This cold weather has me craving something warm and satisfying to eat. Cooking a healthy healing chicken soup is a great way to nourish your body, while also giving you the chance to connect with your family.
Soup is an easy way to get the little people involved in cooking. Porter likes to chop the vegetables and be in charge of stirring the pot while Papah throws the fresh vegetables into the boiling stock. The good thing about soup is that you can use whatever vegetables and spices you have on hand to add your own twist to it!
Healthy Healing Chicken Soup
Ingredients: 8 Shallots (finely chopped) 1 bunch chopped green onions ( about 1/2 cup) (finely chopped) 1 clove Garlic (finely chopped) 2 quarts Chicken stock (low sodium) 2 cups chopped Celery 2 cups sliced Carrots 2 cups chopped Parsnips (or potato) 1 kosher, or brined whole chicken (Trader Joes has these organic) (rotisserie chicken if you are pressed for time) 1 cup Mushrooms optional (Baby Bella's are best) 2 Tbsp Herbs de Provance (spice) 2 Tbsp Olive oil Salt & Pepper
Optional: farro or barley or wild rice (1 cup) to add at end
Directions:. Cut up the whole chicken, leave skin on, brown the chicken in large stock pot with 1 tablespoon olive oil (2 minutes each side). Take the chicken out and place it in the bowl and sautéed the chopped celery, onions, & shallot until translucent in large stock pot then add in Herbs de province spice. 3. Add 1 quart heated chicken stock (microwave in glass dish) to sautéed vegetables. Add the chicken back in to the pot and bring to a boil and simmer till the chicken falls off the bone (30 minutes). Take out the chicken carcass and pieces and let cool. Add back in the chopped carrots and parsnips. Then strip the chicken from the bones and skin, add only chopped chicken back to soup. Bring the soup back to simmer add Salt & pepper to taste. Optional - mushrooms, faro, barley or rice. The kids also like bowtie pasta in their soup!
If pressed for time- omit the browning of the chicken and add the meat from a rotisserie chicken the soup once carrots and parsnips are tender. Enjoy!
Blessings,
Caroline