Preparation: 

Preparation time: 2 hr 40 min

Cooking time: 20 min

Serving: 6

Ingredients:

• 3 red dates (jujubes)
• 2 tablespoons goji berries
• One 1-inch piece of American ginseng root
• 2 small pieces of dried tangerine peel
• 2 medium dried shiitake mushrooms, optional
• One 1 1/2- to 2-pound black silkie chicken or Cornish hen
• One 1-inch piece of ginger, sliced into 4 coins
• Kosher salt

Instructions:

1. Soak the dates and goji berries in a small bowl with enough cold water to cover until the berries are plump, about 15 minutes (it’s fine that the red dates float). Drain and discard the soaking liquid. Set the berries and dates aside.
2. Soak the ginseng root, dried tangerine peel, and dried shiitake mushrooms, if using, in a medium bowl with enough warm water to cover, until the tangerine peels and dried mushrooms are hydrated, about 15 minutes. Drain the liquid, rinse the ingredients to remove any grit, and set aside. If the tangerine peel has a lighter side with pith, use the dull side of a small knife to scrape off as much as possible.
3. Add the ginseng, tangerine peel and mushrooms along with the black chicken, ginger, and 12 cups cold water to a 6-quart Dutch oven or stainless-steel pot. Cover and bring to a simmer over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and gently simmer, covered, for 30 to 40 minutes. Skim off any foam on the surface and discard.
4. Uncover the pot and add the soaked red dates and goji berries. Continue to gently simmer, uncovered, until the chicken is tender and the soup is golden about 2 hours.
5. Season the soup with salt to taste and serve. The chicken meat itself can be pulled off and eaten in the soup, or it can be eaten separately, maybe dipped in a bit of soy sauce for extra saltiness.