When the sniffles and a sore throat hits, nothing is more soothing than a soul healing bowl of chicken soup.
WATCH: Fast Ed make a country style chicken soup with herbed egg drop
While the immune boosting properties of chicken soup may be little more than a myth (according to the experts at The Conversation), chicken soup contains many vitamins and minerals that will support your body as you rest and recover from a cold or flu.
The warm broth will also sooth your throat and help you stay hydrated.
Looking for more comforting soup recipes?
Preparation time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 1 hour 50 minutes
Serves 4
Ingredients
• 6 skinless chicken thigh cutlets
• 3 carrots, peeled, sliced into 1cm‐thick rounds
• 2 sticks celery, stalks thinly sliced, leaves roughly chopped
• 1 brown onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed, plus extra
• 1 clove, finely grated
• 10 black peppercorns
• 4 sprigs at‐leaf parsley, plus extra leaves, to garnish
• 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 handful baby spinach, shredded
• Sea‐salt akes and freshly ground black pepper, to season
• 1⁄4 cup watercress sprigs
• 1⁄2 long red chilli, thinly sliced (optional)
• Lemon wedges, to serve
Method
1. Arrange chicken in a large heavy-based saucepan.
2. Add carrots, celery, onion, garlic, peppercorns, parsley sprigs and apple cider vinegar.
3. Fill with water until level is 3cm above ingredients. Put lid on and bring to a simmer over a medium heat.
4. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently for 1 1⁄2 hours.
5. Remove pan from heat. Remove chicken from pan and set aside on a plate for 10 minutes to cool slightly.
6. When cool enough to handle, shred meat off bones. Return pan to heat and add shredded meat to stock mixture. Stir through spinach and extra garlic and season.
7. Ladle soup into serving bowls and top with extra parsley, watercress and chilli (optional). Serve with lemon wedges on the side.