Boost Your Family’s Immunity
In our fast-paced world, sometimes it pays to slow down and make homemade chicken soup like families used to do, and science backs this. We’ve likely all heard the advice to make your family chicken noodle soup when they aren’t feeling well, but what you may not know is that it can actually help boost immunity to keep your family from catching whatever is going around. One academic study noted that homemade soup has more immunity impact than store-bought (Renard et al., 2000). Common sense tells us this would make sense, but now it’s time to put it into practice.
Recently, my family came across a GREAT recipe we found online. I’m what you call “a good cook in the making,” so when I come across something my entire family loves, it’s a keeper recipe. The soup has a rich broth with deep flavors, yet it is SIMPLE to make. It really tastes good and has a unique creamy taste and inviting vibrant colors that will have your family asking for seconds.
Planning Ahead: I would recommend gathering the canned/jarred ingredients to have on hand in the winter months; then, you can just stop by the store for the fresh veggies before you make it. The last time I made it, I just pulled out a frozen baggie of cut-up grilled chicken leftovers we had the last time we grilled. That made it so easy! (I’d recommend always cooking two extra chicken breasts to any recipe and then cutting up the extra two and freezing. Then you can use them in any recipe in the future, like soups or casseroles. You’ll thank yourself later for the planning ahead a little.
Personal Changes to Recipe:
●The only addition I make to the recipe is I boil some noodles in a separate pot and then pour in however many look right to balance the soup with noodles.
●I also have not made it with the leeks. Although I’m sure that would taste great, I just went with the onion.
●I know it would be even more nutritious if you actually boiled the chicken in the soup, and it would add flavor, but my life is busy, so I just use a frozen bag of cut-up left-over chicken in my freezer or buy a rotisserie chicken and cut it up for it. Speeds things up on making it, too.
Even if you have picky eaters, don’t shy away from the recipe, even after you read the unique ingredients. I must admit, I wasn’t sure if my family would like it, but the photo looked delicious, so I went for it. I’m so glad I did.
Where to find the official recipe?: https://nyssaskitchen.com/anti-inflammatory-turmeric-chicken-soup/
Wonderful Immunity Building Soup . . .
Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 large leek, white and light green parts only
halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
(*I don’t use the leek)
3 large carrots, thinly sliced
3 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
6 cups chicken broth
(*I use organic whenever possible)
1 13.5 ounce can of coconut milk
1 1/4 pounds boneless skinless thighs
or breasts
(*I use leftover chicken pieces I’ve frozen
or have used rotisserie chicken pieces)
1 – 10-ounce bag frozen peas (optional)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
*Pasta. I boil noodles in a different pot, then plop in however many balance out the soup. My family likes the pasta addition.
*My personal ingredient edits to Nyssa’s recipe.
Cook onions, leeks, carrots, and celery. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large soup pot. Add onions, leeks, carrots, celery, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt and sauté, stirring occasionally, until leeks are soft and starting to caramelize, for 14-16 minutes.
Add aromatics. Add chopped garlic, turmeric, and poultry seasoning and continue to sauté for another 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until spices and garlic are fragrant.
Add broth, coconut milk, and chicken. Add broth, coconut milk, and raw chicken to the pot, scraping up any stuck-on bits, and bring to a bare simmer. Make sure the chicken is submerged beneath the broth and partially cover. Simmer on low until the chicken is cooked through and veggies are tender – about 15-20 minutes. Make sure not to boil the soup too vigorously to prevent the coconut milk from splitting.
Shred chicken and add remaining soup ingredients. Take off the lid from the soup and remove the chicken to a cutting board to cool slightly. Cut into bite sized pieces or shred using two forks. Return chicken to the pot along with frozen peas (if using) and fresh parsley. Bring back to a slow simmer and allow chicken to warm through and peas to cook – about 5 minutes, just until peas are bright 5. green and soft.
Season and serve. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve garnished with some extra parsley if desired. Enjoy!
References
Renard, B. et al, (October, 2000).Chicken Soup Inhibits Neutrophil Chemotaxis In Vitro. Science Direct. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0012369215377217
Tanner, Nyssa. (Feb., 2023). Anti Inflammatory Turmeric Chicken Soup. https://nyssaskitchen.com/anti-inflammatory-turmeric-chicken-soup/
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