I don’t really have a set in stone recipe for homemade chicken broth so I’m just going to give you a couple tips on how to make broth before I give you my recipe for Get Better Soon Chicken Noodle Soup.

Whenever I cook a chicken or turkey, I either make broth right away or I put the bones in a freezer bag and freeze them for another time. Once I even left my friend’s house with a bag of chicken bones. Yes, it was really weird, but he was going to throw them out and I just couldn’t see wasting all that flavour!

Another tip is to save the ends and stems of veggies and herbs that you would usually throw away. This way, when it comes time to make a homemade chicken broth, you don’t have to buy new veggies. I like to keep a big freezer bag in the freezer full of veggie odds and ends and add to it every time I have bits that I would normally throw out. Veggies I freeze include carrots tips, celery ends and leaves, parsley stems, basil stems, mushroom stems, broccoli stems, cauliflower stems, onion ends and the list goes on. I also freeze leftover juice pulp and add it to my homemade chicken broth for a little sweetness.

Soups are bursting with health benefits

They are packed with healing herbs that can reduce inflammation, ease digestion, and provide antioxidant support.

Soup is a fantastic way to get more veggies into your diet and studies have found that soup consumption can help with weight management.

The problem with canned soup is that it contains BPA which can cause structural damage to the brain, alter immune function, and cause infertility. Canned soups are also usually pretty high in sodium and preservatives.

In Healthy Homemade Soups & Sandwiches I share over 20 soup recipes that are bursting with flavour using whole food ingredients.

Click Here to Learn More

Benefits of Cooking with Kombu

I like to cook my homemade chicken broth with a piece of Kombu. Kombu is a sea vegetable that adds flavour and trace minerals to the broth. Cooking beans with a piece of Kombu improves the digestibility of the beans, making them a little less “magical” if you know what I mean. You will have to venture into a health food store to find Kombu; this is what it looks like.

Homemade Chicken Broth

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 2 hours

Serving size: 10 cups

Ingredients:

• Chicken bones
• 6 cups of veggies and herbs stems
• 10 cups of water
• Optional Add-ins: bay leafs, herbs, garlic, pepper corns, juice pulp,…

Directions:

1. Throw chicken bones and roughly 6 cups of random veggies and herb stems into a pot and add enough water to cover everything, roughly 10 cups.
2. Add a bay leaf or two, some pepper corns, juice pulp or any optional add-ins and bring to a boil.
3. Turn down the heat and simmer for at least two hours.
4. When the homemade chicken broth is done, strain and cool.
5. Place the broth in the fridge overnight and skim off the fat that has risen to the surface before using.

Get Better Soon Chicken Noodle Soup

Chicken Noodle Soup has been deemed a cold remedy for years. The heat of the soup helps clear congestion and some scientist believe that chicken soup may have anti-inflammatory effects. This comforting soup has simple flavors that will make anyone feel better.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes, add an additional 30 if the chicken is raw

Serving size: 6

Ingredients:

• 6 cups homemade chicken broth
• 2 cups of cooked organic chicken, shredded or 2 organic chicken breasts
• 2 bay leaves
• Half a large onions (1 cup) chopped
• 3 stocks celery (1 1/2 cups) chopped
• 2 large carrots (1 cup) chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tsp parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups gluten free noodles

Directions:

1. If you are using chicken breasts, pour the homemade chicken broth into the pot with an additional cup of water and the bay leafs. Boil two chicken breasts for roughly 30 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from pot, cool and shred the chicken into bite size pieces.
2. Add all ingredients (except for the noodles and cooked chicken) to a large pot and cook on medium for 25 minutes or until the carrots are soft.
3. Add the noodles and chicken cook for an additional 5 minutes or as directed on the package. If the soup is too thick add additional homemade chicken broth or water.
4. Season with salt and pepper and enjoy piping hot.

What do you crave when you are feel under the weather? Leave a comment letting me know!