Chinese Chicken Rice Soup with Fish and Choy Sum Recipe

Introduction

This comforting Chinese Rice Soup is a simple yet flavorful dish perfect for any day you need a warm, nourishing meal. Made with fragrant garlic, ginger, tender fish, and fresh choy sum, it’s light but satisfying. The combination of aromatics and rice creates a soothing broth that’s easy to prepare and delicious to enjoy.

Ingredients

• 1 litre (32 oz) chicken stock or broth, low sodium
• 1 cup water
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1.5 cm (1/2″) piece ginger, cut into 3 slices
• 1 1/2 tbsp light soy sauce (or all-purpose soy sauce)
• 1 1/2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine
• 1/4 – 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil (optional)
• 1/4 tsp white pepper (black pepper can be used or omitted)
• 3/4 cup uncooked white rice (long grain, medium grain, short grain, or jasmine)
• 3 stems choy sum, cut into 2cm (1″) lengths, stems separated from leaves
• 250g (8 oz) white fish fillets, cut into 2.5cm (1″) cubes
• 1 green onion, finely sliced
• Crispy fried shallots
• Crunchy fried noodles
• Chilli oil or paste (optional)

Instructions

1. Step 1: Combine the chicken stock, soy sauce, Chinese cooking wine, smashed garlic, and sliced ginger in a small pot. Place over high heat.
2. Step 2: Cover with a lid, bring to a simmer, then reduce to medium heat. Let it simmer gently for 5 minutes to infuse the flavors.
3. Step 3: Add the uncooked rice to the pot and cook uncovered for 10 minutes. The surface of the broth should bubble very gently during this time.
4. Step 4: Add the cubed fish and the stems of the choy sum. Cook for 2 minutes until the fish is just cooked through.
5. Step 5: Remove the garlic and ginger slices from the soup and discard.
6. Step 6: Stir in the choy sum leaves, which will wilt almost instantly, then add toasted sesame oil and white pepper. Serve immediately topped with green onion, crispy fried shallots, crunchy fried noodles, and chilli oil or paste if desired.

Tips & Variations

• Use jasmine rice for a fragrant aroma or short grain rice for a creamier texture.
• If you don’t have Chinese cooking wine, dry sherry or mirin make good substitutes.
• For a vegetarian version, replace the chicken stock with vegetable broth and omit the fish, adding tofu or mushrooms instead.
• Adjust the amount of sesame oil to suit your taste; it adds a lovely nutty aroma but can be skipped if preferred.

Storage

Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat gently on the stove over low heat, stirring occasionally. The rice may thicken the broth as it cools, so add a little water or broth when reheating to loosen the consistency if needed.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use frozen fish for this soup?

Yes, frozen fish fillets work fine. Thaw completely before cutting into cubes and adding to the soup to ensure even cooking.

Is it possible to make this soup without soy sauce?

While soy sauce adds essential umami and saltiness, you can omit it and season with a little salt or a splash of fish sauce instead, keeping in mind this will alter the traditional flavor somewhat.

Chinese Chicken Rice Soup with Fish and Choy Sum Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.6 from 107 reviews

This comforting Chinese Rice Soup is a delicate, nourishing broth infused with garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and Chinese cooking wine. Tender white fish and crisp choy sum add texture and flavor, while finishing touches like sesame oil, white pepper, and crispy garnishes make every spoonful delightful. Quick to prepare on the stovetop, it’s a perfect light meal or starter.

• Author: Stella
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 17 minutes
• Total Time: 27 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Category: Soup
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Chinese

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Broth Ingredients

• 1 litre / 32 oz low sodium chicken stock/broth
• 1 cup water
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1.5 cm / 1/2″ piece ginger, cut into 3 slices
• 1 1/2 tbsp light soy sauce (or normal all purpose soy sauce)
• 1 1/2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine
• 1/4 – 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil (optional)
• 1/4 tsp white pepper (substitute black pepper or omit)

Main Ingredients

• 3/4 cup uncooked white rice (long grain, medium grain, short grain, or jasmine)
• 3 stems choy sum, cut into 2cm / 1″ lengths, stems separated from leaves
• 250g / 8 oz white fish fillets, cut into 2.5cm / 1″ cubes

Garnishes

• 1 green onion, finely sliced
• Crispy fried shallots
• Crunchy fried noodles
• Chilli oil or paste

Instructions

1. Combine broth ingredients: In a small pot over high heat, combine chicken stock, water, light soy sauce, Chinese cooking wine, smashed garlic cloves, and sliced ginger.
2. Simmer to infuse: Cover the pot with a lid, bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium. Let it gently simmer for 5 minutes to allow the flavors of garlic and ginger to infuse into the broth.
3. Add rice: Stir in the uncooked rice and cook uncovered for 10 minutes, keeping the broth surface to a gentle bubble, almost a very light simmer, allowing the rice to cook and release starches into the broth.
4. Add fish and stems: Add the cubed white fish and choy sum stems to the pot. Cook for 2 minutes until the fish is just cooked through and opaque, while the stems soften slightly.
5. Remove aromatics: Take out the garlic cloves and ginger slices from the soup to avoid overpowering the flavor.
6. Finish soup: Stir in the choy sum leaves, which will wilt almost instantly. Add toasted sesame oil and white pepper and mix gently. Serve the soup immediately, garnished with finely sliced green onion, crispy fried shallots, crunchy fried noodles, and a drizzle of chilli oil or paste as desired.

Notes

• Use low sodium chicken stock to better control the saltiness of the soup.
• Smashed garlic and sliced ginger add gentle aromatic flavor to the broth and are removed before serving.
• Light soy sauce adds a subtle saltiness without overpowering; regular soy sauce can be used alternatively.
• Chinese cooking wine is key for authentic flavor but can be substituted with dry sherry if unavailable.
• Toasted sesame oil is optional but imparts a lovely nutty aroma; add at the end to preserve flavor.
• Any type of white rice works, but jasmine or medium grain is recommended for best texture.
• Separate choy sum stems from leaves, adding stems first for texture and leaves last to wilt gently.
• Add crunchy toppings like fried shallots and noodles for varied texture contrast.
• Adjust chili oil or paste to your preferred level of spiciness.

Keywords: Chinese rice soup, fish soup, choy sum soup, light chicken broth, easy Chinese soup, comforting soup recipe