHICKEN SOUP Black silkies are a type of chicken popular in China. Chicken soup in general is considered a comfort food and typically prepared when feeling under the weather. The same applies in Asian culture where black silkie soup is prepared for it’s medicinal properties. Black silkie chickens have double the powerful antioxidant, carnosine, than regular chickens and a lower fat content. When I prepared my soup, I added a bunch of herbs from the Asian market to give the soup and my body an extra dose of goodness. Below is the recipe I followed:
6 cups of chicken stock
1 black silkie chicken - head and claws removed
12 grapes squashed
1 onion and 2 scallions
3 garlic cloves
3 inches of fresh ginger
2 large carrots
4 celery stalks
5 pieces of astragalus - adaptogen-enhances the immune system-reduce inflammation
10 hawthorn berries - improves heart function-reduce anxiety-aids digestion- reduce inflammation
10 black dates - boost energy-strengthen bones-protect your brain
10 red dates - stimulate production white blood cells-enhance immune system-decrease cholesterol
30 wolfberries - improve eye function-anti aging properties-enhances immune system
5 codonopsis - lowers blood pressure-strengthens immune, respiratory and digestive systems
18 dried longan - enhance immune system-glowing skin-reduce stress-help with insomnia
20 woodear mushrooms - lower cholesterol-more protein and less fat then most mushrooms
I start by bringing a pot of water to a boil. I cut the head and claws off the silkie chicken and cut the chicken into pieces. Then I drop the pieces of chicken into the water for a few minutes to essentially clean it. From there I put olive oil in a pan and brown the garlic, ginger, onion, scallions, carrot, celery and grapes. After about 5 minutes transfer everything in the pan, into the crock pot turned on low. In a bowl with fresh, filtered water soak the dried herbs: astragalus, berries, dates, codonopsis and longan. I call this process “bringing back to life”, since this is essentially re-hydrating the herbs. After about 20 minutes rinse the herbs and place them too, into the crock pot with the remaining chicken, stock and mushrooms. Let this cook on low for 6-8 hours. The result is a savory, sweet, warming bowl of deliciousness. I remove the astragalus and codonopsis before eating but the remaining ingredients are all edible. Just be careful, don’t choke - the dates and hawthorn berries have pits. If you make a large batch, this will last in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. Stay well.