Mom's Anti-Inflammatory Turmeric Chicken Soup

Hi everyone! What a craaaaazy few weeks this has been. It’s an eerily quiet Tuesday in NYC. No cars honking or sirens blaring. Most store fronts have shut down aside from grocery stores and pharmacies, and for the most part people are staying off the streets. Seems like time has almost stopped and given us a chance to take care of ourselves a bit better, love on our family a bit harder, and be grateful for all that we currently have. If this pandemic has taught me anything, it’s that life is unpredictable and we have to cherish every moment. 

One silver lining to this quarantine is that we have more down time to focus on ourselves and our loved ones. One of the best ways to serve yourself and those you care about is to make hearty and delicious home cooked meals. At a time when so many of us are out of work, caring for loved ones, sick, and quite possibly anxious and stressed about the uncertainty of the future, it’s vital that we prioritize self-care. 

While you may be thinking bubble baths and DIY face masks (I certainly am!), diet is a huge component of taking the best possible care of yourself. Whenever I’m feeling a bit down, over the weather, or just want to keep my immune system balanced, I call my mom and have her walk me through her chicken soup recipe. For me, this is one of the ultimate comfort foods. She packs this soup with antioxidant-rich ingredients like garlic, turmeric, ginger, fresh herbs and potent spices. Just the wafts of garlic and onion simmering in the pot are enough to get your boyfriend to pop into the kitchen to see what’s cooking. 

In the midst of the chaos that we’re surrounded by, I wanted to share this warming recipe in hopes that it too will bring you some comfort over the next few weeks. Filled with fall-off-the-bone tender chicken, hearty vegetables like carrots and potatoes, and nourishing broth, it’s a wholesomely delicious and healing meal. And when it’s cooked with lots of love, it’s pretty powerful what a soup can do for your mental and physical well-being. 

Sending love, light and nothing but good vibes to each and everyone one of you. Stay healthy :)

Ingredients

Whole chicken 

1 large yellow onion, diced

1 large leek, chopped 

2-3 celery stalks, chopped

3-5 garlic cloves, minced 

1 tbsp turmeric powder

1 tsp ginger powder

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper 

1tsp coriander powder

4-6 carrots, chopped

2-3 each of red and yellow potatoes, diced 

1/2 cup lentils 

1 tbs apple cider vinegar

Fresh parsley, oregano and cilantro 

Sea salt and black pepper

Garnish with fresh squeezed lemon, fresh herbs like cilantro, sliced radish, diced avocado and jalapeño.  

Instructions

1. Remove the skin from the whole chicken and cut the chicken into smaller pieces. I leave the legs and wings whole, and cut the breast in two pieces. Don’t discard the backbone. You want to use all parts of the chicken to get maximum nutrients from the bones. 

2. Heat a large soup pot on medium-high heat and sauté the chicken in ghee and avocado oil until lightly browned. 

3. Add onion, leek, celery and garlic and continue to sauté until onions are fragrant and slightly translucent, about 5-8 minutes. 

4. Add dried spices and sauce for an additional 5 minutes. 

5. Pour filtered water to the pot and bring to a light boil. Lower the heat and let simmer for 1-1/2 hours. 

6. Add the chopped carrots, potatoes, lentils, a dash apple cider vinegar, and fresh herbs and cook for an additional 30 minutes. 

7. Garnish with fresh herbs like cilantro and oregano, avocado, squeeze fresh lemon and fresh jalapeños. 

8. Store in the fridge for 3 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months. When reheating, add about 1-2 cups vegetable broth, chicken broth or filtered water as the ingredients retain majority of the liquid. I also like to add fresh garlic, herbs, kale and mushrooms to leftovers. Enjoy!