Soups
Lotus Root, Peanut & Silkie Chicken Soup
Traditionally used to nourish the blood and support a healthy complexion
Why people make this soup
Silkie chicken (black-bone chicken) is traditionally regarded as a friend to women — associated with supporting the liver and kidneys and nourishing yin. Hormone-free birds tend to be smaller, with darker skin and little fat under it, so the soup comes out clear rather than greasy. Paired with lotus root, peanuts and red jujubes, it makes a sweet, gentle soup that traditionally supports the blood and a healthy complexion.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- People who look pale, feel run-down, or have rough skin; traditionally valued for various kinds of blood weakness and for new mothers low on milk.
- New mothers: do not drink it right after delivery — wait until the second week postpartum, as it is quite nourishing.
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Silkie chicken (zhu si ji): Traditionally associated with supporting the liver and kidneys and nourishing yin; long valued in women’s food therapy.
- Lotus root (lian ou): Traditionally used to support the spleen and the blood.
- Peanut (hua sheng) & red jujube (hong zao): Traditionally paired to nourish the blood and the complexion.
- Ginger (sheng jiang): Adds gentle warmth and balances the soup.
Ingredients (4–5 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lotus root | 1–2 segments | Peeled, rinsed, sliced |
| Peanuts | ~38 g | Soak and rinse |
| Red jujubes | 6 pieces | Pitted |
| Fresh ginger | 3 slices | — |
| Silkie chicken | 1 whole | Cleaned, cut into large pieces, blanched |
Method
- Peel, rinse and slice the lotus root. Soak and rinse the peanuts. Pit the jujubes.
- Clean the silkie chicken, cut into large pieces and blanch.
- Add everything to 9 bowls of water.
- Simmer about 2 hours until reduced to 4–5 bowls.
Bro Niu’s tips
This soup is clear, fresh and naturally sweet — suitable for young and old. It is traditionally considered especially helpful for various kinds of anaemia and for new mothers who are short on breast milk.
Community questions answered (selected)
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Q (Karen): Where can I find silkie (black-bone) chicken? Bro Niu: Silkie chicken is available at Chinese or Asian grocers and some specialty supermarkets, often sold frozen. Look for hormone-free birds for the best result.
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Q (Amy): Will drinking this soup right after childbirth be too nourishing? Could it cause blocked milk ducts? Bro Niu: This soup can be had from the second week postpartum.
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Q (Anny): From winter into spring my hands and feet feel ice-cold sitting in the office all day, yet I also get “heaty” easily, with loose stools and breakouts, and my period ends by about the third day. What can I cook that’s office-friendly? Bro Niu: You may have qi deficiency with weak blood. Try 5 qian dang shen, 3 qian dang gui, 3 qian gui zhi and 4 red jujubes in a lean-pork soup, 2–3 times a week — it helps with cold hands and feet and irregular periods. For nasal allergy, steep magnolia flower buds (xin yi hua) as a tea, with a little honey, one cup a day, stopping when symptoms improve.
Published February 22, 2023 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 2 min read.
