Yuchoy with Chicken Soup: A Light and Comforting Cambodian Soup

Overhead view of yuchoy with chicken soup in a bowl with green onion on top. — A light Cambodian chicken soup with fresh yuchoy.

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Yuchoy with Chicken Soup is the kind of bowl that shows up on ordinary Cambodian tables—no ceremony, just clear broth, tender chicken, and bright green yuchoy. The vegetable, also called choy sum, softens in the hot broth while keeping a gentle sweetness and a little bite. It is a simple soup, but that is exactly what makes it useful: it comes together quickly, it feels light, and it leaves you satisfied without heaviness.

If you have cooked with yuchoy before, you know it does not need much help. A little fish sauce, a touch of sugar, and a handful of green onion are enough to bring the broth into balance. This is home cooking at its most practical.

What You Need

The ingredient list is short: chicken, yuchoy, water, fish sauce, sugar, salt, black pepper, and green onion. The yuchoy is the star vegetable here, and it cooks down quickly, so there is no need for long simmering. If you enjoy this green in soup, our shrimp with yu choy soup is another easy way to use it.

Equipment

Soup pot: To bring the water to a boil and cook the chicken, yuchoy, and seasonings.
Chef’s knife: To cut the chicken into bite-size pieces and chop the green onion.
Cutting board: To safely prepare the chicken and trim the yuchoy into 2-inch lengths.
Measuring cups: To measure the water accurately.
Measuring spoons: To measure the fish sauce, sugar, salt, and black pepper.
Wooden spoon: To stir the yuchoy into the broth and help the seasonings dissolve.
Ladle: To transfer the hot soup and broth into serving bowls.

How to Make Yuchoy with Chicken Soup

Step 1: Boil the water
Pour 4 cups of water into a soup pot and set it over medium-high heat. Let it come to a rolling boil.

Step 2: Cook the chicken
Add the bite-size chicken pieces to the boiling water. Cook until the chicken is tender and no longer pink inside. The broth will begin to take on a light chicken flavor.

Step 3: Add the yuchoy
Add the 2-inch yuchoy pieces to the pot and stir gently. The greens will wilt quickly in the hot broth. Do not walk away—yuchoy goes from tender to soft very fast.

Step 4: Season the soup
Stir in the fish sauce, sugar, salt, and black pepper. Taste the broth and adjust only if needed; the fish sauce already brings saltiness and depth.

Step 5: Finish with green onion
Turn off the heat. Scatter the chopped green onion over the top and give the pot one last gentle stir.

Cooking Tips

Taste before adding more salt. Fish sauce brands vary in saltiness, so the 2 tablespoons may be enough on its own.
Keep the yuchoy slightly firm. It should soften but still have a little life in the stem. Overcooked yuchoy turns dull and limp.
Use the chicken you have. Bone-in chicken leg will give a slightly richer broth, while breast meat cooks faster and stays lean.

If you like the idea of a gentle chicken soup but want a different flavor profile, our tofu chicken soup follows a similar quiet, everyday style.

How to Serve

Serve the soup hot, with steamed jasmine rice on the side. In a Cambodian home, soup is often the dish that anchors the meal, not a starter. If you want to understand how soup fits into the daily table, our guide to Cambodian soup family meals explains the rhythm behind rice, soup, and shared dishes.

Leftovers can be refrigerated, but let the soup cool slightly first. The FDA recommends refrigerating perishable food within two hours of cooking and dividing large amounts into shallow containers for quicker cooling.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is yuchoy?

Yuchoy is a leafy green also called choy sum. It has tender stems and mild, slightly sweet leaves that cook quickly in soup.

Can I use another green?

The recipe is built around yuchoy, but if you cannot find it, a quick-cooking green with tender stems will work. The cooking time will change, so add it closer to the end and taste as you go.

Final Thoughts

Yuchoy with Chicken Soup is not a dish that tries to impress you. It simply tastes clean, warm, and familiar—the kind of bowl you can make on a weeknight without a long shopping list. Keep the yuchoy bright, season the broth gently, and serve it with rice. That is the whole idea, and it is enough.