No-Water Chicken Soup with Special Dipping Sauce
No-Water Chicken Soup with Special Dipping Sauce
Ingredients
For the No-Water Chicken Soup
- 2 whole chickens, small
- 1 head napa cabbage, leaves separated
- 1 red onion, sliced, or 3-4 shallots, sliced
- 1 apple, diced, or 1 pear, diced
- 8 red dates (jujubes)
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
For the Special Dipping Sauce
- 2 stalks spring onions, chopped
- 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons hot oil
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili, finely chopped, optional, for adults
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the ingredients for the soup: dice the fruit, slice the red onion or shallots, separate the napa cabbage leaves, and gather the red dates.
⏱️ 10 min
- 2
Arrange the base layers in a heavy-bottomed pot with a tight-fitting lid (a cast iron pot or pressure cooker is ideal). First, place the diced fruit evenly on the bottom of the pot.
⏱️ 2 min
- 3
Next, layer the sliced red onion or shallots on top of the fruit.
⏱️ 1 min
- 4
Carefully place the whole chickens on top of the fruit and onion layers in the pot.
⏱️ 2 min
- 5
Arrange the napa cabbage leaves around and on top of the chickens, ensuring they are nestled in.
⏱️ 2 min
- 6
Distribute the red dates (jujubes) among the other ingredients in the pot.
⏱️ 1 min
- 7
Sprinkle the salt evenly over all the ingredients in the pot.
⏱️ 1 min
- 8
Cover the pot with its tight-fitting lid. Place the pot over medium-low heat and bring to a gentle simmer. Once simmering, reduce the heat to low and cook for 1 hour. Do not add any water; the ingredients will release their own juices to create a rich broth.
⏱️ 60 min
- 9
While the soup is simmering, prepare the special dipping sauce. In a small, heat-proof bowl, combine the chopped spring onions, minced ginger, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
⏱️ 5 min
- 10
Heat the 2 tablespoons of oil in a small saucepan until it is very hot (just smoking). Carefully pour the hot oil over the spring onion and ginger mixture in the bowl. It will sizzle vigorously.
⏱️ 2 min
- 11
Add the soy sauce to the bowl and stir all the sauce ingredients together until well combined. If serving to adults who enjoy spice, stir in the optional chopped red chili.
⏱️ 1 min
- 12
Once the soup has finished cooking, carefully remove the lid. The chicken should be super tender, and a flavorful broth will have formed. Serve the super rich, super soft chicken soup directly from the pot. Dip pieces of the cooked chicken into the prepared special sauce before eating.
⏱️ 3 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
No-Water Chicken Soup with Special Dipping Sauce
For the No-Water Chicken Soup
- 2 whole chickens, small
- 1 head napa cabbage, leaves separated
- 1 red onion, sliced, or 3-4 shallots, sliced
- 1 apple, diced, or 1 pear, diced
- 8 red dates (jujubes)
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
For the Special Dipping Sauce
- 2 stalks spring onions, chopped
- 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons hot oil
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili, finely chopped, optional, for adults
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the ingredients for the soup: dice the fruit, slice the red onion or shallots, separate the napa cabbage leaves, and gather the red dates.
⏱️ 10 min - 2
Arrange the base layers in a heavy-bottomed pot with a tight-fitting lid (a cast iron pot or pressure cooker is ideal). First, place the diced fruit evenly on the bottom of the pot.
⏱️ 2 min - 3
Next, layer the sliced red onion or shallots on top of the fruit.
⏱️ 1 min - 4
Carefully place the whole chickens on top of the fruit and onion layers in the pot.
⏱️ 2 min - 5
Arrange the napa cabbage leaves around and on top of the chickens, ensuring they are nestled in.
⏱️ 2 min - 6
Distribute the red dates (jujubes) among the other ingredients in the pot.
⏱️ 1 min - 7
Sprinkle the salt evenly over all the ingredients in the pot.
⏱️ 1 min - 8
Cover the pot with its tight-fitting lid. Place the pot over medium-low heat and bring to a gentle simmer. Once simmering, reduce the heat to low and cook for 1 hour. Do not add any water; the ingredients will release their own juices to create a rich broth.
⏱️ 60 min - 9
While the soup is simmering, prepare the special dipping sauce. In a small, heat-proof bowl, combine the chopped spring onions, minced ginger, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
⏱️ 5 min - 10
Heat the 2 tablespoons of oil in a small saucepan until it is very hot (just smoking). Carefully pour the hot oil over the spring onion and ginger mixture in the bowl. It will sizzle vigorously.
⏱️ 2 min - 11
Add the soy sauce to the bowl and stir all the sauce ingredients together until well combined. If serving to adults who enjoy spice, stir in the optional chopped red chili.
⏱️ 1 min - 12
Once the soup has finished cooking, carefully remove the lid. The chicken should be super tender, and a flavorful broth will have formed. Serve the super rich, super soft chicken soup directly from the pot. Dip pieces of the cooked chicken into the prepared special sauce before eating.
⏱️ 3 min