Healing Chicken Soup is perfectly nourishing when you’re feeling under the weather!
It’s hardly a secret that chicken soup is “good for what ails you”—as my grandmother used to say. If you’re a science nerd like me and want to know the how and why, click here and here. If you’re just here for the yummy recipe, you can skip all that.
Suffice to say, maybe this soup isn’t a panacea, but it is definitely delicious.
Why is This Chicken Soup So Healing?
I kicked up the healing properties of bone broth with the trio of ginger, turmeric, and garlic.
Besides tasting aromatic and well, decidedly victorious, ginger and turmeric bring their anti-inflammatory compounds to this dish, and garlic, its antiviral properties. Infusing the broth is well worth the extra twenty minutes!
You can really dress this up anyway you’d like. I added some shredded chicken, green onion, carrot and shiitake mushrooms (gotta love that umami!) along with some gluten-free noodles made from mountain yam.
Consider the broth a blank palette upon which to draw with your favorite flavors.
How to Modify This Healing Chicken Soup
- Use beef or fish broth instead of chicken.
- Use any protein you prefer or have on hand.
- Add in your favorite thinly cut veggies.
- Instead of fish sauce, substitute 1 teaspoon coconut aminos.
Healing Chicken Soup Recipe (Paleo, Gluten-Free)
This Healing Chicken Soup recipe is infused with garlic, ginger and turmeric! Perfect for keeping the sniffles at bay! Paleo & whole30.
Ingredients
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 inch fresh ginger sliced into thin coins
- 1 inch fresh turmeric sliced into thin coins, sub 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 3 cloves garlic peeled & smashed
- 1/2 tsp fish sauce
- 2 cups cooked shredded chicken
- 4 oz shiitake mushrooms sliced
- 3 green onions white and light green parts, thinly sliced
- 1 carrot medium, julienned or shredded
- Sea salt to taste
- 1 cup zucchini noodles optional
Instructions
- Pour the chicken broth into a medium pot, and add the ginger, turmeric, garlic and fish sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 20 to 30 minutes to really infuse the broth with flavor. Note: If using turmeric powder (ground turmeric), start with ¼ teaspoon (0.5 gram), and increase to ½ teaspoon (1 gram), depending on your preference. I find turmeric powder to be insanely potent, much more so than the fresh root, so always add less and bump it up if you’d like. While the broth is simmering, prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove the ginger, turmeric and garlic. Discard. Or, if you like to live dangerously, leave it all in the soup and pick around it while you’re eating (like I did in the photo). Just be aware: Biting into a large chunk of ginger, turmeric or garlic is usually not pleasant.
- Add the chicken, mushrooms, green onions, carrot and if desired, your noodles. Heat about 5 minutes on medium-low or until everything is warmed through. Taste and adjust the seasoning with sea salt.
Recipe Notes
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52 Responses
If I wanted to do this in a slow cooker instead, would it work to finely mince up the turmeric, ginger, and garlic(or maybe run them through a garlic press)? I don’t want to have to pick them out but I’d like them to cook down enough to be mild, so that it’s not a shock if I bite into a piece.
I might cut back the ginger, turmeric and garlic by half, then, and probably grate them on a microplane 🙂
I found this quick, comforting recipe during my Whole 30. I love it! I accidentally left the ginger & turmeric in the soup, but it was delicious since I had cut them into smaller pieces than suggested. I always leave the spices in now.
Wow! I love soup and that looks amazing.
Thank you Beth!
Made this tonight and it was delicious! The time to infuse the broth was definitely worth it. And it was kid approved – My six-year old son ate the whole bowl, mushrooms and all! Thank you!
Wow, I just finished making this and it is amazing. I used white mushrooms cause it was what I had on hand. I used Bone Broth I made from organic chicken bones. It really is delicious. I can’t wait for my husband to try it. This is gonna be my dinner.
I just made this again tonight. I had the shiitake mushrooms this time and had the fish sauce on hand. This soup is very easy to make and doesn’t take much time at all. My husband loved it. This will be one of my go to soups from now on. Tastes better than any restaurant soup I’ve ever had.
I’m glad you liked it. 🙂
I have been sick with a cold for the last few days…came across this recipe…can I say yum!
Hope you feel better! 🙂
Wow awsome recipe. Thank you
😉
i thought you had to pair tumeric with pepper to get the anti-inflammatory properties? I will definitely try this, but I’m adding pepper.
It enhances the effect but it doesn’t mean that turmeric on its own has no benefit. Hope that makes sense.
