Shark Fin Soup
A crowd-pleasing chicken built around dried shiitake mushrooms, dried bamboo shoots and boneless skinless chicken breast, finely shredded — roughly 70 minutes start to finish, and rated medium to make. You'll find the full ingredient list (with a scaler to change the servings), 7 steps of method, substitutions, and ideas for what to serve alongside.
You'll mainly reach for large pot and saucepan. At medium difficulty across 7 steps, it's manageable with a little attention.
What you'll need
Shopping list (4)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
Diet: contains meat, based on every ingredient listed below.
Contains: Egg Soy Sesame
Allergen labels are informational and may not cover cross-contact; verify every package and consult a qualified professional for medical dietary needs. Diet labels are derived from the ingredient list on this page — how we verify diet and allergen labels.
Food-safety and allergen information is general, not medical advice. Follow current guidance from your local food-safety authority, verify product labels, and seek qualified advice for allergies or health conditions.
How to make it
- Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms and bamboo shoots in separate bowls of warm water for about 30 minutes until softened, then drain, reserving the mushroom liquid, and thinly slice both.
- In a large pot, bring the chicken stock, reserved mushroom liquid, ginger, soy sauce, and Shaoxing wine to a gentle simmer.
- Add the sliced mushrooms and bamboo shoots and simmer for 10 minutes to build flavor.
- Stir in the shredded chicken and simmer for another 4 to 5 minutes until the chicken is cooked through to 165 degrees F and no longer pink.
- Whisk the cornstarch with 4 tablespoons of cold water, then drizzle it into the simmering soup while stirring constantly until the broth thickens to a silky consistency.
- Keep the soup at a gentle simmer and slowly pour in the beaten egg in a thin stream while stirring gently to create delicate ribbons, letting it cook for a minute so the egg is fully set.
- Season with white pepper and salt to taste, finish with the sesame oil, and serve hot.
You'll use: Large pot · Saucepan · Whisk
Ingredient substitutions
- Soy Sauce
- tamari (gluten-free) · coconut aminos
- Cornstarch
- 2 tbsp flour per 1 tbsp cornstarch (as thickener)
Tips & common questions
How long does Shark Fin Soup take to make?
About 70 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 7 steps and 12 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of soy sauce?
Try tamari (gluten-free). See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
How should I store leftovers?
Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate in an airtight container, and eat within 3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout.
Related recipes
Adapted recipe — rewritten in our own wording from an open-licensed community cookbook, not yet independently kitchen-tested by Consomee. How we source, test & correct recipes.
Shark Fin Soup is adapted by Consomee from the Wikibooks Cookbook, rewritten in our own wording and used under CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo: Chinese cuisine-Shark fin soup-01.jpg by chee.hong, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure — how we source recipes.