Chicken and Watercress Soup with Ginger and Smoked Ham Recipe

Total Time

529

1 kg ground chicken
1 egg
1 Tbsp. dry sherry
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. chili sauce, such as Sriracha
1 (5-inch) piece ginger, peeled; 3 inches finely grated (1 Tbsp.), remaining 2 inches reserved
1 small bunch cilantro, stems finely chopped (5 Tbsp.), 1/3 cup leaves reserved
1/8 tsp. freshly ground pepper, preferably white, plus more to taste
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste
5 cups chicken broth
2 bunches watercress, stems finely chopped, leaves roughly chopped, divided
1/2 cup thinly sliced smoked ham (about 3 ounces), in bite-size pieces
3 scallions, thinly sliced

For the best flavor, use a ground-chicken mix this is half dark and half light meat.
In a medium bowl, stir together chicken and egg until sticky and very well combined. Add sherry, soy sauce, chili sauce, grated ginger, cilantro stems, 1/8 tsp. pepper, and 1 tsp. salt and mix well.
Drop dollops of the mixture onto a large plate, shaping them with a spoon to form 18 or so
1 1/2-inch meatballs. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Julienne reserved ginger, and chop cilantro leaves. In a large pot, bring broth, julienned ginger, and 1/2 tsp. salt to a boil. Gently add meatballs, reduce heat to medium, and simmer, uncovered, until cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes.
Add watercress stems, cook for 30 seconds, and then add ham, cilantro leaves, watercress leaves, and scallions. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Per serving:

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