I thought peppers where a night shape and had inflammatory effects like other night shades. So wouldn’t pairing it with turmeric be the opposite of what one wants on the paleo diet. I am new and still learning but I believe I read this.
If you are suffering from an autoimmune condition, you’ll want to avoid nightshades.
Maybe the comment was talking about the seasoning pepper and not an actual pepper (vegetable). Sorry. But if so, please clarify. Thanks
How many calories are in each serving? The soup is really good I’m just trying to watch my calories.
Hi Taylor,
I don’t provide calorie counts for my recipes. If you’re very motivated to count calories, you could use My Fitness Pal to add up all the ingredients.
Only have ground turmeric — would that work? Looks delicious!
Yes! Start off with just a little and go from there based on taste 🙂 Ground turmeric is quite potent.
Thank you for this soup!!!! It used to take much longer to make a decent tasting soup cooking down the bones to get the marrow flavor. But this soup is so good, I don’t even add salt! I use Costco’s Organic Chicken stock and their organic chicken thighs. Believe it or not, it has also become breakfast food for me. It’s so easy to make! I’m definitely going to look through your other soups. So glad I found this site!
I love soup for breakfast! You’ve found a kindred spirit here Gini 🙂
Where can i get the nutritional contents of your recipes?
Hi Angie,
I don’t offer nutritional content. I recommend using something like MyFitnessPal to input the ingredients and then you can get a rough estimate.
This was amazing! I am looking forward to trying it with beef, and tons of other veggies. Thank you!
Woohoo!! So glad you like it 🙂
Made mine a little too potent, BUT, added some coconut milk to it and the fat cut through those spices like a champ. So GOOD! 🙂 Thank you!
Would be so good with coconut milk!
Thank you! This is a perfect recipe when one in my meal plan couldn’t quite cut it.
?? Heppy to have found your site!
Yay! So glad to hear that Corrinne!
Thank you for this wonderful recipe! I felt more than under the weather yesterday and made this with homemade chicken bone broth I had in the fridge and portobello mushrooms as I didn’t have any shiitake on hand. I added the juice of one lime and fresh cilantro to the mix, just delicious! Almost paleo as I also topped it with sriracha. Do you have any recommendations for paleo sriracha?
Hi Emily,
You could try to make your own. I have a recipe in my cookbook (Performance Paleo) and I Nom Nom Paleo has a recipe on her site: http://nomnompaleo.com/post/53690118029/whole30-sriracha
Do you simmer covered or not?
Uncovered. Just trying to infuse the flavors a bit 🙂
Thank you for the beautiful recipe! I used it as a base and pureed the garlic, turmeric, and ginger in the blender, omitted the fish sauce because I didn’t have one I would trust to be clean, then added curry and coconut cream – delicious! (I can’t have curry in my regular meals because my husband hates the smell, so I had this for lunch) YUM!!
Sweet!! Super glad to hear that, Deb!
This soup was amazing! The addition of turmeric and ginger really gave it some depth! So yummy!!!!
Brooke, I’m excited to hear that you enjoyed it!
This was delicious! It’s definitely a keeper and the health implications are a bonus.
Sweet!! Super glad to hear that, Patty!
When I make the actual broth, I always add in at least 2 “thumbs” worth of ginger, sliced. And at least 1 knob of turmeric sliced. I usually slice down lengthwise and leave the slices large enough to hold up to the long simmer. If I can get a hold of it, will also slice down some lemongrass, which also has some anti inflammatory, anti viral, and antibiotic properties.
Then, when I have a cold, when I turn the broth into soup, I will also use a microplane grater and add in more fresh turmeric and ginger. I always have fresh ginger on hand, usually have fresh turmeric. I would add lemongrass too, but it’s a little hard to come by where I live. I guess I could always buy some, chop it up and freeze though (but usually too busy to get that accomplished).
Sounds delish, Nancy! Thanks for sharing your method!
This has been my “go to” chicken soup for a while now. I just made some to take to a friend that is a day post op.
We love it.
Yay! So glad to hear that. You’re so kind to do that for your friend <3
This was delicious and a treat from “regular” chicken soup.
Woohooo! So glad you liked it <3
I just want to say thanks for all the healthy recipes!
I’ve tried a few and they have become “keepers”!
I’m trying to eat wheat/sugar/dairy free and your recipes are great!
You’re very welcome! Thanks for stopping by!
This is my go to chicken soup everytime. When a friend comes down with anything, i make a big pot and deliver it. They always tell me they heal quicker. I use it to keep healthy and a strong immune system. This time I am adding Unami, we shall see how it goes !
thanks for stopping by Jennifer! So glad you’re loving the recipe.