How To Make Chicken And Mushroom Soup

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This hearty soup is as comforting as food can get, the perfect antidote for a cold morning or a lingering illness. It’s both rich and silky, with satisfying slices of chicken and Chinese mushrooms balanced with wisps of egg white blended into the depths of a pleasing chicken broth base.

Best of all for home chefs, chicken and mushroom soup only takes a few minutes to prepare, making it ideal when you’re in the mood for a substantial breakfast or light dinner. If you soak dried mushrooms in advance or, better yet, use fresh mushrooms, the total preparation time can be less than 10 minutes.

So keep this recipe in your back pocket when you want to impress someone special with a warm reminder of home. A steaming bowl of chicken and mushroom soup could easily welcome a student returning from college, a returning business traveler or a snowball-thrower coming inside from the first snowstorm of winter.

Here’s how to make chicken and mushroom soup, step-by-step. The detailed tutorial with pictures and directions is at the bottom of the page.

Your turn! What tips can you share from your family’s recipe? Want to ask a question before you start cooking? I’d love to hear from you in the comments section below!

Chicken and Mushroom Soup Recipe

Makes: 4-6 Servings | Prep Time: 30 Minutes | Cook Time: 10 Minutes

Ingredients

2 tablespoons cornstarch
4 egg whites, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 ounces chicken breast, thinly sliced
3 1/2 cups chicken stock
9 Chinese mushrooms, dried or fresh
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 green onion, chopped

Directions

1. If using dried Chinese mushrooms, soak them in hot water for 30 minutes. Squeeze out excess water, remove the stems and thinly slice.

2. Combine the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water to form a paste. Add 1 teaspoon of the cornstarch mixture, 1 teaspoon of the egg whites and a pinch of salt to the chicken. Stir well.

3. Stir the remaining egg whites and the cornstarch mixture together until smooth.

4. Bring the chicken stock to a boil in a large pot. Add the chicken and return to a boil, then add the mushrooms and salt. Return to a boil, then very slowly and while stirring constantly, pour the egg white and cornstarch mixture into the pot. As soon as the soup has thickened, add the sesame oil.

5. Ladle into bowls, sprinkle with green onions and serve immediately.

Step-By-Step Tutorial

Start by gathering your ingredients. The important items for this recipe are chicken, chicken stock, egg whites, Chinese mushrooms and green onions. This recipe is especially good if you can use your own homemade chicken stock! Also, note that I’m using cooked chicken breast here as part of my Weeknight Magic: 1 Chicken, 5 Delicious Dinners meal plan, but you will generally use raw meat.

If using dried Chinese mushrooms, soak them in hot water for 30 minutes. Squeeze out excess water, remove the stems and thinly slice.

Combine the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water to form a paste, beat the egg whites and thinly slice the chicken. Add 1 teaspoon of the cornstarch mixture, 1 teaspoon of the egg whites and a pinch of salt to the chicken. Stir well. Stir the remaining egg whites and the cornstarch mixture together until smooth.

Bring the chicken stock to a boil in a large pot. Add the chicken and return to a boil, then add the mushrooms and salt.

Return to a boil, then very slowly and while stirring constantly, pour the egg white and cornstarch mixture into the pot.

As soon as the soup has thickened, add the sesame oil.

Ladle into bowls, sprinkle with green onions and serve immediately.