Warming Chicken with Black Peppercorn Soup
Soup Name: Warming Chicken with Black Peppercorn Soup
Traditional Chinese Name: 黑胡椒雞湯 (hēi hújiāo jītāng). Direct translation is black pepper chicken soup. It’s a very generic name because you can kind of design what else you want in it. In general, it is a warming soup because of the black pepper to start and it is nicely paired with other complimentary warming ingredients as well.
Nature: warming
Taste: pungent, salty
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I personally love this combo! From a TCM perspective, this is a warming, Qi- and Blood-supporting, circulation-boosting soup with a bit of surface-releasing action. This is great for when I’ve gone out for a run or ride in cooler weather, but also for when I’m feeling the onset of a cold or flu. However, it is also designed for postpartum or post surgery recovery.
Warming chicken and black peppercorn soup: Who is this soup for?
Cold-type / yang-deficient constitution, if you have:
Have cold hands and feet
Feel cold easily, especially in wind/AC
Prefer warm drinks and dislike cold food
Feel better with warmth on the belly
The black pepper, ginger, and green onion whites all warm the channels and interior.
Postpartum or post-illness (after acute phase) with cold + deficiency, if you have:
Past the very first few days postpartum
Feeling cold, weak, low energy
Has mild loose stools from deficiency (not from infection)
Needs Qi + Blood support and gentle warmth
Chicken + red dates + honey dates = Qi & Blood nourishment
Pepper + ginger + cong bai = help expel residual cold and support circulation.
Spleen Yang / Spleen Qi deficiency with cold, if you have:
Bloating that improves with warm food/drinks
Soft stools or feeling cold after eating
Low appetite, fatigue, heaviness
Warm, sweet, cooked soup with protein and warming spices = classic Spleen and middle jiao support.
Cold-type aches, mild cold damp, if you have:
Feel a bit “achy and chilled” from wind-cold
Feel better with hot showers or hot packs
Have mild stiffness worse in cold/damp weather
Black pepper + ginger = move Qi and warm channels, helping cold-type discomfort.
Emotional & “comfort” support, helps to:
Nourish Heart and Spleen
Support mood, sleep, and emotional stability
Feel grounding and comforting in cooler seasons
Perfect as a winter / rainy day / low-energy comfort soup.
Avoid if, you’ve got:
- Heat patterns, such as feeling hot, red face, constipation or dry stools
- Yin deficiency with heat, such as dry throat at night, night sweats
- Damp-heat or yellow, thick phlegm, or acne break outs
- Active high fever, this may be too warming and tonifying for your body
What’s involved?
Prep time: 10 mins (including pan-frying chicken)
Cook time: 60+ mins (boil)
Total time: 70+ mins
Serves: 1-2 bowls of soup
Ingredients
- 3 chicken drumsticks
- 3 slices fresh ginger
- 3 dried shiitake mushrooms
- 5 dried red dates
- 5 green onion white ends
- 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 1 to 1.5L of water
I often use these smaller ceramic pots (especially for more medicinal soups or teas). These are great for 1-2 bowls of soup and are super easy to clean!
Cooking Instructions
- In your ceramic soup pot, add a drop of oil and place your 3 slices fresh ginger on med heat
- Once that browns slightly, add in your chicken thighs. Rotate them to brown all the sides so there’s a nice, tasty crust.
- Add in your water and turn the heat on to high.
- Cover and bring that to a boil.
- Once the soup water boils, add in your dried shiitake mushrooms, dried honey dates, dried red dates, green onion whites, and black peppercorns.
- Cover, reduce to medium to allow that to boil gently for at least 60 minutes.
- Salt as needed, serve and enjoy!
- Don’t forget to eat the chicken drumsticks as part of a meal, or serve with rice! Super soft, falling of the bone, and yummy when dipped with soy sauce!
What you’ll need:
I like using this type of ceramic pot for these smaller 1-2 portion soups that are more dense and healing. Chicken herbal soups are the best!
Dried red dates! This source from Amazon is perfect. They come already unseeded and perfect for these types of soups!
These are great sliced, dried shiitake mushrooms to try from Amazon as well. I also buy mine from local Asian supermarkets. They are pretty common.
Some or all of these links may contain Amazon product referral links; as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. If you decide to use them, I would be grateful. If not, I am always thankful for your continued support! ❤️
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