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Chicken Egg Drop Soup is warm and comforting, with tender shredded chicken, soft and flowy egg ribbons, and a rich, savory broth in every spoonful. This heartier take on Chinese egg drop soup is full of homemade chicken flavor, yet simple enough for a weeknight dinner.
This has long been one of the most popular soup recipes on the blog. I’ll show you how to build that rich chicken flavor without making stock all day, plus the simple technique that keeps the eggs soft and silky.
Why readers love this chicken egg drop soup
It’s easy to see why this soup is a reader favorite. The broth has a rich, slow-simmered taste, yet the soup comes together in one pot with simple, wholesome ingredients.
- Rich chicken flavor: Bone-in chicken thighs and good-quality broth give the soup a deeper, more homemade taste without hours of stock-making.
- Tender chicken in every spoonful: Plenty of juicy shredded chicken makes this soup satisfying enough to enjoy as a meal.
- Soft and flowy egg flowers: The eggs form silky, flower-like ribbons that feel delicate and almost melt in your mouth.
- Simple enough for a weeknight: It cooks in one pot with easy-to-find ingredients and about 30 minutes of cooking time.
Key ingredients for chicken egg drop soup
You only need a few simple ingredients, so choosing the right ones makes a big difference.
- Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs: They give the soup a richer chicken flavor, and the thigh meat stays tender and juicy.
- Good-quality chicken broth or bone broth: Choose a brand that tastes good on its own. My favorites are Pacific Foods and Kettle & Fire.
- Ginger and scallions: These aromatics build a flavorful base and add depth to the broth.
- Tapioca or potato starch: Either one lightly thickens the soup without using cornstarch.
- Eggs: I use four large eggs.
- Turmeric: Just a small pinch gives the soup a warm golden color.
How to make chicken egg drop soup
I use a 4-quart Dutch oven or soup pot with a lid. It gives the chicken enough room to brown and comfortably holds the broth without crowding the pot.
- Brown the chicken: Pat the chicken thighs dry, season with salt, and place them skin-side down in the pot. The goal is not crispy skin. We want to lightly brown the chicken and render some of its fat—because fat gives the broth more flavor.
- Build the broth: Add the bruised whole scallions and sliced ginger to the rendered chicken fat. This helps release their aroma and builds more depth into the broth. Keeping the aromatics in large pieces also makes them easy to remove later.
- Cover and simmer: Add the chicken broth, cover the pot, and simmer for 20 minutes. This gives the bones and aromatics time to flavor the broth while keeping the chicken tender and juicy.
- Shred and thicken: Remove the chicken and aromatics. Discard the skin and bones, shred the meat, and return it to the pot. Stir in the tapioca or potato starch slurry to give the broth a light gloss and enough body to hold the egg flowers without making the soup too thick.
- Bring the soup to a low boil: Look for steady bubbles rising across the surface, but not the vigorous churning of a rolling boil. A simmer is not hot enough to set the eggs quickly once the heat is turned off, while a rolling boil can break them into tiny pieces.
- Make the egg flowers: Turn off the heat and immediately pour the eggs from the spouted measuring cup in a thin, steady stream—not all at once. Do not stir while pouring. Let the eggs set for a few seconds, then slowly move chopsticks through the soup once or twice to form soft, flowy egg flowers.
What to serve with chicken egg flower soup
This egg drop soup with chicken is satisfying enough for a light meal, or you can pair it with one of these easy Chinese sides:
- Add some greens: Chinese broccoli with oyster sauce is crisp-tender, garlicky, and ready in 15 minutes.
- Make it more filling: Panda Express fried rice adds fluffy rice and vegetables for a complete Chinese-style dinner.
- Serve it with wontons: These juicy chicken wontons with spicy sesame sauce make the meal extra special, and the sauce can be mild or spicy.
Recipe Card
Chicken egg drop soup recipe
Chicken egg drop soup with tender shredded chicken and silky egg ribbons. Searing bone-in thighs first builds rich, homemade flavor—all in one pot.
Ingredients
For the chicken soup base
- 1.25 lb. bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
- Coarse sea salt to taste
- 1 tbsp avocado oil or 2 tbsp for Instant Pot
- 4 scallions divided
- 0.5 oz. fresh ginger thinly sliced
- 6 cups good-quality chicken broth or bone broth
- 1 tsp light soy sauce or 1 tbsp coconut aminos, optional; taste the broth before adding
For the slurry
- 2 tbsp tapioca starch or potato starch
- ¼ tsp ground white pepper or black pepper
- ⅛ tsp turmeric powder
- 2 to 3 tbsp water
Other ingredients
- 4 large eggs
- Toasted sesame oil for finishing
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Pat the chicken thighs dry and lightly season both sides with salt.
- Sear the chicken: Heat the oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat until it shimmers. Carefully add the chicken skin-side down. Sear for about 3 minutes per side, or until lightly golden. The chicken will not be cooked through at this point. We are only browning it and rendering some of the chicken fat to flavor the soup.
