Feel-good Chicken Soup
This feel-good chicken soup recipe was given to me by my good friend Kate at @EastDevonEats, it’s adapted from a traditional Jewish Chicken Soup which they call ‘Jewish Penicillin’, the healing properties of which are totally amazing. I’ve made it a little easier by using shop bought chicken stock but you can make your own, see this Good Housekeeping recipe for step by step instructions.
I am such a strong believe of the power of food to help with whatever life throws at me, and when life is feeling tough I make chicken soup. I do have other vegetarian and vegan recipes for soup that I love but I don’t think anything picks me up more than this one. It’s like having a big warm, comforting hug in a bowl.
It’s great with crackers, if I’m feeling indulgent then I love Hillside’s Sea Salt and Poppy Seed crackers which are handmade just up the road in Kenn but to be honest a simple Ryvita or Jacobs will do the trick. Or you can mop it up with a nice slice of sourdough or granary
You can keep it plain by adding parsley at the end rather than my cumin and coriander and it works just as well, it’s just that I prefer a bit of spice.
This recipe will make 6 bowls of soup, I often make it in bigger batches and freeze them in freezer bags so that I can just pop one in the microwave either as a feel-good lunch, or as soon as I get in from a good romp on the Moor, it keeps the endorphins I’ve built up on the walk last a little bit longer.
Ingredients
- 55g/2oz butter
- 2 onions, sliced
- 2 sticks celery, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, finely diced
- 25g/2oz plain flour
- 1.2 litres/2 pints chicken stock
- 450g/1lb cooked chicken, skinned and shredded
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Take a large saucepan and melt the butter or margarine over a medium heat.
Add your cumin, sliced onions, celery and carrots and gently fry until they start to soften.
Add the flour and stir vigorously for 2 minutes until it is cooked.
Add the chicken stock and bring the mixture to the boil, stirring as you do so.
Season with salt and pepper to taste, some chicken stocks are actually already very salty so you might not need too much salt.
Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until the all vegetables are tender.
Add your cooked chicken and cook until heated through, around 5 minutes.
Adjust the seasoning, stir in the coriander and serve.
I love to share recipes and have passed this one on to so many friends who have lost a pet. Keeping your strength up and looking after yourself is a hard thing to remember to do when you’re feeling the loss of your beloved pet but it will help you to cope. And if you’re not up to making it yourself, a bowl of any chicken soup is good, just make sure you sit down enjoy it’s soothing properties. It’s food for the soul.