Chicken Soup feeds a crowd or a friend with a cold. Before it came in a can and stood ready on the shelf, it was often in a pot on the stove a warm meal after a long day of labor. Why do we have this cultural connection with chicken soup?
Chickens have a long history of cohabitation with people. They are domesticated descendants from two different jungle fowl and moved into the food chain. They have never left.
Driving you often see backyard coops. Raising chickens is making resurgence all across the country as people realize what a versatile animal they are. Why?
“A chicken in every pot” is a phrase that was used to convey hope for prosperity in our society. Herbert Hoover coined the phrase in 1928. Our connection to chickens as pets and as a food source has grown stronger.
What chickens do for us? Given the opportunity they will eat bugs and greens in our yard spring summer and fall. They enjoy taking the ticks out of our way. Chickens also make and 
distribute great fertilizer as part of their charm.
Hens lay eggs, around 200 – 250 a year for 2 years or so. Roosters protect the flock and provide yard music and fertilize eggs to create the next generation. They both provide company then feathers meat and bones.
I have friends who keep their chickens for as long as they naturally live after they stop laying eggs. I know other folks who process the chicken after its useful laying life is over and make a very fine dinner to celebrate the chicken’s life. After the dinner the bones become stock to make soup.
Many of us grew up on homemade chicken soup, after a roasted whole chicken dinner, my mom would routinely sort and “pick the bones”. The meat would go in a bowl and the bones and attached bits would go in a pot. Mom’s soup would have carrots celery, potato, onion, peas or green beans and noodles all cooked in wonderful homemade stock.
I make chicken soup to this day, but I had to revamp Mom’s recipe to make it gluten free and paleo friendly. I boosted the flavor and nutrition with some herbs.
Here is what I came up with.
Chicken Soup Recipe
Soup Serves 2-4
Ingredients:
- Meat from 1/2 free range roasted chicken picked and chopped.
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 organic celery stalks chopped
- 3 organic carrots chopped
- 1 organic onion chopped
- 1 white or orange sweet potato chopped
- Alarge handful of fresh green or yellow beans trimmed and chopped.
- 1/6 head of cabbage chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon of dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon of dried parsley
- Chicken fat or ghee
- Sea Salt to taste
Instructions:
- Sauté onions and celery in chicken fat or ghee
- Add veggies
- Add herbs
- Cover with Chicken Broth
- Simmer for 20 minutes until vegetables are tender.
- Add chicken to warm through
- .Serve Hot
Good broth is key for the yummy factor for this chicken soup recipe. Click here for a broth/stock recipe. Soups are very versatile. Play with the recipe to have fun. Make substitutions for stuff you don’t like. Change the cabbage to kale or the green beans to zucchini to tailor the recipe to your taste. Use fresh herbs to really kick up the flavor when they are in season. This will keep in the fridge for a few days. Soup makes a quick early dinner after a long work day. Enjoy!
The information provided in this blog is not a substitute for professional medical care, treatment or advice. All the material here is for information purposes only. Always share strategy and work with your health care team.