Whether you grew up with Campbell’s in a can or Nana’s homemade, I’m sure chicken soup was part of comfort and healing in your childhood. Chicken soup has a rich tradition that spans almost every culture! As we head into cold and flu season, let’s take a deep dive into the chicken soup bowl!
Does chicken soup really help you get over an illness faster or is it just an old wives’ tale? Here is the science…Dr. Stephen Rennard, MD, a researcher at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, indicates that chicken soup acts as an anti-inflammatory agent for your nasal cells, shrinking swollen nasal passages and helping you to breathe better. The onions found in most Chicken soup recipes contain sulfur, which decreases nasal swelling and congestion. That helps to explain the runny nose you sometimes get when sipping your chicken soup! In addition, Dr. Rennard’s research shows that the carrots in chicken soup help our bodies to produce vitamin A, known to strengthen the white blood cells that fight infection in our bodies. Chicken soup also helps to thin mucus, prevent dehydration, keep nasal passages moist and can soothe a sore throat.
Finally, Dr. Rennard’s research indicates that the more diverse your soup ingredients, the more powerful the healing! Chicken contains an amino acid that thins mucus in the lungs and adds protein to support weak muscles. Adding a variety of vegetables boosts healing of upper respiratory tract infections.
Here is my Chicken Soup recipe. It’s a quick version of grandma’s best because who feels like cooking when you’re under the weather? Use all organic ingredients to maximize the healing power.
LAURA’S CHICKEN NO-NOODLE SOUP
PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES COOK TIME: 15 MINUTES YIELD: 8-10 servings
INGREDIENTS:
1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
4-5 garlic cloves, minced
4 celery stalks, diced
3 carrots, diced
32 ounces organic chicken broth or bone broth
2 cups filtered water
2-4 tablespoons Better Than Bouillon Organic Chicken Base
1-pound organic chicken breasts, diced
Sea salt
INSTRUCTIONS:
Chop onion, garlic, celery and carrots.
Heat olive oil in Dutch oven or large skillet on medium flame. Sauté onion, garlic, celery and carrots until onions are translucent. While vegetables are cooking, chop the chicken into bite sized pieces.
Add broth, water and chicken base to the pot and bring to a boil. Add in chicken and cook until chicken heated through and no longer pink. Add sea salt to taste.
This can be the base for some other great soups, too. You can use turkey breasts, ground turkey mini-meatballs, chicken sausage, etc. It is also great with a can of diced tomatoes and any other veggies that sound good to you. I love to throw in greens at the end (spinach, kale, chard, mustard greens, beet greens…basically anything green).