Friday, January 19, 2018

Chicken Soup to Combat the Flu

Mindy here, in for the Belle today. And unless you've been living under a rock, I'm sure you know that the flu and other forms of the creeping crud are running rampant. Both Jan and Cate talked about ways to fend off the dreaded virus. One of our favorite, not to mention most delicious weapons, is chicken soup. A hearty, heart-warming, good-for-what-ails-you comfort food that's oh so good whether you're sick or not. 

This chicken soup recipe came from my SIL. It's fairly easy and the actual cooking time isn't long. However, there is some prep work, so plan on about an hour and half  from the time you start chopping until the time you're sitting down to eat.

Here's what you'll need:
4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
5-6 large cloves of garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 lb. carrots, peeled and sliced
4-5 stalks celery, sliced
2 quarts chicken broth
1 quart vegetable broth (or use 3 chicken)
2-3 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1-2 dashes red pepper flakes
l large bay leaf (optional)
3-4 cubes (or equivalent) chicken bouillon
1 package Kluski or Bohemian noodles

I like to chop and gather everything for this dish before I actually start cooking.
Once that's done, place a large Dutch oven over high heat and add your olive oil. 
When the oil is heated, add the chicken, onions and garlic.
Cook until meat is browned.
Okay, so it doesn't exactly brown because there's a lot of moisture in there from the onions. The main thing is that you don't want to see any pink meat.

Next, add your carrots, celery and all of your seasonings.
Bring to a low boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30-45 minutes or until veggies are tender.

Boy, oh boy, does the house smell yummy. Talk about whetting your appetite.

Add noodles and simmer for an additional 20-30 minutes.
Delicious.

Now that's one lean meal with loads of flavor. You can even up the garlic and red pepper flakes, if you like, to clear those nasal passages. 

Nothing like ending the week with an armada of weapons to get you through this flu season. From Jan's tips and vitamin C packed Orange Smoothie (recipe here) to Cate's natural remedies (find those here) to a flavorful chicken soup, the Yankee-Belle Café has got you covered.

So what's on your agenda for this weekend? Cleaning? Shopping? Football playoffs? Perhaps a Hallmark Channel movie marathon (I wish)? We want to hear what you're up to.

Mindy Obenhaus lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband, the youngest of her five children and two dogs. She's passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining, and sometimes adventurous, manner. When she’s not writing, she enjoys cooking and spending time with her grandchildren. Learn more at www.MindyObenhaus.com  



9 comments:

  1. This chicken soup sounds fabulous!

    I often incorporate vegetable broth in my soups, just to add some extra nutrition and a depth to the flavor that chicken broth alone just doesn't have.

    And we don't have the Krenek noodles here, so I'm assuming any homemade style noodle will do? Even actual homemade?

    We're expecting snow tomorrow, so after our Saturday morning errands are done, I'll have to put a pot of this soup on the stove to simmer...

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    1. Momma always gave us chicken soup when we wete nkt feeling up to par. ��

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    2. Jan, the Krenek noodles are a Bohemian noodle we get locally. They're different from an egg noodle, so they don't get mushy. But you should be able to find Kluski noodles at the grocery store.

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    3. Anonymous, you know what they say. Momma knows best. :D

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  2. There's all kind of scientific data to support grandma's theory that chicken soup is beneficial for ailing folks. Love when science proves tradition right.

    This weekend I'll likely be reading up a storm (what else is knew??) but I have a few books due at the library early next week and they all have holds on them so it would be a while before I could get them again. So I will be doing my literary duty and reading to the bitter end. lol Happy weekending.

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    1. Kav, there's one thing our ancestors had that folks sometimes lack today and that's common sense. They didn't have all of our technology or scientific data, yet their buildings and traditions still stand. Go figure.

      Sounds like you'll be doing your duty as a good library patron by getting your reading done. It's a tough job, but somebody's gotta do it, right?

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  3. I’ve never heard of Kluski noodles, Mindy. You’ve given me something to hunt for.

    Thanks for sharing this soup. I can almost smell it simmering.

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  4. Mary Cate, you should be able to find them tucked in with the other noodles at the grocery store.

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