Cold & Flu fighting chicken soup
As winter approaches many of us will be struggling with colds and flu and I remember as a child when any of us had a cold Mother would make a large pot of her special Chicken Soup and insist we eat it to fight the bad cold. In fact, just like the Jewish Mothers and Grandmothers always swear by Chicken Soup to help get rid of colds and flu. So even if you don’t make this right away, keep the recipe for next time you’re down with a bad cold and try it, I guarantee it really works. It may not cure your cold instantly but it certainly reduces the length of time you’re incapacitated.
When I look at the list of herbal remedies that are marketed today and then compare them with the ingredients that went into our Chicken Soup, the anti-inflammatory properties are identical.
Ginger
Garlic
Turmeric
Rosemary
Thyme
All being sold today to help fight off the symptoms of clod and flu.
Ginger: Great for digestion and a powerful anti-inflammatory agent to use in recipes.
Garlic: Truly the best when you’re sick. Garlic is full of anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. That’s why we use 6 cloves of garlic in this soup. That’s right, you’re going to sick this cold’s ass.
Turmeric: Super trendy and very good for you. Best when consumed with a black pepper to help for optimal absorption. This recipe calls for fresh turmeric (if you can find it).
Chicken: We’re packin’ this recipe with protein too — and guess what? The chicken actually cooks in the soup broth, leaving it tender and making it easy for you to digest.
Fresh herbs: Rosemary & thyme add additional flavour in this recipe.
Pearl Barley: Besides the veggies, the pearl barley is really the star because it helps to thicken the broth and keep the soup hearty.
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil
- 6 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 large carrots, thinly sliced
- 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon fresh grated turmeric (or 1 teaspoon ground turmeric)
- 150 mls chicken stock (Fresh, Carton or made up cube)
- 500g boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs
- 1 teaspoon freshly chopped rosemary
- 1 teaspoon freshly chopped thyme, stems removed
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 150g pearl barley
- 150g frozen peas (optional, but recommended)
- Bring the whole thing to a boil, then stir in pearl barley. You shouls make sure the chicken to be covered by the liquid so make sure you stir them down to the bottom and add some water if necessary.
- Reduce heat to medium low and simmer uncovered for 40-505 minutes or until the pearl barley is soft.
- Once it’s ready, remove the chicken with a slotted spoon and transfer to a cutting board and shred with two forks (like making Pulled Pork). Add chicken back to pot then stir in the peas peas. Before serving check the seasoning and adjust if requited. Serve with some nice crusty bread.
Please Rate this recipe and leave your comments below, and share with your friends, Thank You
Category: Main Courses, Meat, Recipes, Soups, Salads, Side Dishes & Sauces
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Sorry for my absence on here but I’m recovering from a nasty fall in my kitchen, injuring my neck and head. Hope to be back ASAP
Regards Mr. Paul
Will try to take a look.
Hi Mr Paul I have attempted to make this recipe but I don’t understand what this means “150 mls chicken stock (Fresh, Carton or made up cube)” because when I put that much made up stock in the soup ran out of liquid. I had to add 1 ltr of water into it half way through. It is still cooking and I’m hoping that I have save it.
HI Maggie, It’s very nice to hear from you and thanks so much for your kind words. I do my best to pass on all I picked up during my working life both as a Pork Butcher in the family business and then in my own bakeries in the UK and here in Spain. My late wife Pamela and myself ran a cookery school here for the first two years, then opened a Bakery which we ran for almost 12 years until I retired 10 years ago. When I lost my dear wife 3 years ago I decided to start the website and my YouTube Videos to fill my time and it’s taken off beyond anything I had in mind. Now with over 13,000 followers on YouTube. I’m very pleased yo enjoy Spain, stay safe and keep on cooking. x
Dear Mr Paul
I am no great cook !
But your recipes are all very delicious and easy to follow.
I have been living in SPain now 9 years. Love everything about it.
My dauughter in UK very impressed with the amount of cooking I now do.
In UK I was a full time nurse, a lot of the time on the way home passed Marks + Sparks. If I was coming off night duty this is were I used to head. My daughter used to call me “M+S Queen” ☺.
Now and especially since lock down I send her your recipes for her and my family to enjoy too.
Just wish to thank you for making cooking so interesting and easy for me.
Love
Maggie 💖
Hello Judith,
Thank you for your interesting comment. I think my love of simplicity and also soups & stews come from my early upbringing when as I’ve said before, all we had to cook on was the open fire outside, this of course limited to what we could cook. If you any recipes you would like me to make a video of do please let me know. Do stay safe and keep in touch. x
Dear Mr. Paul,
All of your recipes are so delightful. I especially love homemade hot soups during the winter months. Winters are mild here in AZ, USA, but I’m elderly and chill very easily. That’s probably from having toes and fingers frozen a few times when I lived in Northeastern USA.
At present, I’m living in a small studio apt. on a beautiful organic farm. The people who own this farm, also lease a couple of houses and some apartments here on the same property. Besides vegetables, they also raise organic chickens, and they have a little processing plant here, where they as a family, work to clean, cut up, wash and shrink wrap the chicken meat. Some of them are sold whole, which is what I like, so even though, I’m alone, I like to make big pots of soup and freeze some of it and give some away to my neighbors. I can hardly wait to try this soup. I appreciate seeing all of your videos. I love the way you keep everything simple and have so many nice little tips for the beginner cooks.