- Add the aromatics: Keep 2 scallions whole and finely chop the remaining 2 for garnish. Lightly pound the pale parts of the whole scallions with the handle or flat side of a knife until slightly flattened, then fold them in half. Add the bruised scallions and ginger to the pot.
- Simmer the soup: Pour in the chicken broth. Cover and bring it just to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. The chicken should be cooked through and easy to pull from the bones.
- Prepare the slurry and eggs: While the soup simmers, combine the starch, pepper, turmeric, and 2 tablespoons of water in a small bowl. Mix until smooth, adding the remaining tablespoon of water if needed to make a pourable slurry. In a measuring cup with a spout, gently whisk the eggs just until the yolks and whites come together. Avoid whisking vigorously or creating lots of bubbles.
- Shred the chicken: Remove and discard the ginger and whole scallions. Transfer the chicken to a plate. Remove the skin and bones, then shred the meat into bite-size pieces.
- Season and thicken the soup: Taste the broth and add light soy sauce or coconut aminos only if needed. Return the shredded chicken to the pot and bring the soup back to a simmer over medium heat. Stir the slurry again, then pour it into the soup while stirring. Cook for about 30 seconds, until the broth looks lightly glossy and slightly thickened but is still soupy.
- Bring the soup to a low boil: Let the soup become hotter than a simmer, with small, steady bubbles rising across the surface. It should not churn vigorously like a rolling boil.
- Pour in the eggs: Turn off the heat. Immediately pour the eggs from the spouted measuring cup in a thin, steady stream—not all at once. Move the spout around the pot to distribute the eggs evenly, and do not stir while pouring.
- Let the eggs set: Leave the eggs undisturbed for a few seconds. Slowly move a pair of chopsticks through the soup once or twice to separate any very large pieces. The eggs should form soft, silky, flower-like ribbons rather than tiny, broken bits.
- Serve: Finish with a drizzle of toasted sesame oil and the chopped scallions. Serve hot or warm.
Notes
- Make ahead and freeze: For the best texture, prepare the chicken soup base without the slurry or eggs. Refrigerate or freeze the base, then reheat it until gently boiling. Add the slurry and form the egg ribbons shortly before serving. Freezing the finished soup can make the eggs lose their soft, silky texture.
- Storage and reheating: Store the finished soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat it gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat until hot. Avoid a hard boil, which can make the eggs firmer.
- Select Sauté and wait until the pot is hot. Season the chicken with salt and add 2 tablespoons of oil.
- Place the chicken skin-side down and sear for about 3 minutes per side, or until lightly golden. Press Cancel.
- Add the bruised whole scallions, ginger, and chicken broth.
- Secure the lid and seal the pressure valve. Cook on High Pressure for 10 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes, then carefully release the remaining pressure.
- Remove the ginger, whole scallions, and chicken. Discard the aromatics. Remove the chicken skin and bones, then shred the meat and return it to the pot.
- Select Sauté and follow the stovetop instructions for seasoning the broth, adding the slurry, and forming the egg ribbons.
- Turn off the Instant Pot as soon as the soup reaches a gentle boil, then immediately stream in the eggs.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 281kcal, Carbohydrates: 7g, Protein: 29g, Fat: 15g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 189mg, Sodium: 228mg, Potassium: 609mg, Fiber: 0.3g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 265IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 53mg, Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Leave a comment below!
More egg drop soup recipes
If you love soft egg flowers, try one of these delicious variations next:
- Protein egg drop soup: Ground meat and shiitake mushrooms make this version extra hearty and filling.
- Chinese chicken corn soup: Sweet corn and chicken give this slightly thicker soup a naturally sweet and savory flavor.
- Egg drop noodle soup: Chewy noodles turn classic egg drop soup into an easy one-bowl meal.
- Wonton egg drop soup: Tender pork and shrimp wontons make this silky egg flower soup extra special.
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FAQ
Is egg flower soup the same as egg drop soup?
Yes. In Chinese, egg drop soup is often called dàn huā tāng (蛋花湯), or egg flower soup. The name describes the soft, flower-like shapes that form when eggs are streamed into the hot broth.
Can I make egg drop soup without cornstarch?
Yes. This chicken egg drop soup uses tapioca or potato starch instead. Either one lightly thickens the broth and helps hold the egg ribbons without making the soup overly thick.
Is chicken egg drop soup gluten-free?
It can be. Use chicken broth and light soy sauce labeled gluten-free. Tapioca starch and potato starch are naturally gluten-free.
Yummy 😋
Absolutely fabulous. Doesn’t even need salt: adding salt DISTRACTS from the rich broth taste. Amazing!
Thank you for your (always great) recipes.
I followed the recipe with one exception: I didn’t sear the chicken because I was too lazy LOL
Instead I removed the chicken flesh and put the bones back into the broth to simmer for another 1 hour.
That made the broth super rich and creamy! As a paleo cook myself I used arrowroot starch (about 1 flat TBS for 2L of broth) and the consistency was just right: slightly thickened only. It was the first time making this soup and my husband LOVED IT, and so did I! Thank you
Thanks so much for sharing. That sounds great!