Chicken soup is known in many cultures to help prevent and fight-off common colds and flu’s. The broth is deeply nourishing, while the pieces of chicken and vegetables are satisfying and filling. In Chinese medicine, chicken bone broth is said to deeply nourish the kidneys, and are often used in situations where the kidney energy can get tapped – such as: after childbirth, after IVF cycles, a chronic or long-term illness, or as a general health supplement in the winter (which is the season for kidney energy). The “kidney energy” in Chinese Medicine can be likened to adrenal, endocrine and immune function in Western Medicine. After the jump, check out my own recipe for nourishing Chicken Soup.

This soup is a variation on my mother’s recipe and my fiance’s mother’s recipe for home-made chicken soup (learned by observation, trial and error – perfected!). Best part is that once the stock is made, this soup takes less than 45 minutes to prepare – start to finish.

• 2 Split Chicken Breasts, bone-in and skin-on*
• 3 Medium Parsnips, peeled and sliced into circles or half-circles**
• 2 Medium Carrots, washed and sliced into circles or half-circles
• 4 Cloves Minced Garlic
• 1 Medium Yellow Onion, sliced
• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 6-8 Shitake Mushrooms, sliced thin
• 1-inch Slice Fresh Ginger Root
• 2 Bay Leaves
• Salt and Pepper to Taste
• 6 Cups Broth (preferably home-made, vegetable or chicken)
• 1 Cup Pasta or Rice of your choice, cooked and drained (optional)

Prepare broth for soup. In a separate soup-pot, saute onions and garlic in olive oil until tender. Add the carrots and parsnips, cooking together for about a minute. Pour the broth over the vegetables and bring to a simmer, adding the ginger slice, salt, pepper and bay leaves. Once bubbling, place the chicken breasts in, skin-side down. Cover and reduce heat to simmer for 10 min. Turn the breasts around so the bone-side is now down for another 10 minutes.

Remove chicken breasts from the soup and place on a cutting board. Once slightly cooled, remove and discard the skin and bones. Loosely shred the chicken and return to the soup (chicken should be fully cooked). Remove the sliced ginger and bay leaf, and add the shitake mushrooms. Simmer together for 2 minutes and then serve over cooked pasta or on its own.

* I use two chicken breasts because I prefer the white meat in my chicken soup, and I am usually only cooking for 2 so a whole chicken is a little much for us. But a whole chicken can be used. I prefer to keep the skin and bones on so that the essential minerals, nutrients and fats of the chicken absorb into the broth – making it the immune booster it claims to be.

**The parsnips give a nice texture and sweetness to the soup that I think complements the shitake mushroom flavor incredibly well, plus it is a nice way to use a vegetable not commonly called for in other dishes. Celery can also be added or substituted for the parsnips, if preferred.

1 Small Orange Kabocha Squash (or other hearty orange squash), peeled & cut into cubes

5 C Carrots, peeled & cut into coins

1 tsp Salt

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

Ground Pepper

2 tsp Fresh Chopped Garlic

Whole Milk Ricotta, 1 Tbsp per bowl for garnish

Olive Oil & Pepitas for garnish

Saute garlic in Olive Oil in a medium sized saucepan until tender (not brown).  Add carrots, squash, salt, and pepper to taste.  Cover the ingredients with water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and bring to a simmer. Simmer covered about 20 min or until carrots and squash are tender. Remove from heat and puree the entire contents of the pot in a blender.

Serve in large bowls. Top with a scoop of ricotta, a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of roasted pepitas. Enjoy! (Your spleen and stomach will thank you).