The Best Healing Chicken Soup (Printable Version)
Warming nourishing soup with tender chicken, vegetables, and healing herbs—ready in 80 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1.5 lbs bone-in, skinless chicken thighs or whole cut-up chicken
→ Vegetables
02 - 2 medium carrots, sliced
03 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
04 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
05 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 1 parsnip, peeled and sliced
07 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
08 - 2 cups baby spinach or kale, chopped
09 - 1 small lemon, juiced
→ Broth & Seasoning
10 - 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
11 - 1 bay leaf
12 - 1 tsp dried thyme or 2 tsp fresh
13 - 1 tsp dried oregano
14 - 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
15 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
16 - 1 tsp sea salt, or to taste
17 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
18 - 1 tbsp olive oil
→ Optional Additions
19 - 1/2 cup cooked rice, noodles, or quinoa
# Directions:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, celery, and parsnip. Sauté for 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften and release their aromas.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to brown it.
03 - Place chicken thighs into the pot. Pour in chicken broth and add bay leaf, thyme, oregano, turmeric, black pepper, and salt.
04 - Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 35-40 minutes until chicken is fully cooked through and tender.
05 - Transfer chicken pieces to a cutting board and set aside to cool slightly until safe to handle.
06 - Add zucchini and spinach or kale to the simmering broth. Cook for 8-10 minutes until vegetables are just tender.
07 - Shred the cooled chicken meat, discarding bones and skin. Return the shredded chicken to the pot.
08 - Stir in fresh lemon juice and chopped parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt if needed.
09 - If desired, stir in cooked rice, noodles, or quinoa. Heat through for 2-3 minutes until warmed completely.
10 - Ladle hot soup into bowls and garnish with additional fresh parsley if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The turmeric gives it this gorgeous golden color and feels like medicine you actually want to eat
- It freezes beautifully so you can always have comfort ready on tough days
02 -
- The chicken will continue cooking slightly when you remove it from the broth, so err on the side of pulling it a little early
- Adding delicate greens like spinach at the very last minute keeps them vibrant instead of army green and sad
03 -
- If you have time, brown the chicken thighs in the olive oil before starting the vegetables for even deeper flavor
- A small piece of fresh ginger added with the garlic adds another layer of immune-boosting goodness