The addition of ginger and garlic make this chicken soup a sickness fighter!
Lately it's impossible for me to keep my shirt clean for more than a couple of hours.
And that's when BabyGirl doesn't have a cold. Add snot and excessive drooling from teething, and I'm lucky if I can keep my shoulders slime-free for more than 15 minutes.
Unfortunately she wasn't the only one who had a cold last week. It made its way through all of us. Because we don't jump to the medicine cabinet for every sniffle, we went through all of our usual natural remedies (supplements, essential oils, vapo-rub, baths, smoothies, fresh air, lots of cuddling) including a couple of new ones I discovered from our Facebook chat. (Thanks, by the way!)
Recurring mentions of lemon, ginger, and garlic swirled in my little head, and since I was planning on making chicken soup for the kids, I threw those in for good measure. I also used coconut oil and homemade bone broth in the soup, both of which do your body good.
Adding ginger to the soup, I expected it to have a strong ginger flavor, but it just had more flavor in general. I made it the next day without ginger (we ran out. boo.) and I could tell a big difference. Not nearly as flavorful.
Did I mention this soup only takes about 30 minutes?
Chicken Ginger Soup Ingredients
- Cooked noodles or rice (optional)
- Chicken broth or stock – I love using Homemade Chicken Bone Broth stashed in the freezer, but use whatever you have on hand.
- Coconut oil - or another heat-safe cooking oil like avocado oil
- Boneless, skinless chicken – Breast or thighs work equally well here
- Carrots
- Celery
- Onion – any kind (yellow, white, sweet)
- Garlic – Fresh, if you have it. We’re trying to maximize health-promoting ingredients and the fresher the better!
- Ginger – Again, fresh if possible. Fresh ginger is a revelation and is great for when you’re sick.
- Thyme - This one can be dried since there’s not as big of a benefit of using fresh thyme from a health perspective.
- Lemon juice
How to Make This Chicken Soup For Cold Remedy
- Quickly sear chicken in a large soup pot in hot oil just until browned on both sides. Remove from the pot.
- Add the diced carrots, celery, onion, garlic, ginger, and thyme to the pot. Cook until the onions are slightly golden brown, about 8-10 min.
- Add the seared chicken back to the pot along with the broth. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 10-12 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
- Remove the chicken, shred/dice and return it to the pot along with the lemon juice and any cooked noodles or rice. Taste, and season accordingly with salt. You might need a teaspoon or two.
- Ladle into bowls and serve!
Chicken Ginger Soup Tips and Tricks
When the soup simmers, make sure it’s not a rolling boil. Let it cook at medium-low with little simmer bubbles.
If you’re using homemade, unsalted bone broth, you’ll need to add more salt.
You could add ¼ cup uncooked rice at the same time as the broth if you’d like to cook them together.
I don’t love cooking pasta in soup because it leaves a lot of starch in the broth, but if that doesn’t bother you, add about 1 or 1 ½ cup small pasta at the same time as the broth, too.
I love adding a shake of sriracha to my bowl of soup. It adds even more flavor and, let’s face it, some spicy heat will help clear those sinuses.
If you're looking for a vegetarian version of a warming, comforting soup, check out the Wild Rice Soup from Lindsay at Veggie Balance!
If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!
Chicken Soup For a Cold
This is our go-to chicken soup for winter, for colds, or for when we're in a chicken soup mood -- which happens quite often. Ginger might seem like an odd addition, but it really boosts the flavor without making the soup taste gingery.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ quarts chicken broth
- 2 Tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 - 1 ½ lb uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs
- 3 large carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1-inch knob of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated (with a Microplane if you have it)
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- juice from 1 large lemon
- Cooked noodles or rice (optional)
Instructions
- Bring the coconut oil to medium-high heat in a large pot.
- When the pot is hot, add the chicken breast and brown on both sides. (It doesn't have to cook all the way through.) Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside for now.
- Add the carrots, celery, onion, garlic, ginger, and thyme to the pot. Stir often and cook until the onions begin to brown slightly. If they start sticking to the bottom of the pot, add ¼ cup of the broth to loosen things up.
- Return the chicken to the pot and add the broth. Let everything simmer for about 10-12 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
- Removed the chicken, shred or dice, and put it back into the pot. Add lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add any cooked noodles or rice, if you like.
- Ladle into bowls.
Notes
- If you want to add uncooked rice or noodles you'll want to add 2 extra cups of chicken broth.
- Add about ¼ cup of rice at the same time as the broth.
- Add about 4 oz pasta after the mixture has been simmering for about 5 minutes so you don't overcook the pasta before the noodles finish. If you use really small pasta, you'll want to check the boil time and adjust accordingly.
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Nutrition Information
Yield 6 Serving Size 1 ½ cupsAmount Per Serving Calories 450Total Fat 15gSaturated Fat 8gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 6gCholesterol 119mgSodium 1102mgCarbohydrates 38gFiber 3gSugar 11gProtein 40g
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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