Chicken soup is everyone's favourite. It's for all the foodies and cooking enthusiasts. A perfectly balanced soup, which is versatile, yummy and full of flavours. Finely chopped vegetables like cabbage, carrot, tomatoes are seasoned with herbs like ginger, garlic, green chilli. Simmered in stock water with shredded chicken. If you have been looking for a restaurant-style chicken manchow soup recipe then you have come to the right place. Here I bring you the step-by-step guide on how to make the best chicken manchow soup at home. Includes a quick home version and a healthy variation — all chef tested.
What is Manchow Soup?
Manchow soup is a popular Indo-Chinese soup known for its bold, spicy, tangy taste. It features tender pieces of chicken (or vegetables), a variety of finely chopped vegetables, and a savory broth thickened with cornstarch. This soup is known for its characteristic egg strands, which are created by gradually pouring beaten egg into the simmering soup while stirring. It is seasoned with soy sauce, chilli sauce, and vinegar for that unmistakable Indo-Chinese flavor — and always finished with crispy fried noodles on top.
Manchow Soup Origin — Which Country?
The name "Manchow" is believed to be derived from the Manchurian region of China combined with "Chow," meaning stir-fried noodles — reflecting its Chinese and Indian fusion origins. However, this soup as we know and love it today is an entirely Indian creation. Manchow soup was popularized in India by the Chinese community settled in Kolkata and later spread across the country through Indo-Chinese restaurants. It bears little resemblance to actual Manchurian cuisine but is 100% a desi favorite.
How Does Manchow Soup Taste?
Manchow soup has a bold, layered flavor profile that is simultaneously spicy, savory and lightly tangy. The ginger and garlic provide warmth upfront, the soy sauce delivers umami depth, and the vinegar cuts through with gentle acidity. White pepper adds a back-of-throat heat that is different from red chilli heat — more aromatic than sharp. The cornstarch-thickened broth has a silky, slightly glossy texture, and the crispy fried noodles on top add a satisfying crunch contrast. Overall: hot, hearty, and deeply comforting.
Manchow soup is considered one of the best soups for cold and flu. Although Hot and Sour soup is widely treated as the go-to for cold remedies, chicken manchow soup also has incredible health benefits. You can prepare this easy soup at home with ingredients readily available in your kitchen pantry.
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Note: For true Indo-Chinese flavor, use Indian brands like Ching's, Weikfield or Smith & Jones for soya sauce, vinegar and chilli sauce.
Steps to Make the Recipe
1. Restaurant Method (Authentic)
You can either boil the chicken breast and then cut into small cube-size pieces using the cooking water as stock, or use raw chicken cut into small pieces directly. In my restaurant kitchen I always prefer adding raw chicken to the wok — it picks up the wok flavors far better than pre-boiled chicken.
Heat a wok till lightly smoking (approx. 165–170°C) and add 1½ tablespoon oil. Stir-fry ginger and garlic on high flame. Then add chopped tomatoes and fry further for one minute till translucent. Tomato is my chef's secret ingredient — it adds a punchy base and balances the flavors in a way most recipes skip entirely.
If you are using raw chicken, add it now and stir-fry continuously over medium-high flame.
Next add the chopped carrots, cabbage, mushroom, bamboo shoots and green chilli paste. Stir-fry for 30–40 seconds only to retain crunch. If using pre-boiled shredded chicken then add and toss.
Add 1 cup chicken stock water and bring to boil. Add salt and white pepper powder, soya sauce, green chilli sauce and vinegar. Simmer for a further 30 seconds.
Now slowly drizzle in the cornstarch slurry, stirring constantly until the soup thickens to your preferred consistency. Add a little more soya sauce to adjust color. Beat the egg and pour gently into the soup from the side while stirring clockwise — this creates silky egg threads (what I call "egg flowers" in my restaurant kitchen).
Finish by sprinkling chopped coriander leaves, pour into a bowl and serve hot with crispy fried noodles.
2. Quick Home Version
Skip the chicken stock — use water with 1 tsp soup cube. For an even faster option, a Knorr Manchow Soup packet works well as a shortcut base; just add your fresh vegetables and shredded leftover chicken on top of it to elevate the packet soup into a restaurant-quality bowl. Use any shredded leftover chicken you have in the fridge.
One-pot method: Sauté ginger, garlic and green chilli in a pot. Add a frozen mix veg pack or your homemade vegetables. Pour stock water. Season with soya, chilli and vinegar. Then pour cornflour slurry and simmer for 7–8 minutes in total. Air-fry or oven-toast instant noodles for a crispy topping instead of deep frying.
