Chicken Soup for Sick Folks

Good for what ails ya

As mentioned before, the last thing a person with the sniffles will feel like doing is standing in the kitchen and making a pot of soup. Folks, if you have a cold, flu like symptoms, sinus problems or any reasoning for a good-for-you, hearty bowl of chicken soup, get someone else in the kitchen now and tell them to make this for you. Tell them I said so. It will make you feel better and they will thank me for it. I promise.

As a child, whenever we had a tummy ache, Momma would make us a bowl of milk toast. Not for sure if it was good for us but the warm milk, tad of butter and soggy bread did make us feel better. Power of persuasion I suppose. When we got the sniffles, she would make us chicken soup in some form or another and that did help us feel better too. That I know was and still is good for all of us.

The thing about this soup is that it is rich in antioxidants, vitamins and we all know rich, hot chicken broth just can't be beat in clearing up the head and soothing the throat. For those like myself that suffer with sinus problems, I throw in a jalapeño to really get the head open plus it too is good for you, but you really don't know its there. I make this from time to time, for family and friends and I try to keep a container in the freezer for that day when I do not feel like standing in the kitchen. Hope none of you ever get sick with a cold but if you do, I hope you try it or get someone to make it for you. Enjoy and get to feeling better!

Chicken Soup for Sick Folks
really does make one feel better, good to boost the immune system

chicken broth with veggies

3 large bone-in chicken breasts, skin removed
3 bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed
3 leeks - cleaned, see below, green & white part separated
2 stalks of celery, cut in half
1 inch piece fresh ginger
4 garlic cloves, peeled -divided
2 cups peeled, sliced carrots -divided
1 sprig fresh oregano or 1 tablespoon dried
8 cups chicken stock
8 cups water

vegetables for the soup

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 jalapeno chili, seeded & minced
3 medium plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 1/2 pounds small new red potatoes, diced
1 head bok choy, washed - green & white part separated

In a large stockpot, place chicken, the dark green leaves from the leeks, celery, ginger, 2 garlic cloves, 1 cup sliced carrots, oregano and the white part of the bok choy. Add the chicken stock and water and place on high heat. When boiling, reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer for 1-hour.

Remove chicken to cool and strain broth through a colander into a large bowl discarding the solids. Strain any fat from the broth and wipe out the pot.

Mince the remaining garlic and thinly slice the leeks. Add the oil to the stockpot along with the garlic and jalapeño. Sauté over medium heat for a couple of minutes and add the leeks. Sauté for 5 minutes. Increase heat to high and add the broth, potatoes and remaining carrots. Bring to a simmer and cook about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, remove the chicken meat from the bones and tear into bite size pieces. Chop the boy choy into 1/2-inch pieces. Add the chicken to the pot along with the tomatoes and bok choy. Add salt and pepper to taste, simmer until nice and hot and bok choy is tender.

To clean leeks: Trim off the root and about 1/4-inch of the white part. Trim off about an inch or any tattered/wilted part of the upper dark green portion of the leek. Wash under running water well as leeks are normally gritty with soil. Cut the dark green leaves about 1 to 1/2 inch from where the light green base starts. This light green and white is the part most will use in recipes and the dark green leaves are used to flavor broths. Depending on the use in cooking, slice in sections or lengthwise and rinse again under running water separating the leaves.