White Cooked Chicken Soup
By Christopher Kimball
White Cooked Chicken Soup
By Christopher Kimball
Yield/Serves:
Makes 6 servings
- 1 tablespoon grapeseed or other neutral oil
- 3 ounces fresh ginger, peeled and cut into 3 to 4 pieces
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup dry sherry
- 6 cups water
- Kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons white peppercorns
- 2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 pound baby bok choy, ends trimmed, leaves separated and coarsely chopped
- Kosher salt and ground white pepper
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
This is a light, simple chicken soup that can be served as is or with stir-ins, such as cooked white rice, cooked rice noodles, tofu cubes, chilies or toasted sesame oil. Start timing the soup once it has reached high pressure.
Don’t use cooking sherry for this; it will make the soup too salty
In a 5½-liter or larger pressure cooker over medium-high, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the ginger and garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the sherry and bring to a boil. Stir in the water, 2 teaspoons salt and the peppercorns. Add the chicken thighs. Lock the lid in place and bring to high pressure (second red line). Adjust heat to low to stabilize the pressure at the second red line. Cook for 20 minutes.
Off heat, allow the pressure to reduce naturally for 15 minutes, then quick release the remaining pressure. Carefully open the lid and tilt it away from you to release the residual steam. Transfer the chicken to a plate and let cool. When cool enough to handle, remove and discard the skin, then use 2 forks to remove the meat from the bone; discard bones. Chop the meat into bite-sized pieces.
Strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer into a large bowl, then return to the pot. Use a wide spoon to skim the fat from the surface of the soup. Return the pot to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Stir in the bok choy and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in the reserved chicken. Taste and season with salt and white pepper. Stir in the scallions, cilantro and vinegar.
Don’t use cooking sherry for this; it will make the soup too salty
In a 5½-liter or larger pressure cooker over medium-high, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the ginger and garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the sherry and bring to a boil. Stir in the water, 2 teaspoons salt and the peppercorns. Add the chicken thighs. Lock the lid in place and bring to high pressure (second red line). Adjust heat to low to stabilize the pressure at the second red line. Cook for 20 minutes.
Off heat, allow the pressure to reduce naturally for 15 minutes, then quick release the remaining pressure. Carefully open the lid and tilt it away from you to release the residual steam. Transfer the chicken to a plate and let cool. When cool enough to handle, remove and discard the skin, then use 2 forks to remove the meat from the bone; discard bones. Chop the meat into bite-sized pieces.
Strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer into a large bowl, then return to the pot. Use a wide spoon to skim the fat from the surface of the soup. Return the pot to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Stir in the bok choy and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in the reserved chicken. Taste and season with salt and white pepper. Stir in the scallions, cilantro and vinegar.