Last week our whole household came down with a cold. Often I’m quite good at shaking them off, but sometimes they really knock me for six and I think the lack of sleep from taking care of a newborn took it’s toll! Whenever I do feel poorly I tend to crave the same foods now, my cold busting smoothie and any warm spicy foods like chilli or curry.
I decided to make a nourishing soup to perk us both up packed with delicious yet cold fighting ingredients such as homemade chicken stock, coconut milk, turmeric, chilli, garlic and ginger. I added some soba noodles to make it more filling and some fresh green shreds of savoy cabbage to up the veggie levels. This is wonderful made with a whole chicken, for example leftovers of a Sunday roast as freshly made chicken stock is much more healing than stock cubes, however you can use a couple of whole chicken breasts or thighs and poach them in the broth then shred instead.
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 2 red chillies
- 1 thumb size piece of ginger
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 tin of coconut milk (full fat or light, up to you)
- 1 tbsp turmeric
- 1 tbsp of soy sauce or tamari
- 2 cups of chicken stock (see note for freshly made)
- 3 chicken breasts or thighs or a couple of cups of shredded roast chicken
- 2 portions of soba noodles
- 4 leaves of savoy cabbage or 2 cups of shredded kale
- Fresh coriander to serve
- Heat the coconut oil in a large pan over a medium high heat. Grate the ginger and garlic and finely chop the chilli. Fry for a minute or so then add the turmeric, soy sauce, coconut milk, chicken stock, chicken and soba noodles. Simmer until the soba noodles are tender. If using chicken breasts or thighs don't add the noodles until they are cooked through first. Remove them and shred with folks before returning to the pan. Serve topped with the fresh coriander.
- To make fresh chicken stock, save the bones from a whole roasted chicken (saving some of the meat for the soup) and boil in a pan covered in water along with 2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar and any bits of veg you have hanging about like onions or kale stems. Keep on a very low simmer for as long as possible before draining the bones and saving the stock. This stock or bone broth is full of minerals and healthy fats and is highly nourishing.
What food do you turn to when you are feeling poorly?
I did the same this week after a roast at the weekend – bone broth is just so good when the body is in need of healing and and right now I have some fish stock on the go – to get some good omega fatty acids in. I love it that roast dinners literally give you about 3-4 meals – the best time saver! I also love raw garlic when i am a bit under the weather – although my husband doesnt:)
I love a good chicken soup with lots of chunky bits of veg in. This sounds perfect for the colder weather and to cheer you up when you’re not feeling your best. I definitely turn to soup when I’m not well. It’s always nice to have a big batch in the freezer for those times!
I’ve never cooked with noodles before, but I do love a good warming meal like soup when I’m feeling pretty poorly. Hope you’re all feeling much better now.
Chicken soup really is healing. I swear by it when I am ill. I like that you used coconut milk in yours too.
Yes please!! I’m not sick but I definitely want this!! I usually want spicy foods to clear my airways, unless I’m throwing up sick then I want toast and marmite when I’m feeling like I can eat!
Hope you’re all feeling better now Laura! This looks great :-)
I have made something similar to this before, good for roast chicken leftovers. I can highly recommend a squeeze of lime & some toasted cashews on top, too.
I can also recommend the ‘soul soothing African peanut stew’ from the Oh She Glows cookbook (may be on the website, too). It’s basically sweet potatoes, tomatoes, spinach & peanut butter in soup form & tastes like its title – soul soothing!
When I have a cold all I want is hot blackcurrant squash – probably not that healthy but it always feels good. Sometimes you just have to have little tastes of what you fancy until you can stomach a full meal. Toast is always turned to – and crumpets with butter and Marmite!