My not-so-soulful chicken soup
Chicken soup is an iconic cure for whatever ails you. Our present conception of chicken soup was handed down from Chinese culture. It was considered a yang food, yet the boiling of soup is considered yin. But I’m straying from the topic. Greek culture gave us the term soup, from the Latin ‘suppa’, which refers to bread soaked in broth. Which came first, the bread or the broth? I seem to be challenged with staying on point today. In Panama, chicken soup is the national dish. There’s even a theory that life on Earth began in Primordial Soup, though, to be fair, chickens were probably not an ingredient. Oops, adrift again…
The therapeutic effects of chicken soup are real. It’s a comfort food that produces the same effects as eating turkey, that tryptophan effect. It hydrates the body and restores electrolytes. The steamy broth helps alleviate congestion. And chicken soup can reduce inflammation, something we’re all trying to reduce these days.
All this in a tasty bowl of soup? What’s not to love?
In appreciation of you being a reader of my ramblings, I offer you my easy-peasy recipe for chicken soup. I’m a lazy cook, so I take shortcuts wherever I can. However, I try to use organic and pasture-raised ingredients as much as possible. You do what works for you. That’s the beauty of home cooking.
The Ingredients:
Chicken breast (about a pound)
Chicken broth (about 2 cups)
Onion (medium size)
Celery (2-3 stalks)
Frozen mixed vegetables (about 12 oz)
Salt, pepper, and herbs to taste (I use parsley and garlic)
A starch (egg noodles, rice, or potato)
Preparation:
Put whole chicken breasts in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and simmer until chicken is cooked through. While the chicken cooks, add salt, pepper, chopped onion, and cut up celery. Remove cooked chicken, cut into cubes, then return it to the pot. Don’t throw out the water, that’s your stock. Pour chicken broth into the pot. Toss the mixed veggies into the pot. Bring to a boil and season to taste. Drop in a handful or two of egg noodles and reduce heat to simmer. Let it simmer for 20 minutes. Check the seasoning one more time. Ready to serve!
If you’re using potatoes, make sure to cut them small as they take a little longer to cook. If you cook on electric, as I do, you can turn off the burner after the noodles are added. They will cook perfectly. If using rice, I suggest cooking the rice separately (perhaps in some chicken broth?) and adding it to the soup towards the end of cooking.
Would love to hear about your chicken soup experience in the comments section. Bare your soul and share some soup!