Chicken pox came knocking on our door back in 2016 and my homeopath, Dawn Waterhouse, suggested I give Ted chicken soup as a remedy to help with the healing process. So I decided to look at the amazing health benefits of a homemade chicken soup. For centuries, people have been eating soup when they get sick. Our grandparents would have had a big bowl of soup when they were unwell. Remember, Nan would have said, ‘soup is good for the soul’, and she was right, as always.
Nowadays, we probably think of soup being an effective medicine for the sick as an old wives tale. However, it has been scientifically proven that soup has real healing power and it can help to relieve symptoms of illness fast. The vegetables in a big bowl of the hot stuff can help to strengthen the immune system and they can fight off viruses. They can also help to provide a speedy recovery and improve health of eyes, teeth and gums.
Chicken stock, made in a traditional way and not from a packet, provides hydration. Good quality chicken, preferably organic, may help support the immune system and it provides building blocks for bones, muscles, skin and blood. There are many reasons why these ingredients can help us during times of illness. The main ones being the amount of vitamins, minerals and nutrients they hold.
Please remember that these foods can have amazing health benefits when eaten as part of a healthy diet. So if you’re feeling sick and need a boost or you just want to eat a healthy meal with loads of nutritional value then this soup is well worth a try. Below is a video and recipe for you.
Serves 4
Equipment needed
- Sharp knife
- Chopping board
- Slow cooker or large saucepan that holds 2 litres
- Frying pan
- Stirring spoon
- Teaspoon
- Ladle
- Food processor
Ingredients
- Spring Onions x 1 bunch
- Sweet potato x 2 large
- Carrots x 2 medium
- Garlic x 6 – 8 cloves
- Yellow peppers x 2
- Chicken stock x 2 litres
- Herbs du provence x 1 tsp
- Salt x 1/4 tsp
- Coriander x 1 bunch
- Pepper to taste
- Cooked chicken x 500g (or uncooked and fried in the frying pan)
- Olive oil for the saucepan and frying pan
Method for the slow cooker
- Start by peeling the sweet potatoes, carrots, garlic and then chop along with the spring onions and yellow peppers.
- Put all of these into the slow cooker along with the chicken stock, herbs du provence, salt and pepper to taste.
- Turn the slow cooker on low for seven hours and high for three hours.
- When the potatoes and vegetables are soft turn the slow cooker off and leave to cool.
- Once the vegetables have cooled then put them into the food processor using the ladle.
- Blend all the ingredients together.
- Tip: You may need to blend these ingredients three or four times until the soup is finished so I suggest using a jug or two to pour the blended ingredients into before returning it to the slow cooker.
- While blending add in the cooked chicken.
- If using uncooked chicken fry it in the pan for 5 – 10 minutes with a little olive oil while the slow cooker is cooling then add to the soup.
- Finally, add in the coriander.
- Once all the ingredients are blended then put the slow cooker back on a low heat until ready to serve.
- Then enjoy with flatbread or a chickpea flour wrap.
Method for the hob
- Start by peeling the sweet potatoes, carrots, garlic and then chop along with the spring onions and yellow peppers.
- Put the large saucepan on a medium to high heat and fry until the onions soften.
- Add in the garlic and fry for a further two minutes.
- If using uncooked chicken put it into the large pan and fry for a further 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked all the way through.
- Next add in the yellow peppers and carrots and keep frying another two minutes.
- Pour in the chicken stock into the large saucepan.
- Tip: If you don’t have a saucepan that’s big enough then you can use two large pans.
- Put the sweet potatoes into the stock.
- Bring all the ingredients to the boil and the leave on a lower heat to simmer for 20 – 30 minutes or until the potatoes are soft.
- Once the vegetables are soft turn the hob off and remove the saucepan from the heat.
- Leave to cool.
- Next put the mixture into the food processor using the ladle and blend all the ingredients together.
- Tip: You may need to blend these ingredients three or four times until the soup is finished so I suggest using a jug or two to pour the blended ingredients into before returning it to the slow cooker.
- Finally, add in the coriander.
- Once all the ingredients are blended then put on a low heat until ready to serve.
- Then enjoy with flatbread or a chickpea flour wrap.
Cream of Sweet Potato and Chicken Soup is a healthy, nutritious meal that can help you to relieve the symptoms of any illness. It’s also delicious and it tastes much better than most modern medicine. (Or so I would like to believe). Soup is a good remedy but it’s a fantastic meal for a hungry family. If you are single or only a couple, soups are great for freezing and they can be eaten as a quick meal once defrosted later on. However you decide to eat this meal, as always, enjoy.
Googies Kitchen Life 