3. Healthy Variation
Use bone broth instead of water which adds collagen and depth. Use 1 tsp oil and 1/2 tsp sesame oil only at the end for aroma. Choose low-sodium soya sauce and apple cider vinegar. Skip cornflour slurry — use one tablespoon oats powder to make the slurry. Rely more on white pepper, ginger, and chilies for perceived saltiness. For extra veg add broccoli florets, spinach and more mushroom for extra fiber and fullness.
How to Make Veg Manchow Soup
Veg manchow soup follows the exact same method — simply skip the chicken entirely. The soul of manchow soup is in the aromatics and seasoning, not the protein. Replace chicken with a generous combination of finely chopped cabbage, carrot, capsicum, mushrooms, baby corn, and bamboo shoots. Use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock. For extra body and umami, add 1 tsp dark soy sauce and a few drops of sesame oil at the end. Everything else — the slurry technique, the egg threads (optional for vegans), the crispy noodle topping — stays the same. Veg manchow soup is just as satisfying and comes together in under 15 minutes.
Preparing the Crispy Fried Noodle Topping
Which Noodles are Used in Manchow Soup?
In my restaurant kitchen we always use Hakka noodles for the crispy topping — they have the right starch content and thickness to fry up golden without turning greasy. At home, you can also use any dry wheat noodles or even thin rice noodles for a lighter, crispier result. Avoid thick egg noodles as they take longer to dry out and can turn oily when fried. If you want a no-fry shortcut, Mamee Monster Crunchy Noodles or similar ready-made crispy noodle snacks work perfectly.
How to Fry Noodles for Manchow Soup — Step by Step
Boiling: Cook Hakka or dry noodles in boiling water until al dente (2–3 minutes).
Drying: Drain immediately, rinse with cold water to remove starch, and spread on a tray or paper towel to air dry for 30 minutes to remove excess moisture.
Coating: Sprinkle the dry noodles with cornstarch (2 to 2½ tablespoons) and toss gently. This is essential for extra crispiness and prevents sticking.
Frying: Deep-fry in batches in hot oil (medium heat) until crisp golden brown, or Air Fry at 400°F for 6–8 minutes (recommended healthy option).
Chef's Pro Tips for Restaurant Quality
Temperature guide: oil 165–170°C; slurry to be mixed at room temperature.
Cornstarch caution: if added when soup is cold, it becomes lumpy.
Egg addition: pour in thin ribbon form when soup is hot but not at a rolling boil.
Flavor layering: light soy early for depth; dark soy at the end for color.
Keep the wok on high heat. Use a carbon steel wok for the authentic smoky Indo-Chinese edge. Avoid cast iron when adding vinegar to prevent metallic aftertaste.
Dust boiled noodles with cornstarch before frying. This gives a blistered, extra-crispy texture like restaurants.
Chicken Manchow Soup is an Indo-Chinese favorite made by simmering small chicken cubes with vegetables like carrot, cabbage, mushroom and tomato, then seasoning with soy sauce, salt and white pepper, and finishing with silky beaten egg; serve hot with crispy fried noodles.
Ingredients
1 chicken breast piece
2 tbsp finely chopped cabbage
1 tbsp finely chopped tomato
1 tbsp finely chopped carrot
1 tbsp finely chopped button mushroom
1/2 tsp chopped bamboo shoots
1/2 tsp chopped ginger
1/2 tsp chopped garlic
1/3 tsp green chilli paste
1/2 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp vinegar
1/4 tsp white pepper powder
2 tsp corn flour (starch)
Salt to taste
1 tsp cooking oil
1/2 tsp chopped coriander leaves
1/2 cup fried noodles for serving
1 egg, beaten
1 to 1.5 cups water or light stock, as needed
Instructions
Heat 1/2 tsp oil in a wok or pan on high; sauté ginger and garlic until light brown.
Add tomatoes; sauté on high until translucent.
Add raw chicken (if using) and sauté for 30 seconds.
Add carrot, cabbage, mushrooms and bamboo shoots; stir in green chilli paste and mix well.
Pour in 1 cup chicken stock and bring to boil. Season with salt, white pepper, soya sauce, chilli sauce, vinegar and simmer for 30 seconds.
Pour in cornflour slurry (1 tsp cornflour mixed with 1/2 cup water); add more slurry if thicker soup is preferred.
Stream in beaten egg at the side; simmer 1 minute.
Taste and adjust seasoning; sprinkle coriander and remove. Serve hot with fried noodles.
Chef's Tips
Always sauté garlic, ginger and green chilies on high heat for 10–15 seconds until fragrant — not browned. Burning reduces aroma and creates bitterness.
