Hainan Chicken Coconut Soup (海南椰子鸡汤)

5 from 1 vote

Hainan Chicken Coconut Soup doesn't use coconut milk, but fresh coconut, giving the soup a hint of sweetness and big chicken flavor!

Prep Time30

Cook Time50

Total Time1 20

Course: Soups

Cuisine: Chinese

Servings:

Calories: 150kcal

Author: Judy

1 - 2 fresh coconuts (if you can get both, get 1 mature and 1 young coconut for a good amount of both juice and flesh)
7 cups water
3 slices ginger about 10g
2 whole scallions
4 Chinese dried red dates/jujubes 红枣, pitted and halved lengthwise
2½ pounds chicken drumsticks about 10 pcs
1 tablespoon dried goji berries
Salt to taste

Crack open coconuts and pour the coconut juice into your soup pot. Next, open the coconuts completely and scoop out the coconut flesh. Peel off any brown skin on the coconut, and slice into strips. Add the coconut flesh to your soup pot.
Next, add the water, ginger, scallion, and dates/jujubes. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, add the chicken legs, cover, and bring back to boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium, cover, and let the soup simmer for 30 minutes. The soup should be bubbling, but not at a rolling boil. The idea is to cook the chicken and intensify the soup’s flavor without cooking off the liquid.
Meanwhile, prepare the dipping sauce by combining the lime juice, Thai chilies (to taste), garlic, and light soy sauce. When the chicken is done, add the cilantro and 1 tablespoon of the soup.
Once the soup is done cooking, add the goji berries. Season it well with salt (to taste), and garnish with chopped scallions if desired.