When you are fighting a cold or flu, or simply need an immune boost, chicken soup is the age-old remedy that delivers comfort and healing. A study published in the journal Chest shows eating chicken soup during a respiratory infection reduces the number of white blood cells, which are the cells that cause flu and cold symptoms. In Chinese Medicine, we use food to heal. Basic chicken soup is highly nutritious, but I am partial to the Mexican version with spicy jalepeno which can disperse phelgm, cooling cilantro which detoxifies and moistening avocado for lung dryness plus a squeeze of lime to help clear stagnation and astringe fluids. Here is a simple recipe you can use to make it from scratch at home. Check out the seven easy steps and find the recipe below.
Place veggies and herbs in stock pot. Layer chicken pieces on top. Add 10 cups cold water, bring to boil then lower to a simmer 35 minutes or until chicken pulls apart easily with two forks.
Once chicken is done, remove the pieces from the pot, discard the skin and bones and shred meat into bite sized pieces; set aside.
Now it's time to strain the "liquid gold" broth. This stuff is packed with healing properties for gut and immune system, plus supports beautiful hair, skin and nails.
Boom! You've got 8 cups of broth and 4 cups of shredded chicken. From here you can make a deliciously healing chicken soup with a Mexican flare.
Heat up coconut or olive oil, then add carrots, onion and celery, season with salt and pepper. Add the garlic and sautee until it is fragrant just 1-2 minutes more. Add sliced mushrooms and cabbage.
Pour in the chicken broth, bring to a boil then simmer 10 minutes. Stir in the chicken and chopped tomato.
Serve in bowls and top with garnish of colorful radish, sliced jalapeno, chopped cilantro, cubed avocado and a wedge of lime.
Basic Broth
Makes 4 to 5 cups shredded chicken and 8 cups chicken broth
2 stalks celery, quartered
1 large carrot, quartered
1 onion, quartered
1 head of garlic, halved horizontally
5 to 7 fresh parsley sprigs
8 to 10 thyme sprigs
4 slices fresh ginger
2 bay leaves
10 to 15 peppercorns
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3 ½ to 4 pounds bone-in, chicken pieces, a mixture of dark and light meat 10 cups cold water
Put all the ingredients except the water in a large stock pot, with the chicken on top. Cover with the water, ensuring that the chicken is submerged. Bring to a boil and immediately reduce to a bare simmer. Cook until the chicken is cooked through, 30 to 35 minutes, skimming off and discarding any foam that rises to the top of the surface. Remove the chicken from the stock and set aside to cool slightly while you strain the stock through a fine-mesh strainer and discard the solids
Shred the chicken into bite-size pieces, discarding the skin. (You can save the bones to make more stock another time or discard them.)
At this point, you can make soup right away or refrigerate the chicken in an airtight container for up to 3 days. You can refrigerate the stock in an airtight container for up to 1 week, or freeze it for up to 2 months
Mexican Chicken Soup- Paleo Style
Serves Four with Leftovers
1/4 cup olive oil or coconut oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 large carrots
4 stalks celery, chopped
1 head of cabbage shredded
2 cups sliced white mushrooms
3 cloves garlic, chopped
8 cups chicken broth
4 cups coarsely shredded chicken
2 tomatoes seeded and diced
Toppings- Divide into four bowls after filling with soup
1/2 cup chopped cilantro.
1 jalepeno pepper sliced and seeded if desired
4 raw radishes sliced
1 medium avocado- cubed.
1 lime quartered