Serves 4
THERE ARE FEW THINGS more healing than a good chicken soup, and this one is perfect for when you have a cold or the flu and need nourishment but you can hardly breathe or taste anything. It will soothe your throat, calm your stomach, and help kick your immune system into high gear. Just be sure you have homemade bone broth at the ready. That’s why I like to have some on deck all winter long.
I often make the soup the day after having roast chicken and making bone broth. It’s a great way to use up the leftovers and take advantage of the bone broth when it’s just ready. If you don’t have leftover chicken, you can just chop up a chicken breast and sauté it with the onions. If you are congested, don’t leave out the cayenne pepper. Technically, it is a nightshade, but the amount here is so small and it is so good at clearing your sinuses that I think it’s worthwhile, unless you know it definitely aggravates you.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks of celery, sliced
1 carrot, chopped
1 cup shredded cooked chicken (or 1 raw chicken breast, cut into cubes)
4 cups Bone Broth (here)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 teaspoons Himalayan salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat and sauté the onion until soft, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic, stir, and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Add the celery and carrot and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Add the chicken and toss to coat with the onions and garlic. Add the bone broth, parsley, salt, oregano, thyme, black pepper, and cayenne. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer, covered, for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour. Serve warm.
You could also put everything into the slow cooker and cook for up to 8 hours on low, which is nice if you have to work all day. Coming home to warm chicken soup is a lovely feeling, especially if winter is getting the best of you.