Sizzling Rice Soup: Step By Step Instructions

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Made with loads of fresh vegetables, sliced chicken, and poached shrimp in a light but flavorful broth studded with crispy squares of sizzling fried rice, this sizzling rice soup is an Chinese classic!

It's ultra easy to make and quickly became a favorite in our household (especially as we were trying to recover from overindulging during the holidays!).

Who doesn't like a nice warm bowl of soup to warm you up in the winter? We love the simplicity of this wonton noodle soup and this spicy chicken ramen, and the rich deliciousness of soups like this instant pot french onion soup (one of our favs!).

And this sizzling rice soup is just so fun...clumps of dried out rice puffed in oil then added to the soup while still hot make a popping, sizzling sound (hence the name). And it adds a wonderful texture to it!

Plus, it is really easy to make, the most difficult part just frying the rice. It's not hard though. And it's totally worth it.

Why This Recipe Works

1. It comes together very easily, and can make a great weeknight meal.
2. It's mostly healthy, packed with fresh vegetables, chicken and shrimp.
3. The crispy rice adds perfect texture to the soup.
4. The flavor is light and refreshing, and oh-so-addictive.
5. The ingredients are easy to find and can be adjusted if needed.

Ingredients

The full list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

A thinly sliced chicken breast and fresh shrimp are used in this recipe. The fresher the shrimp, the better they will taste. You can use more or less of one or the other, the recipe is very forgiving.

Dried shiitake mushrooms are used to add a nice earthiness to the broth.

Shaoxing wine is a Chinese rice wine used often in Chinese cooking. You can substitute a dry sherry if you don't have it.

I always use my homemade instant pot chicken bone broth (or this chicken feet bone broth) for recipes that call for chicken stock. You can use pork stock as well.

Step By Step Instructions

Spread the white rice in a thin layer on a baking sheet and sprinkle with the ½ teaspoon of salt.

Let it sit, uncovered, for 24 hours. **you can also bake in a 300F degree oven until no longer sticky (the goal is to get most of the water out so it fries easier).

Cover the dried shiitake mushrooms with boiling water and let them soak for at least 30 minutes. Squeeze out excess water, slice and set aside (reserving the soaking liquid).

Combine the Shaoxing wine, cornstarch and soy sauce in a bowl and mix together.

Add the chicken slices and stir to coat. Let sit for 15-30 minutes.

Heat about 3 cups of water to boiling in a wok.

Add the chicken and cook about 30-60 seconds, until cooked through. **it will cook very fast.

Remove the chicken and set aside.

Add the shrimp and cook about 1 minute, until no longer pink. Remove and set aside.

Discard the water and wash the wok.

Heat the cooking oil in the wok over medium high heat.

Add the snap peas and sliced shiitake mushrooms and stir fry 1 minute.

Add the baby bok choy, one cup at a time to avoid overcrowding the pan, stir frying for 1 minute in between batches.

Add the straw mushrooms and cook for 1-2 minutes.

Add the white pepper, ginger and sesame oil and toss together.

Add the broth and ¼ cup of the reserved mushroom liquid and bring to a simmer. Simmer 2-3 minutes, turn off heat and set aside.

Heat 2" oil in a high sided heavy bottomed skillet (I use a cast iron skillet) to 350F degrees.

Add the rice in 3 separate batches and cook until just starting to turn golden brown on the outside. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Spoon the soup into bowls and add the hot rice immediately to hear the sizzle and pop (rice needs to be just fried to sizzle the most!).

Serve while still hot.

Expert Tips

1. You can substitute scallops for shrimp (or just add scallops in). 
2. Chicken breast works best because of it's low fat content (we are just poaching it for this recipe).
3. Don't skip the marinade on the chicken as it is part of what gives it flavor in the soup.
4. Keep the oil at 350F degrees as you add the rice as lower temperatures tend to result in soggy, greasy rice.
5. Use a cast iron skillet or your wok for fry for the best results.
6. Add different vegetables as you would like (baby corn, peas, green beans, broccoli are all greet options).
7. Never crowd the wok when adding vegetables to stir fry or they will steam instead of stor fry.
8. Add some chili crisp or chili garlic sauce for added spice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Storage/Reheating Instructions

The soup can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge and reheat in a pot over the stove or in a microwave.

The puffed rice can be store in a freezer bag until ready to use (up to 3 months). Just place it directly into hot soup and it will stay crispy (it likely won't still sizzle at this point, but the flavor and texture will still be there).

Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment below and let me know how it turned out!