Black Boned Chicken Soup with Danggui and Huangqi

Purpose:

To adjust and supplement qi and blood.  To nourish kidney and regulate menstruation.       

Material: 

Black boned chicken （silky fowl，竹丝鸡）     1 (400 - 500 g) 
Danggui （当归）                                               15 g 
Huangqi （黄芪）                                             30 g 
Salt                                                                 some 

Note:

All three ingredients are available from Chinese grocery stores.  Black boned chicken (silky fowl) have snow white feather and dark skin, claws and beaks.  They are usually cleaned and frozen, and sold in individually sealed packages.  Before cooking, the skin of silky chicken is a bit bluish, while after cooking the skin, meat and bones all appear black - to be more accurate, the skin is black, the bones has a partial coat of a thin black film, and the meat has a tint of black.  There are many varieties of danggui and huangqi, so it is better that you buy both herbs from a Chinese herb shop if therapeutic effects are important to you.  Silky fowl, danggui, and huangqi are highly valued ingredients in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).  Black boned chicken in combination with other herbs are often prescribed for gynecological problems.

Procedure:

a.   If you start out with a fresh chicken, you need to remove the organs first.  If you have a frozen one, first defrost the chicken, then rinse clean and cut into small pieces ( 1-3 inches).  Rinse clean danggui and huangqi.

b.   Add about 5 cups of water and bring to boil with high heat.  Add the chicken and cooked for about 5 minutes.  Use a strainer to remove chicken pieces from the pot.  Rinse the chicken clean.  Pour away the water.  

c.   Add the chicken and herbs to a clean pot.  Add about 6 cups of water.  Bring to boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours.    

d.   Add some salt to taste.  Ready to serve. 

        

Comment:

This is an excellent soup.  Huangqi has a sweet taste that goes well with meat, while danggui has a special aroma that feels great when it is not too strong.  Silky fowl is famous for its delicate texture and delicious taste.  After cooking, the chicken meat can be easily separated from the bones.  You can eat the soup alone, or with a meal.  Eat the meat and drink the soup.  Some people also eat cooked danggui and huangqi.  My suggestion is that you can eat them if you find them tasteful; but you are not wasting much if you just discard them.  The useful components of the herbs have gone into the soup after such a long period of cooking.
 

Silky fowl （竹丝鸡）

Danggui （当归）

Huangqi （黄芪）

Black boned Chicken （竹丝鸡）