Black Chicken Soup

Taste of this tonic soup was pleasant. It was fragrant, flavoursome with natural sweetness in the palate. Adding some Hua Diao wine is important to enhance the taste of the soup. This soup is healthy and beneficial for all in the family. The silky chicken is fairly small compared to a normal chicken. It does not necessarily have black feathers. In fact, its plummage is more furry than feathers and many have snowy white plummage. It is called black chicken because its beak, bones, flesh, skin and even internal organs are black or dark blue in colour. It doesn't look very appealing because of the dark colour and the meat is fairly dry (in my opinion) but it is valued for its curative effects. Modern scientific research has discovered that the silky chicken's level of protein, vitamin B, 18 amino acids and minerals are much higher than normal chicken while cholesterol and saturated fats are much lower. It is almost always prepared in tonics or herbal soups together with chinese herbs

• Ready In: 2 hrs 30 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1  silkie aka black chicken, skinned, removed head and feet, quartered
•  slabs of salt and white pepper
• 1⁄2 tablespoon  of hsao hsing hua diao rice wine
• 6  cups water, 50% filled in a large pot (about 1500ml)
• 20  g  , ginseng
• 15  g  , wolfberries about 1 tablespoon
• 10  g  , chinese angelicae root dang gui
• 5  g  , rhizoma chuan xiong
• 6  g  , liquorice root
• 10  g  dried longans

Directions

1. Boil a pot of water over medium - high heat.
2. 2) When boiled, add in chicken and Chinese herbs. Bring all ingredients to a boil again. Then, reduce heat to low fire, and simmer for 1 - 1.5 hour.
3. 3) Add rice wine right before heat off. Stir briefly to combine. Serve hot.