The Elliott Homestead
  • Issues
  • Blog
  • Books
  • Recipes
  • Podcast
  • Cooking Community
  • Art Prints
  • Issues
  • Blog
  • Books by Shaye
  • Recipes
  • Podcast
  • Cooking Community
  • Shop
  • Contact

Chicken Soup. For my cold soul.

October 11, 2011 - 5 Comments

Homegirl's feeling a bit under the weather today.  *Sniffle, sniffle*.  Not like sick, sick…but you know…sick.  Perhaps I've run myself ragged a midst the garden weeding and harvesting, or perhaps I'm just being a runny-nosed-sissy.  Either way, I'm a wee achy and tired.

Speaking of weather, the current climate is cold, grey, and rainy.  Although, I must admit, I welcome the bleak weather as it seems to perfectly match the mood of this little germ-infestation I have goin' on.

In an effort to cure myself of what ails me, I have done the following:

1.  Worn my sweatpants all day.
2.  Made sure to spend plenty of time curled up in a blanket.
3.  Whined to Stuart.  Maybe a little.
4.  Sipped on many ‘o cup of Emergency-C.
5.  Taken a few tablespoons of my elderberry syrup.
6.  Found an excuse to procrastinate on doing dishes.
6.  What else?  Made chicken soup of course!

Nothing can cure a cold like a warm, salty chicken soup.  It's true – it's a proven fact.  All the goodness from that chicken stock replenishes the body and makes one feel warm, content, and satisfied.  Sigh.  I'm pretty sure I'll be eating it for the next few days, so I made sure to cook up a big batch!

Chicken Soup
You will need:
 – 1 roaster chicken, the best quality one you can find!
 – A big ‘ol pot of water
 – 2 tablespoons vinegar (I use raw apple cider)
 – 5 stocks celery, chopped
 – 5 carrots, peeled and chopped
 – 1 onion, peeled and diced
 – 4 tablespoons butter
 – 1 pound (or more!) potatoes, diced (I had a mismatch of varieties from the garden…use whichever variety you like the most!)
 – Handful or two of fresh herbs (parsley, rosemary, thyme, oregano, chives…)
 – 1 minced dried chili (optional)

Step One:  Fill up your big pot of water, then add it your entire chicken and the vinegar.  Bring the water to a boil, cover, and simmer the chicken for as long as you can stand it (8-12 hours is great…but do what you can, even if it's just a few hours!).  When the chicken is cooked, remove it from the pot of broth (reserve this broth for your soup!).  Then, after it has cooled a little bit, pick the meat from the bones.



Note:  You can save the bones and carcass here to make another batch of broth, if you'd like!  I like.

Step Two:  In a large soup pot, melt the butter.  Then, add it your diced onions, chopped celery, and chopped carrots.  Allow them to sweat a little bit in the butter and soften.  That's where the goodness comes from, baby.

Step Three:  Add you chicken meat in with the veggies…along with your potatoes.  Feel free to add however much of the chicken you'd like – I used about half of the chicken and reserved half for another meal.  

Step Four:  Ladle the reserved chicken broth into your soup pot.  Really, you can add however much broth you'd like, but if I'm guesstimating, I'd say about 10 cups or so.

Step Five:  Season the soup with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.  Also, this is a great time to add in your freshly chopped herbs!  Whats that?  You have some kale from your garden?  What the heck…throw that in there too.  Dark greens never hurt anybody.

Step Six:  Simmer the soup for 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.

YUM.

My bones are warm just thinking about this soup!  It's making my dark grey sweat pants feel all the more cozy.

I served the bowls of soup with baked apples and freshly-baked baguettes (which are another story in-and-of themselves.  Oh my none-whole-wheat goodness).  It was the perfect meal to soothe a weary, achy soul.  Although, I must admit, making your own chicken soup when you're sick is not quite the same as having someone cook it for you.  Mom?! Where are you?!  

Why is it that when someone else makes you something it always tastes so delicious! Especially when that someone is your Mom.  Sigh.

Be a grown-up Shaye.  You have to make your own chicken soup now.


I hate being a grow up.

Grr.

Now…if you'll excuse me, I have some snuggling to do with my blanket. 

How's that for being a grown up.

For other great meal ideas, no matter what your dietary restrictions, check out the meal planning service I use: Real Plans.