Stream the beaten egg slowly in a thin ribbon for neat egg "flowers."
Adjust thickness by adding more corn flour slurry in small increments.
Top with fried noodles just before serving so they stay crisp.
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Chicken manchow soup calories per 100 g
Manchow soup nutrition per 100 g
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How to Make Chicken Broth or Stock for Chicken Manchow Soup
If you have time, make a proper chicken broth — it transforms the soup entirely. Heat water in a deep vessel. Add roughly chopped onion, carrot, one bay leaf, crushed garlic cloves, crushed pepper and some chicken pieces. Simmer for 20–30 minutes on medium flame. Add salt to taste. Strain, remove the chicken pieces, shred the meat with a fork, and keep aside to add back into the soup. Always use bone-in chicken pieces for better depth of flavor — the collagen from the bones gives the broth a natural silky body.
Soup is Too Thick: If the soup becomes too thick upon standing or reheating, simply add a small amount of water or stock and bring it back to a simmer to achieve the desired consistency.
Slurry is Lumpy: Lumps occur when cornstarch is added to cold soup or too quickly without stirring. Ensure the slurry is added slowly to the simmering soup while stirring constantly.
Loss of Flavor: Using only water instead of quality stock will result in a flat taste. Use bouillon paste or powder as a substitute if stock is unavailable.
Storing Leftovers: Store the cooked soup and the fried noodles separately to ensure the noodles retain their crunch. The soup may thicken further upon cooling; add water when reheating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Can I take Manchow soup in pregnancy?
There is no problem taking chicken manchow soup prepared at home during pregnancy. Although restaurants may use MSG in manchow soup preparation, there is no scientific research yet confirming MSG's significant side effects. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers MSG to be generally recognized as safe.
Q2. Difference between Hot and Sour soup and Manchow soup
Both soups are hot and spicy and look similar. However, manchow soup typically contains more stir-fried vegetables and is less sour compared to hot and sour soup. While hot and sour soup features more intense red chilli paste and tomato-vinegar acidity, manchow soup uses green chilli for its heat. Manchow soup is also thicker and is always served with crispy fried noodles — hot and sour soup is not.
Q3. What is the best soup to eat when sick?
Chicken manchow soup is one of the best soups to eat when sick. The protein in chicken and antioxidants in the vegetables support immunity, while the hot broth keeps you hydrated. Ginger and garlic are natural anti-inflammatory agents that have been used for generations for cold relief.
Q4. How many calories are in Chicken Manchow Soup?
On average, one bowl (about 1 cup / 250 ml) of chicken manchow soup contains around 150–250 calories. This is based on lean chicken, moderate oil usage, and a small amount of fried noodles. The manchow soup calories increase significantly if you add extra oil or a large portion of fried noodles. To reduce calorie count, skip or minimize the fried noodle topping and use less oil.
Q5. Why is Chicken Manchow Soup garnished with fried noodles?
Fried noodles are added to Chicken Manchow Soup for texture and crunch. They not only enhance the soup's flavor but also add visual appeal. The contrast between the crispy noodles and the silky savory broth creates a satisfying eating experience — it is the signature characteristic that sets manchow apart from every other Indian soup.
Q6. How long can Chicken Manchow Soup be stored in the fridge?
Chicken manchow soup can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. When reheating, add a little water to restore consistency. Always store the fried noodles separately to maintain their crunch. Personally, I advise making manchow soup fresh — it is a 20-minute recipe and the difference in taste between fresh and stored is significant.
Q7. What are the best side dishes to serve with Chicken Manchow Soup?
Chicken manchow soup pairs well with vegetable spring rolls, fried rice, or Hakka noodles. If you want a lighter meal, serve it with a simple stir-fried vegetable medley for a balanced Indo-Chinese spread.
Q8. How to make Chicken Manchow Soup spicy or less spicy?
To make manchow soup spicier, add more chilli sauce or fresh chopped green chilies. For a milder version, reduce white pepper and chilli sauce. You can also skip the green chilli paste and rely only on the subtle heat of white pepper for a gentler bowl.
Q9. Can I make Chicken Manchow Soup without MSG?
Yes, absolutely. You can make excellent manchow soup without MSG by relying on natural umami builders: quality soy sauce, mushrooms, tomato, and a good chicken stock. You can also use umami paste or a small piece of dried kombu (seaweed) in the stock for savory depth without any additives.
Q10. Is Chicken Manchow Soup healthy?
