Real Food Friday Feast - Wholesome chicken soup

Chicken soup conjures up childhood memories of lying in a bed with the flu and clutching a bowl of it just under our chin to spoon as much of it into our mouths as possible while mom fusses around us tucking in blankets and generally being a mom;) There is really no greater comfort food on a cold winter's night, (very much like tonight with temperatures hitting the minuses!) especially if you are feeling fluey.

In ancient times, it was believed to have medicinal properties but modern scientists have never fully deciphered the reasons until now. Apparently it's not just an old wive's tale that chicken soup is a good remedy for colds and flu. Dr. Stephen Rennard, a pulmonary expert at the University of Nebraska Medical Centre in Omaha, found evidence that chicken soup contains anti-inflammatory properties that may help prevent the miserable side effects of a cold.

The theory is that chicken contains an amino acid called cysteine which thins out the mucus in the lungs making it easier to cough it out and clear all the passages. Hot chicken soup vapours have been proven more effective than hot water vapours for cleaning out the mucus in your nose as well.

If we consider what else goes into a chicken soup, carrots are a big part of it and they are an excellent source of beta-carotene. The body converts this into vitamin A, and vitamin A helps prevent and fight off infections by strengthening the white blood cells that fight off bacteria and viruses. Onions are also often a main ingredient and they contain quercetin, which is a powerful antioxidant that is also a natural anti-histamine and anti-inflammatory. If you are a garlic fan and you put it in your chicken soup you are going to get an extra boost. Garlic is a seriously powerful bug fighter and a powerful, natural antibiotic. It also builds up the immune system and prevents you from getting sick more often.

So let's get to the chicken soup already! You can feel free to choose different vegetables, or change the amounts. This is just what I used because I love lots of veggies in my chicken soup but you can play with it:) Needless to say all of these ingredients need to be organic and choose non-irradiated spices as well.

Wholesome chicken soup

1 whole, free range chicken

1 litre bone broth

1 onion

2 garlic cloves

4 carrots

6 baby marrows

6-8 patty pans

½ cup soaked chickpeas

1 cup chopped spinach

2 celery stalks

1 tsp peppercorns

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp coriander

2 tsp salt

Method

• Place chicken in a large pot
• Slice up 2 carrots, 1 celery stalk and the onion and place in the pot
• Add the salt and peppercorns
• Cover with cold water (probably around 8 cups or so) and bring to the boil
• Turn down to a simmer and leave until chicken is cooked through and starting to fall off the bone
• Remove the chicken from the broth and place on a plate
• Remove all the bones (this is a tedious job but it's worth it! Remember to keep all the bones to make more bone broth later)
• Slice all remaining vegetables and add to the broth
• Add garlic, chickpeas, cumin and coriander 
• Add the chicken meat
• Add the extra litre of bone broth
• Cover and bring to the boil
• Turn down to a simmer and leave to cook for about 45 minutes
• Serve!

Using the water that you cook the raw chicken in ensures that you will be getting the benefit of the antioxidant, cysteine. It also gives the broth a delicious flavour and makes the finished product taste so wholesome and delicious. I guarantee you will want to try this one over the chilly weekend!

Stay warm!