Healing Soup is one of my personal favorite recipes. A powerhouse soup packed with ingredients that will boost immunity and leave you feeling satisfied!

My kids totally indulge in this soup and my husband and I enjoy it greatly as well. Not only is it a body reviving soup, but it’s a soul reinvigorating one as well.

I created this soup by combining two amazing powerhouse soup recipes. The first being Vietnamese Pho soup and the second is hearty chicken veggie broth. Each of these soups alone has wondrous benefits for the human body, imagine the healing power combined to make the best chicken soup!

Healing Powers

Nearly all soup recipes boast a super-healing ability. Of course, that’s not a bad thing at all. I personally love soups. Also, it’s no secret that I’m all for the healthy lifestyle. If my family and I can get our remedies in a natural healthy way, my heart is happy! The ingredients in this soup truly have medicinal properties. Each individual ingredient brings something special to this soup!

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Immunity Boosters In Healing Soup

One important factor in the Best Healing Soup recipe is that its ingredients boost immunity. It’s great during the winter when it’s really cold out and need that warm feeling. Flu season thrives in winter weather so it’s essential we work on raising our immunity and protecting ourselves. Even during this pandemic or for any other virus that exists, this soup is a great go-to for when you’re sick or a possible preservation from illness.

Below are ingredients included in this soup that have immunity boosting benefits:

• Kale: This green is a member of the cabbage family and I think it’s safe to say we all know the healing benefits of cabbage. Kale has vitamin A, vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin B6, manganese, calcium, copper, potassium, and magnesium to name a few. It’s loaded with antioxidants. It’s also known to lower LDL (bad cholesterol) levels. All of these are proponents of higher immunity.
• Celery: This low-calorie vegetable is packed with vitamin C, beta carotene, and flavonoids which decrease your risk of chronic illnesses.
• Onions: They are rich in B vitamins like B9 and B6. Such vitamins increase metabolism and the production of red blood cells. They even enhance nerve function. Onions are packed with potassium which creates normal cellular function, kidney function, and muscle contraction. They also help in controlling blood sugar levels.
• Garlic: It is literally medicine. Garlic has the compound alliin which turns into allicin when chewed or crushed. These two compounds have proved to boost the immunity response of some types of white blood cells in the body when they face viruses. These include viruses that cause the common cold or flu!

Spices

• Ginger: A flowering plant originally from Southeast Asia, this spice has medicinal properties. To be exact, it contains a bioactive compound called gingerol. This compound has very strong antioxidant effects, has anti-inflammatory properties, and relieves nausea. Furthermore, studies have proven ginger is directly related to weight-loss.
• Cloves: Though cloves are known as a delicious spice with great aroma, they have long been used in alternative or traditional medicine. Not only can they help control blood sugar levels, they support liver health. They are packed with fiber, manganese, and vitamin k. Also, it’s great for strong bones and healthy brain function.
• Turmeric: Known as the “yellow spice”, turmeric has the compound curcuminoids, which has medicinal value. It helps fight chronic inflammation and improves brain function, even preventing some brain-related diseases.
• Anise: It is a seed famously known for its powerful healing characteristics. Not only has it been proven to reduce depression, but can prevent the growth of certain fungus and bacteria. Also, it too works as an anti-inflammatory and helps regulate blood sugar.

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Benefits to The Best Chicken Healing Soup

There are tons more vitamins and nutrients packed in this wonderful soup. The other ingredients including carrots, parsley, tomatoes, and corn among others are full of healthy compounds. These all work together to help boost immunity, rejuvenate your physical health, and invigorate mental health.

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What is the best soup to eat when sick?

I included chicken breast as the main source of protein in this soup. But, you’ll notice I put the option of using a whole chicken. Chicken breast is a great healthy choice when it comes to saving calories and fat, especially when boneless. But if you’re looking for real medicinal relief, you should opt for the whole chicken. When boiling, rather simmering, a whole chicken, you are in fact cooking its bones and connective tissue.

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What is so good about that you may ask? A ton of things! First, the bones are packed with nutrients like magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, and calcium. All of these are actually great in strengthening our own bones. The connective tissue releases glucosamine and chondroitin, both compounds which are essential for improving human joints. The bone and tissue also release collagen into the broth which has many important amino acids.

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Going Vegetarian

You can definitely opt for a vegetarian version of the soup. Simply omit the chicken entirely and use vegetarian bouillon cubes. You’ll get all the amazing flavors and benefits mentioned above in terms of the vegetables and spices included. To get more protein into the soup you can add one or a few of the following vegetables:

• watercress
• spinach
• cabbage
• asparagus
• broccoli
• mustard greens
• collard greens

Tips

• add the garlic at the very end of the cooking process in order to preserve or get the most out of its health benefits
• use the freshest veggies available
• if your looking for more flavor, lightly sauté the carrots, corn, tomatoes, potatoes, and celery with a few of the spices before adding to the broth
• if the whole chicken you plan to boil is large, you can set some of it aside for another dish like Freekeh with Ginger Chicken or Mloukhieh and freeze some of the extra broth for later use

List of ingredients for The Best Chicken Healing Soup

• 2 chicken breasts or 1 small whole chicken
• chopped carrots
• celery chopped
• onions chopped
• chopped tomatoes 
• potatoes chopped
• corn drained
• fresh kale chopped
• parsley chopped
• minced garlic cloves
• minced ginger knobs 
• cloves 
• anise star
• cinnamon stick
• turmeric powder or fresh turmeric minced
• Himalayan salt
• pepper
• crushed red pepper for seasoning
• bouillon cubes
• egg noodles

Preparation

• In a large pot fill a little below the top, drop in a whole chicken or you can use chicken breast. Bring the water to a boil then simmer.
• WHOLE CHICKEN: If using a whole chicken, simmer for about 45 minutes then remove to cool in a strainer. Once chicken has cooled, begin to remove the meat off of the bones and place back into the broth. Add in your chopped veggies and spices (except the chopped parsley). Allow to come to a boil once again, then simmer for 30-45 minutes.
• CHICKEN BREAST: If using chicken breast then keep the chicken in the pot along with all the ingredients veggies and spices ( except parsley), remove the chicken breast from the pot after simmering for 45 minutes, allow to cool then shred the chicken. Place the shredded chicken back into the pot.
• Add in your chopped veggies and spices (except the chopped parsley). Allow to come to a boil then simmer for 30-45 minutes.
• Garnish the whole pot with chopped parsley for added benefits and flavor! Add crushed red pepper to your bowl to spice it up and for added benefits. Enjoy warm!

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Instant Pot Healing Chicken Soup

Instant Pot method:  You can make this soup in the instant pot!  It is super easy.  You place all your ingredients, including your chicken (raw), spices and veggies (minus the parsley) recommended to garnish the pot of soup with freshly minced parsley for best flavor but it is optional. 

Instant Pot Method:  Place the ready cut veggies into the instant pot, the spices, salt, ginger, egg noodles and the chicken (raw) except the chopped parsley.  Place water to cover 2 inches more of the ingredients in the pot (be sure you don’t exceed the max limit of the p0t).  Cover the instant pot then pressure cook on high heat for 1 hour!  Once finished, release the pressure then add the chopped parsley.  Enjoy warm!

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