Hot and Sour Soup with Chicken, Noodles, and Poached Eggs
By Maggie ZhuPublished on February 17, 2026
Time
45 minutes
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
8 ounces dried thin Chinese wheat noodles 4 large eggs 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar 1 teaspoon table salt 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 cloves garlic, minced2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger 1 pound ground chicken 4 cups chicken broth ¼ cup soy sauce 1 teaspoon sugar 8 ounces (8 cups) baby spinach ¼ cup chili crisp ¼ cup Chinese black vinegar 2 scallions, sliced thin
Before You Begin
We like LAOGANMA Spicy Chili Crisp in this recipe. If using other brands, try to find a neutral one that has onion or garlic for crunch but does not include fermented black beans, whose strong flavor and saltiness will overpower the soup. Spaghetti can be substituted for the Chinese wheat noodles.
Instructions
- Bring 8 cups water to boil in Dutch oven over high heat. Cook 8 ounces dried thin Chinese wheat noodles according to package directions. Using tongs, remove noodles to large bowl, rinse with cold water, and drain well (leave boiling water in Dutch oven). Divide noodles among 4 serving bowls.
- Meanwhile, crack 4 large eggs, one at a time, into colander. Let stand until loose, watery whites drain away from eggs, 20 to 30 seconds. Gently transfer eggs to 2-cup liquid measuring cup.
- Add 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar and 1 teaspoon table salt to remaining boiling water. Remove pot from heat. With lip of measuring cup just above surface of water, gently tip eggs into water, 1 at a time, leaving space between them. Cover pot and let stand until whites closest to yolks are just set and opaque, about 3 minutes. If after 3 minutes whites are not set, let stand in water, checking every 30 seconds, until eggs reach desired doneness. (For medium-cooked yolks, let eggs sit in pot, covered, for 4 minutes, then begin checking for doneness.) Using slotted spoon, carefully lift and drain each egg over Dutch oven and place 1 in each noodle bowl.
- Drain water from pot. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in now-empty pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and 2 teaspoons grated ginger and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add 1 pound ground chicken and cook, breaking into small pieces with spoon, until just browned, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add 4 cups chicken broth, ¼ cup soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon sugar and bring to boil. Stir in 8 cups baby spinach, cover, and cook until tender, about 1 minute.
- Off heat, stir in ¼ cup chili crisp, ¼ cup Chinese black vinegar, and 2 thinly sliced scallions. Divide between noodle bowls and serve.
Time
45 minutesYield
Serves 4Ingredients
8 ounces dried thin Chinese wheat noodles
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon table salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 pound ground chicken
4 cups chicken broth
¼ cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
8 ounces (8 cups) baby spinach
¼ cup chili crisp
¼ cup Chinese black vinegar
2 scallions, sliced thin
Ingredients
8 ounces dried thin Chinese wheat noodles
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon table salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 pound ground chicken
4 cups chicken broth
¼ cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
8 ounces (8 cups) baby spinach
¼ cup chili crisp
¼ cup Chinese black vinegar
2 scallions, sliced thin
Ingredients
8 ounces dried thin Chinese wheat noodles
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon table salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 pound ground chicken
4 cups chicken broth
¼ cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
8 ounces (8 cups) baby spinach
¼ cup chili crisp
¼ cup Chinese black vinegar
2 scallions, sliced thin
Why This Recipe Works
In this riff on Chinese American hot and sour soup, we take the classic flavors of the broth and bulk it up with noodles and ground chicken. Chili crisp and Chinese black vinegar provide the signature heat and tang, while fresh spinach lightens the dish and offers contrast. Each bowl gets a runny poached egg as a nod to the typical wisps of beaten egg stirred throughout the traditional soup. A balanced, comforting dish with complex flavors comes together in 45 minutes.
Before You Begin
We like LAOGANMA Spicy Chili Crisp in this recipe. If using other brands, try to find a neutral one that has onion or garlic for crunch but does not include fermented black beans, whose strong flavor and saltiness will overpower the soup. Spaghetti can be substituted for the Chinese wheat noodles.
Instructions
- Bring 8 cups water to boil in Dutch oven over high heat. Cook 8 ounces dried thin Chinese wheat noodles according to package directions. Using tongs, remove noodles to large bowl, rinse with cold water, and drain well (leave boiling water in Dutch oven). Divide noodles among 4 serving bowls.
- Meanwhile, crack 4 large eggs, one at a time, into colander. Let stand until loose, watery whites drain away from eggs, 20 to 30 seconds. Gently transfer eggs to 2-cup liquid measuring cup.
- Add 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar and 1 teaspoon table salt to remaining boiling water. Remove pot from heat. With lip of measuring cup just above surface of water, gently tip eggs into water, 1 at a time, leaving space between them. Cover pot and let stand until whites closest to yolks are just set and opaque, about 3 minutes. If after 3 minutes whites are not set, let stand in water, checking every 30 seconds, until eggs reach desired doneness. (For medium-cooked yolks, let eggs sit in pot, covered, for 4 minutes, then begin checking for doneness.) Using slotted spoon, carefully lift and drain each egg over Dutch oven and place 1 in each noodle bowl.
- Drain water from pot. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in now-empty pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and 2 teaspoons grated ginger and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add 1 pound ground chicken and cook, breaking into small pieces with spoon, until just browned, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add 4 cups chicken broth, ¼ cup soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon sugar and bring to boil. Stir in 8 cups baby spinach, cover, and cook until tender, about 1 minute.
- Off heat, stir in ¼ cup chili crisp, ¼ cup Chinese black vinegar, and 2 thinly sliced scallions. Divide between noodle bowls and serve.
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