Fight cold & flu season with this anti-inflammatory chicken soup

By: Sophia Bates, Associate Editor 

Last week, columnist Samuel Smith wrote about dealing with the cold/flu season in the #Adulting column. Shortly after that was published- I got struck with a nasty cold. I did get tested for COVID-19 and strep throat and luckily both came back negative. 

If anything good comes out of being stuck in the house with a congestion cold, it’s making soup. Smith talked about anti-inflammatory medicine, so I’m going to introduce you to the anti-inflammatory chicken soup!

Ingredients (Remember so many grocery stores offer curbside pickup and delivery now, so you don’t even need to put yourself at risk! I personally use Target curbside for most of my needs). 

  • 1 pound chicken breast or thighs 
  • Avocado oil 
  • 6-7 cloves of minced garlic 
  • 1 yellow onion, diced 
  • 2 carrots, chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped
  • 1 bag of frozen peas
  • 1 tablespoon of ginger paste
  • Ground turmeric
  • 6-7 cups of chicken broth
  • Thyme 
  • Rosemary
  • Salt
  • Black pepper
  • Cayenne pepper
  • 1 cup of couscous or quinoa 

Keep in mind you can substitute or remove what you want, but remember you may have to alter the recipe. Garlic is your best friend in this recipe, that’s why there is so much. Not only does it add flavor, but it’s full of anti-bacterial properties. I personally love fresh cloves and keep them handy, but if you have a paste that can work too. The same goes with ginger, I used a paste but if you want to buy it fresh and mince yourself, that works too! 

Lastly, if you want to make this vegetarian, simply switch out the chicken for something like chickpeas and switch the broth to vegetable. You want protein because when you’re sick, since it can be hard to eat, tender and soft protein in a soup is really nice. 

Let’s get cookin’ 

  1. Grab a pot big enough to cook everything in and a cutting board! Add some avocado oil until it lines the bottom and add your garlic, onion, carrots and celery. Sauté until your onions seem softer. Then, add your ginger and turmeric. Personally, I don’t measure, so then add your favorite seasonings to taste.
  2. Once you are satisfied with your sauté, add 6 cups of chicken broth and your chicken breast. Make sure you don’t slice them, they are going to cook and marinate in the broth and we’ll shred later. Add in pepper, cayenne pepper and salt and stir that in. Then add your rosemary and thyme. 
  3. Once you’ve reached a boil, stir in your couscous or quinoa. Cover and reduce heat to a low simmer for 25 minutes.
  4. After 25 minutes, get the chicken out and shred (using a couple of forks works best). Then, add the chicken back into the pot with the frozen peas. I also added a cup of water at this point to make the soup thinner, but you can either skip this or add more broth depending on your preferences!
  5. Simmer for seven more minutes or until you know the peas are soft, and serve with baguette or saltines!

If you are a visual learner, feel free to check out this TikTok I made that walks you through the steps.

This recipe is so simple and perfect for a comfort food day or when you are sick with a cold. 

One thought on “Fight cold & flu season with this anti-inflammatory chicken soup

  1. Combatting the onslaught of cold and flu season demands a powerful ally, and what better weapon than a steaming bowl of anti-inflammatory chicken soup? Packed with immune-boosting nutrients and comforting warmth, this soup from https://medicalwholesalesupplies.com/ is a potent remedy against seasonal ailments. Laden with wholesome ingredients like chicken, vegetables, and healing herbs, it soothes both body and soul. Embrace its nourishing embrace to fortify yourself against winter’s chill and emerge victorious against illness.

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