Taiwanese Chicken Soup v. 3

Ingredients:

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or 2.25 lbs chicken legs)

1 handful of dried goji berries

1 carrot, peeled

2 bunches of green onions (white parts chopped)

1/2 lb shitake mushrooms (whole, rinsed) OR handful of dried black mushrooms, rinsed in hot water

1 large ginger root (peeled and sliced diagonally)

4 garlic cloves (smashed)

baby bok choy, chopped

kosher salt

ground black or multicolored pepper
red chili flakes

sesame oil

1 meyer or eureka lemon
1/4 cup xiaoshing rice wine

Cook:

Heat up cast iron pot.

Saute first batch of chicken until browned (about 6 minutes each side - don't crowd pan).
Season with kosher salt, ground black pepper and red chili flakes while sauteing.
Saute second batch. Don't let any bits on the pan burn.

Remove chicken.
Add lemon juice to deglaze.
Saute white part of green onions, ginger and garlic with sesame oil for a few minutes.
Add xiaoshing rice wine.

Put back chicken.
Add mushrooms, goji berries, carrot, bok choy.
Add enough water to cover everything.
Bring to a boil, then simmer partly covered for 45 minutes.

Serving notes:

- After the soup is done, remove ginger and carrot and shred the chicken.

- Serve with rice or noodles.