Yes, it can be a healthy option. It is packed with vegetables providing fiber and essential nutrients, and chicken provides lean protein. Ginger and garlic deliver immune-boosting and anti-inflammatory properties. To maximize health benefits, use low-sodium soy sauce and minimize or skip the fried noodles.
Q11. Is manchow soup good for weight loss?
Yes, manchow soup can support weight loss goals when prepared correctly. One bowl without fried noodles is approximately 120–150 calories and is high in protein and vegetables, which helps control appetite and keeps you full for longer. The key is to use minimal oil, skip or reduce the fried noodle topping, and use low-sodium soy sauce. For maximum weight loss benefit, follow my healthy variation method using bone broth and oats powder as thickener instead of cornstarch.
Q12. Is manchow soup good for cough and cold?
Manchow soup is genuinely good for cough and cold — this is not just an old wives' tale. The hot steam itself helps open blocked nasal passages. The ginger in the soup has well-documented anti-inflammatory and warming properties that soothe sore throats. The chilli and white pepper increase circulation and stimulate mucus flow, helping clear congestion. Garlic contains allicin, a compound with natural antimicrobial properties. I personally recommend having a bowl of hot manchow soup at the onset of a cold — made without MSG, with extra ginger, and served piping hot.
Q13. What is veg manchow soup?
Veg manchow soup is the vegetarian version of this classic Indo-Chinese soup. It uses the same base of ginger, garlic, soy sauce, vinegar and white pepper but replaces the chicken with a colorful mix of finely chopped vegetables — typically cabbage, carrot, capsicum, baby corn, mushrooms and bamboo shoots — simmered in vegetable stock. It is just as flavorful and satisfying as the chicken version and equally popular in Indian restaurants, especially on monsoon evenings.
Q14. Which noodles are used in manchow soup?
Hakka noodles are the traditional choice for the crispy topping in manchow soup. They have the right thickness and starch content to fry up light and crispy without turning greasy. At home, any thin wheat noodle or thin rice noodle works well. Avoid thick egg noodles as they are harder to crisp up and tend to stay soft inside. Always boil, dry completely, and dust with cornstarch before frying for the best restaurant-style crunch.
Q15. What is the meaning or origin of Manchow soup?
Manchow soup is a popular Indo-Chinese soup known for its tangy and spicy taste. The name "Manchow" is derived from the Manchurian region of China and "Chow," meaning stir-fried, reflecting its Chinese and Indian fusion origins. However it bears little resemblance to actual Manchurian cuisine — it is essentially an Indian invention popularized through the Indo-Chinese restaurant culture originating in Kolkata.
How to Serve the Soup
Ladle the piping hot soup into individual bowls. Top generously with the crispy fried noodles and chopped spring onion greens.
Offer side condiments like soy sauce, chilli sauce, or hot chilli oil so diners can adjust the flavor and spice to their taste. Serve as an appetizer or pair with Chicken Hakka Noodles, Vegetable Spring Rolls, or Fried Rice for a full Indo-Chinese meal.
Storage Suggestions
I personally do not recommend storing leftover manchow soup, hot and sour soup, or lemon coriander soup — all of these are made using a cornstarch slurry that continues to thicken as the soup cools. You can reheat them, but there will always be a difference in texture and taste compared to freshly made soup.
If you must store it, keep the soup consistency thinner than usual. Cool quickly to room temperature within 2 hours, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate. When reheating, add water and fresh cornstarch slurry to restore consistency. Heat in a pan until it reaches above 70°C (piping hot). Never store with the fried noodles on top.
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If you enjoyed this soup recipe, you'll love these kitchen favorites:
This soup is full of healthy vegetables, nutrients and protein, making it a genuinely healthy choice. The herbs — ginger, green chilli and coriander — add a layer of functional health benefits beyond just flavor.
Rich in protein: Chicken is a lean protein source essential for muscle growth and repair.
Vitamins and minerals: The vegetable mix provides Vitamins A, C and K along with potassium and folate.
Immune boosting: Garlic and ginger are well known for their immune-supporting and antimicrobial properties.
Cold and cough relief: Ginger reduces nausea and soothes sore throats. Chilli helps clear congestion by stimulating mucus flow.
Anti-inflammatory: Ginger has well-documented anti-inflammatory compounds that may reduce throat irritation.
Good for weight loss: Low in calories (around 120–150 kcal without noodles), high in protein and vegetables — a filling, low-calorie meal.
I’m Mobasir Hassan, Executive Sous Chef with the Radisson Hotel Group.
After years in hotel kitchens, I now share chef-tested recipes, step-by-step cooking
techniques, and restaurant-style dishes that home cooks can recreate with confidence.
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