Turmeric Chicken Soup

There’s nothing better than homemade chicken soup for warming up those cold Boston nights!  I like to use my own slow cooked bone broth for this recipe-I usually keep a stash in my freezer for soups or when my gut needs an extra boost.

To make bone broth: I’ll add an organic rotisserie chicken carcass to the crockpot for 24-48 hours with organic veggies and a dash of apple cider vinegar.  Bone broth provides healing minerals and collagen to support gut integrity and healthy hair, skin and nails!

When I don’t have time for that I use store-bought organic chicken or veggie stock for this-be sure to make sure it’s labeled gluten free if you’re celiac!  I recommend adding a few scoops of Vital proteins gelatin or collagen if you can’t use bone broth for gut healing benefits.  Turmeric is great for reducing inflammation in the body and boosting overall immune function-the black pepper and heating process will enhance it’s effects:)

What you need:

• 1T avocado oil or ghee

• 2 cloves minced garlic

• 1 small onion chopped

• 4 large organic carrots peeled/chopped

• 4 cups organic broth (bone, chicken, vegetable)

• 4 stalks of organic celery

• 3 organic raw chicken breasts (can also use 2 cups shredded cooked chicken if you want to skip the cooking step)

• 3/4 cup chopped zucchini (or whatever veg you have on hand)

• 2 big handfuls raw greens (spinach, kale, chard, collards, arugula)

• 2 tsp ground turmeric

• 1 bay leaf

• 1/2 cup brown or wild rice (dry)

• salt and pepper to taste

• Optional: kale chips, fresh herbs

• Optional: chunk of GF bread (see below)

How you do it:

1. Add oil or ghee to a large pot and turn on low; add garlic, onion and saute for about 1-2 minutes

2. Add chopped carrots and celery and cook slightly-just for 1-2 minutes

3. Add 4 cups of broth and add raw chicken breasts directly to the pot

4. Bring to a boil then cook over medium heat until chicken is cooked through ~roughy 10-12 minutes (I would keep a watchful eye)

5. Once chicken is cooked remove each breast, shred and add back to the pot

6. Add remaining veggies, ground turmeric, bay leaf and rice; add about a cup of filtered water (rice will absorb lots of water)

7. Allow pot to simmer on low for another 20-25 minutes until rice is cooked through

8. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve!

Tip:

• I like to top off with crispy kale chips or wilt in some extra greens before serving

• My favorite bread to enjoy with this soup: Bread Srsly rolls-these are amazing GF/DF sourdough rolls with supa clean ingredients!

• If you replace the rice with cauliflower rice instead this recipe is AIP (Autoimmune Paleo) friendly!

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