i don’t want to get too deep into this topic, because it’s not really the point, but i’ll just say that there are very few things that irritate me more than people not covering their coughs and sneezes in public. i’m not a germaphobe per se, i just think it’s common courtesy when you’re sick to handle yourself appropriately and, hopefully, prevent others from catching what you’re serving up. anyway, ‘tis the season for sickness, and with things going around left and right, i’ve been in soup mode.
this particular one is a new go to that fits anywhere in the sickness cycle, from the beginnings of a scratchy throat through to post sickness recovery. it’s a super brothy chicken soup with hits of ginger and a sharp vinegary spice, and thanks to a rotisserie chicken base, it’s really easy to make.
this soup is an adaptation of
’s vinegar chicken soup (itself inspired by bernie’s vinegar chicken), which i’ve made a handful of times over the past year when i need something cozy and don’t have the capacity to run to the grocery store, just my friendly neighborhood chicken shop. i pretty much know her recipe by heart, so i knew it was time to make it my own with a few easy adaptations (aimed at the aforementioned sickness cycle) pulled from my fridge and pantry.
i’ve amped up the sourness, the spicyness, and the picklyness of it all by adding ginger slices to the chicken broth, kimchi to the soup itself, and using a mix of pickle brines for more sour, tangy flavor. i cut back on the sweet and sour aspect because my palate lives for acidity and finds sweetness isn’t always necessary, but if you prefer that balance add a 2 teaspoons of honey or brown sugar to the pot after you cook the scallions.
this is an easy soup to make, it just takes a wee bit of patience for the broth, but that 30 to 60 minutes is more than worth it because you’ll end up with a lot of soup that reheats really well. if you want to give it new life on the second or third day, i highly recommend adding some cooked buckwheat, bulgur, or small pasta to the mix. the most recent time i made this, my partner and i ate all the chicken skin while i was picking off the meat and the broth still turned out great, so feel free to treat yo-self to a little chef snack if that’s your thing.
this time last year:
sesame chicken pot pie
this is a recipe that i started developing at the beginning of the year. i had it nearly ready to publish in april, but by then the weather was already warming up here in berlin and, personally, just about the last thing i wanted to make, let alone eat, was chicken pot pie…
triple pickle chicken soup
serves 4 - 6; this recipe is an adaptation of rebecca firkser’s vinegar chicken soup
1 rotisserie chicken
100 grams ginger
3,5 quarts / 3,3 liters water
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 scallions
250 grams napa cabbage kimchi
250 grams pickled jalapeño slices
4 - 6 tablespoons pickle brine (i personally like using a mix of kimchi juices, jalapeño brine, and another pickled brine like olives or dill pickles, but use what you have! substitute: distilled white vinegar, rice wine vinegar)
salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
to make the base of the soup, separate the skin, meat and bones from one rotisserie chicken. shred the meat into a bowl and pile the skin and bones into a large stock pot. drain any juices from the cutting board or empty container into the pot as well.
slice 100 grams ginger. add 3,5 quarts / 3,3 liters of water and sliced ginger to the pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. once boiling, skim and discard any foam from the surface of the broth, then reduce heat to medium low. partially cover and let simmer for at least 30 minutes or up to one hour.
in the meantime, trim and discard the root end of 6 scallions and thinly slice. roughly chop 250 grams napa cabbage kimchi, if necessary.
once the broth has finished simmering, set a large fine mesh sieve over a large bowl and carefully strain the broth, discarding the solids.
return the pot to the stove over medium high heat. when pot is dry, add 3 tablespoons vegetable oil and all the sliced scallions. let cook until the scallion starts to char, about 5 minutes. add kimchi and 250 grams pickled jalapeños and stir to combine. reduce heat to medium and stir in 4-5 tablespoons of your chosen pickle brine(s), then add the strained broth and reserved chicken meat. let cook for another 10 minutes, then turn off heat and season with salt, pepper and more brine to taste; if you find the soup too spicy, add some water, taste and reseason with salt. serve as desired with a thickly buttered slice of bread, toast, crackers, or your favorite cooked grain. leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 5 days.
Hi, I'm always putting lemon juice into my chicken soup, so this recipe is right up my alley. Thank you! <3
Could you tell me, where do you by your rotisserie chicken in Berlin? Do you go to City Chicken? :)
Do you have a brand of kimchi that you like? I’ve been buying Mother-In-Law’s and it’s tasty, however, it really has little to no brine/juice. Thank you! This looks so good.