No Water Chicken Soup! Can You Really Make Chicken Soup Without Water?

Ingredients

• 1 whole Whole Chicken (about 5 lbs (2.3 kg), cleaned and patted dry)
• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil (extra‑virgin preferred)
• 1 large Yellow Onion (diced)
• 1 large Leek (white and light green parts only, sliced)
• 1/2 head Napa Cabbage (shredded; green cabbage or savoy works too)
• 1 cup Escarole (chopped; optional but adds extra broth)
• 2 medium Carrot (peeled and diced)
• 2 stalks Celery (diced)
• 1 cup White Button Mushrooms (sliced; high water content)
• 1 medium Apple (peeled and diced; adds sweetness and moisture)
• 2 Tbsp Fresh Ginger Root (thinly sliced; divided (some for broth, some for garnish))
• 2 tsp Salt (divided for seasoning vegetables and chicken)
• 1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper (adds gentle heat)
• 1 Tbsp Rice Vinegar (optional garnish, added at serving)
• 1 Tbsp Soy Sauce (optional garnish, add to bowl before eating)
• 1 tsp Sambal Chili Sauce (optional garnish for heat)
• 2 stalks Green Onion (thinly sliced, for garnish)

Instructions

1. Prep All Vegetables

   Dice the yellow onion, slice the leek (white and light‑green parts only), shred the napa cabbage, chop the escarole, dice the carrots and celery, slice the mushrooms, peel and dice the apple, and thinly slice the ginger root.

   Time: PT15M

2. Sauté Onion and Leek

   Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in the Dutch oven over medium‑high heat. Add the diced onion, sliced leek, and 1 tsp salt. Stir until the mixture softens and begins to steam, about 5 minutes.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: medium‑high

3. Steam Initial Aromatics

   Cover the pot tightly and let the vegetables steam for 10 minutes. This creates a moist base before the rest of the veggies are added.

   Time: PT10M

4. Add Remaining Vegetables

   Uncover, add carrots, celery, mushrooms, diced apple, shredded cabbage, and escarole. Press the mixture down with a spoon or your hand so it packs tightly, then cover again and cook for another 10 minutes, or until the veggies have softened and released moisture.

   Time: PT10M

5. Introduce the Whole Chicken

   Remove the lid, make a small well in the center of the vegetables, and place the whole chicken inside. Sprinkle the remaining 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp cayenne over the chicken, then lay the remaining sliced ginger on top.

   Time: PT5M

6. Simmer Gently

   Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and let the soup simmer untouched for 1 hour 45 minutes (or 1 hour for a smaller bird) until the chicken is fully cooked and the vegetables have collapsed, creating a rich broth.

   Time: PT1H45M

   Temperature: low

7. Finish and Serve

   Remove the chicken, carve or pull off meat, and discard any bones. Taste the broth and adjust salt if needed. For each serving, ladle broth and vegetables into a bowl, add meat, then optionally stir in a splash of rice vinegar, soy sauce, a dab of sambal chili sauce, and garnish with sliced green onions.

   Time: PT5M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

375

Protein

30 g

Carbohydrates

15 g

Fat

15 g

Fiber

3 g