Chicken Soup

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 12 hrs
Cook Time 45 mins
Course Soup

Ingredients
  

  • 1 roaster chicken, the best quality one you can find!
  • A big ‘ol pot of water
  • 2 tablespoons vinegar (I use raw apple cider)
  • 5 stocks celery, chopped
  •  5 carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 1 onion, peeled and diced
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 1 pound (or more!) potatoes, diced (I had a mismatch of varieties from the garden…use whichever variety you like the most!)
  •  Handful or two of fresh herbs (parsley, rosemary, thyme, oregano, chives…)
  • 1 minced dried chili (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Fill up your big pot of water, then add it your entire chicken and the vinegar.  Bring the water to a boil, cover, and simmer the chicken for as long as you can stand it (8-12 hours is great…but do what you can, even if it's just a few hours!).  When the chicken is cooked, remove it from the pot of broth (reserve this broth for your soup!).  Then, after it has cooled a little bit, pick the meat from the bones.
  • In a large soup pot, melt the butter.  Then, add it your diced onions, chopped celery, and chopped carrots.  Allow them to sweat a little bit in the butter and soften.  That's where the goodness comes from, baby.
  • Add you chicken meat in with the veggies…along with your potatoes.  Feel free to add however much of the chicken you'd like – I used about half of the chicken and reserved half for another meal.  
  • Ladle the reserved chicken broth into your soup pot.  Really, you can add however much broth you'd like, but if I'm guesstimating, I'd say about 10 cups or so.
  • Season the soup with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.  Also, this is a great time to add in your freshly chopped herbs!  Whats that?  You have some kale from your garden?  What the heck…throw that in there too.  Dark greens never hurt anybody.
  • immer the soup for 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
Keyword Chicken Soup
If you like it, Share it!
Share
Tweet
Pin15
15 Shares

Comments:

  1. The Gluten-free 'Dish'

    October 13, 2011 at 11:52 pm

    The chicken soup looks delicious! Hope you are getting better, too. Reading your story makes me want to snuggle with my blanket.

    Reply
  2. Debbie @ Easy Natural Food

    October 19, 2011 at 9:04 pm

    My husband is getting over a cold and I’ve been making chicken soup for him!

    I’m going to be hosting a blog carnival specifically for soups, stocks and chowders, starting this Sunday. I would love it if you would come over and post this recipe. Here’s a link with more info.

    http://easynaturalfood.com/2011/10/17/introducing-sunday-night-soup-night/

    I hope to see you there!
    Debbie

    Reply
  3. Amanda

    October 9, 2012 at 4:55 pm

    Made this last week and it was so good. The potatoes made it great (and gluten free so I could eat it)! Hubby loves chicken soup so this is a keeper!

    Reply
  4. Kylie Flury

    September 29, 2014 at 1:39 am

    I still think this is the best chicken soup ever – mama bear is not so well so guess what i’ll be making for the clan & importantly myself 🙂

    Reply
  5. Deborah Wilson

    December 12, 2019 at 5:29 pm

    Just made chicken soup the same way but my hubby wants noodles I have never tried potatoes I’m not sure he will go for it I also made bone broth to freeze not sick yet hopefully won’t be thx Shaye

    Reply

Leave us a reply: Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

Recipe Rating




You May Also Like

The seasons are changing | The Elliott Homestead (.com)

The seasons are changing.

The seasons are changing – and so are the porch decorations! Let’s be honest with ourselves here. Most of the time, guests do have to step over a pile of…

Read More

Freshening up the spring kitchen

I’m ready for the spring kitchen! Sometimes it’s a great idea to strip it all away, dust and polish it, and piece it back together again. You’re left with a…

Read More

Peppercorn Steak with Cream Sauce.

If you ever put in a full day of physical work, you certainly understand the feeling at the end of the day where you’re hungry. For meat. For peppercorn steak….

Read More

Bake Better Bread at Home eBook

And as experience is the best teacher, I’m here to share with you how to bake better bread at home. Save yourself years of bad loaves. My many baking flops are your gain. Here’s how to bake better bread at home.

Subscribe to the newsletter

  • Home
  • Issues
  • Cooking Community
  • Recipes
  • Blog
  • Contact

Follow us

Pinterest Twitter Facebook Instagram

 

© Copyright 2022 The Elliot Homestead | Privacy Policy