Asian Chicken and Mushroom Soup

This month's issue of Bon Appetit featured a quick and easy winter soup infused with Asian flavors. I made it for dinner last night with some modifications and it went over very well. Herbs and spices are paired with poached chicken and mushrooms and the result is a warm and flavorful broth that elevates ordinary chicken soup to a deeper, more soulful, plane. I've adopted the recipe as my own and with how simple and speedy the prep is, I'll be making it frequently.

Here's my version (serves 3):

Chicken and Mushroom Soup with Chile

1 T olive oil

5 cloves of garlic, peeled

2 bay leaves

1 T allspice

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1½ teaspoons kosher salt, plus more

1 T chicken broth base

8 ounces baby portobello mushrooms, sliced

1 serrano chile, thinly sliced

1 1” piece ginger, peeled and grated

1 T rice vinegar

1 T soy sauce

1 T Aji-Mirin sauce
Handful of rice vermicelli

Freshly ground black pepper

Cilantro, for garnish
Wonton strips, for garnish

In a heavy soup pot (I use a Le Creuset enameled cast iron dutch oven), heat olive oil over medium heat. Place garlic, bay leaves, and allspice in the oil and saute until the allspice begins to release it's flavor. Add the chicken, chicken broth base, and 1½ tsp. salt to the pot and cover with 6 cups water. Bring to a bare simmer over high heat. Immediately reduce heat to medium-low, cover pot, and cook 8 minutes. Remove chicken from liquid and let cool slightly, then shred into bite-size pieces.

Strain stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot; discard solids. Add mushrooms, chile, ginger, vinegar, soy sauce, and Mirin to stock. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until broth tastes rich and flavorful, 8–10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then add shredded chicken and vermicelli and simmer just until noodles are tender. Divide soup among bowls and serve topped with cilantro and wonton strips.

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