Servings: Serves: 4

Half of a chicken (Split chicken, or, one small whole chicken) Half of a chicken (Split chicken, or, one small whole chicken)
1 large onion 1 large onion
1 large knob of ginger 1 large knob of ginger
1 tablespoon turmeric 1 tablespoon turmeric
2 bay leaves 2 bay leaves
5 garlic cloves 5 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon ground coriander 1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon black peppercorns 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
Olive oil Olive oil
Salt and Pepper Salt and Pepper
12 ounces shiitake mushrooms 12 ounces shiitake mushrooms
2 medium carrots 2 medium carrots
3 scallions 3 scallions
Optional, for serving: Soft-boiled egg, fresh ramen noodles, chili oil Optional, for serving: Soft-boiled egg, fresh ramen noodles, chili oil

Prep Ingredients: Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Halve the onion, cut the one half into big wedges and thinly slice the other half. Thinly slice the ginger knob, leaving the skin on. Lightly mash the garlic. Thinly slice the shiitake mushroom caps. Scrub the carrots (or peel, if you prefer) and slice thinly on an angle. Mince the white and light green parts of the scallions. Cut the dark green tops thinly on an angle and reserve for garnish.
Heat oil a 4 quart pot over medium high heat until very hot. Add the chicken, skin side down and cook until the skin is browned, about 7 minutes. Flip and cook an additional 5 minutes.
Add the onion wedges, ginger slices, bay leaves, garlic, turmeric, coriander, and black peppercorns. Fill the pot with between 7 to 8 cups of water and season with salt. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and cook for about 30 minutes or until the thickest part of the chicken breast reads 160ºF.
Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside on a plate. Bring the stock back to a boil as you carefully shred the flesh from the chicken with two forks (once it’s cool enough to handle!) Discard the skin and place the chicken carcass back into the stock continue to boil for 10 to 15 minutes or until the stock has reduced.
Strain the broth into a large bowl through a fine-mesh sieve. Allow to cool and skim off as much of the fat as you can. This is homemade broth, so you should expect there to be some fat in the broth at the end!
Wipe out the stock pot and heat another slick of oil. Add the mushrooms and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the minced green onion whites, thinly sliced onions, and the carrots and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Add the broth and reduce heat to a simmer. Add the chicken and cook for 1 to 2 minutes to reheat it.
To Serve: Divide soup between bowls, and top with sliced green onions and a soft-boiled egg, if using. If serving with noodles, divide cooked noodles between bowls and top with the hot broth. Drizzle with a touch of chili oil if desired. Enjoy!