Tangy, spicy, and comforting, this chicken hot and sour soup is perfect to whip up and sip on on a cold winter evening.
Just like my chicken yakhni, it is packed with nutrients and meal-prep friendly too. Best of all, it comes together in under 30 minutes and is easily adaptable for those following gluten-free, Paleo, and Whole30-friendly diets.
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I remember my mom making hot and sour soup often growing up. I've tweaked the recipe to suit my gluten-free diet without compromising on the flavor!
Lately, everyone in my household has been obsessed with my butternut squash soup– we end up making it almost every week. And since it is soup season, I really wanted to try my hand at another soup that I just knew everyone would love. And this chicken hot and sour soup seemed like the perfect one!
A Quick Look at the Recipe
⏲️Ready In: 20 minutes.
👪Serves: 6.
🍽 Calories and Protein: 125 kcal + 8g protein.
📋 Main Ingredients: Chicken broth, shredded chicken, vinegar, coconut aminos, egg, vegetables, arrowroot powder.
📖 Dietary Notes: Gluten free, low calorie + Paleo and Whole30 friendly.
⭐ Why You’ll Love It: Quick and easy to make, and incredibly wholesome and comforting.
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“This soup is one of our family's favorites! The best part is that it comes together in less than 30 minutes!” Zeeshan
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Ingredient Notes
Chicken: I used boiled, shredded chicken that I often have leftover from making stock.
Vinegar: Rice vinegar or white vinegar are both fine.
Coconut aminos: I use coconut aminos as it is a good substitute for soy sauce for a gluten-free hot and sour soup. You can also use tamari.
Chicken broth/stock: I like to use my homemade broth as I did with my chicken corn soup recipe, but you can use store-bought stock or broth to make things quicker. Just be aware that most store-bought stocks are high in sodium, so adjust your seasoning accordingly.
Coconut sugar: For a bit of sweetness, to balance out the other flavors. Feel free to omit for Whole 30 version.
Green chilies: For the heat. Skip this if you want the soup less spicy.
Vegetables: Thinly sliced cabbage and julienned carrots. You can use other veggies too.
Arrowroot slurry: I used this instead of cornstarch to keep it Paleo and Whole30-approved. You can use cornstarch if you're not following these protocols.
Egg: For that delicious egg swirl.
Variations
You can switch up the vegetables if you want to. I used cabbage and carrots because that’s what my mother used, but I’ve seen many variations with bell peppers, mushrooms, and even Bok Choy. Sometimes, I also like to use veggies leftover after making my rainbow Thai salad.
To make a vegan hot and sour soup, swap the chicken broth for a veggie broth and use firm tofu instead of shredded chicken and egg for the protein.
To make a keto version of the recipe, skip adding the coconut sugar and arrowroot slurry. The soup might not be thick, but it’ll still taste great!
How to Make Chicken Hot and Sour Soup
Step 1: Pour the broth into a large pot, then add the chicken and veggies, along with the coconut aminos, vinegar, and sugar. Bring this to a boil and then turn down the heat to a simmer to let the veggies soften.
Step 2: Slowly pour in the arrowroot slurry while stirring the soup continuously.
Step 3: Once it thickens, switch off the heat, and drop in the whisked egg. Leave it undisturbed for a minute till the egg ribbons form.
Step 4: Stir and serve immediately.
Pro Tips
- Remember to garnish the soup with sliced scallions or chopped cilantro and serve immediately.
- To bulk up the soup and make it more filling, you can also add some boiled (or crispy fried) noodles into it after it is done cooking- just like in my Burmese Khao Suey recipe.
- If you have some time, you can sauté the boiled chicken in 1 tablespoon of oil before adding it to the soup. This will give it some depth of flavor.
- Grain-free flours tend to break up in high heat, so make sure you don’t overheat the soup after you’ve added the arrowroot slurry.
- To make things quicker, you can prepare the chicken broth, shredded chicken, and veggies ahead of time and refrigerate them in separate containers until you’re ready to make the soup.
- This soup is perfect to enjoy on its own or to serve as a side with any Asian-style main. I love pairing it with my gluten-free chicken teriyaki, some cauliflower fried rice, and a simple cucumber-and-carrot salad to make a hearty, wholesome meal.
Chicken Hot and Sour Soup FAQs
Yes, hot and sour soup can be considered healthy as it mainly contains nutrient-dense stock or broth, protein, and fiber-rich vegetables.
Restaurant versions, however, are high in sodium and may contain sugar as well. If you follow a gluten-free diet or are on the Whole30 protocol, you may want to be mindful, as it may contain cornflour as a thickener and soy sauce, which contains gluten.
You can store this soup in the fridge in an airtight container and enjoy it for up to three days.
Reheat leftovers gently on the stove, adding a little water if it’s too thick to achieve your desired consistency.
Yes, you can freeze leftover hot and sour soup in single-serve or family portions in airtight containers. Defrost in the fridge overnight and then heat it on the stove or in the microwave.
More Cozy Soups to Try
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Chicken Hot and Sour Soup
Ingredients
- 5 cups chicken broth or stock
- 4 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 4 tablespoons coconut aminos / soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons coconut sugar optional
- 1 green chili chopped
- 1 medium carrot julienned
- 1/4 cabbage sliced thin
- 1 cup boiled and shredded chicken
For the slurry
- 5 tablespoon arrowroot powder/ tapioca flour
- 1/2 cup water
For the egg ribbons
- 1 egg whipped
Garnish
- green onions/scallions sliced
Instructions
- Add the chicken broth, carrot, cabbage, boiled chicken, rice vinegar, coconut aminos, green chili, and sugar to a medium-sized pot and on medium-high heat, bring everything to a rolling boil.
- While the soup is coming to a boil, whip the egg and make the arrowroot slurry by combining the arrowroot powder with water and set them aside.
- Once the soup comes to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer and add the arrowroot slurry and let the soup thicken. Switch off the heat once the soup thickens to avoid the arrowroot breaking up. Next, drizzle the whipped egg into the soup in a circular motion and leave it undisturbed for about a minute. Then stir the soup to finish up the egg ribbons.
- Garnish with scallions and enjoy immediately.
Notes
- You can sauté the boiled chicken in 1 tablespoon of oil before adding it to the soup. This will lend it some depth of flavor.
- Make sure you don’t overheat the soup after you’ve added in the arrowroot slurry.
- To make things quicker, you can prepare the chicken broth, shredded chicken and veggies ahead of time and refrigerate them in separate containers until you’re ready to make the soup.
Enozia Vakil says
SO flavorful and comforting. Can’t wait to make this again.
Shah Zeeshan says
This soup is one of our family’s favorites! The best part is that it comes together in less than 30 minutes!