Immune Boosting Chicken Soup for the Soul

Fight the winter cold while giving your immune system a healthy boost with this hearty chicken soup.

Grandma was right! Chicken soup is loaded with health supportive properties – filled with immune enhancing nutrients and protein necessary for fighting infections. But this recipe packs an even bigger punch!

Adding astragalus, one of the great immune tonics of Chinese Medicine, promotes high levels of natural killer cells which search out and destroy cancer cells and viral cells. The ginger supports inflammation control and strong digestion. Shiitake mushrooms are rich in polysaccharides that boost immunity and CLA, a special kind of healthy fat that is linked to normalization of blood sugar.

Top it all off with green and yellow vegetables, which add super antioxidants, vitamins and minerals for a nourishing and healing meal in a bowl.

Gluten free, Dairy Free, Soy Free
6-8 servings

Ingredients

2 large cooked organic chicken breasts (approximately 1 lb) cut into ½ inch cubes
8 cups organic chicken broth
3 cups large fresh shiitake mushrooms (or 1 ½ cups dried and soaked shiitake mushrooms, sliced)
1 heaping teaspoon dried astragalus powder or 1 teaspoon astragalus extract
6 cloves garlic peeled and finely sliced
1 medium onion cut in half and sliced into half moons
4 stalks celery sliced diagonally
3 carrots, sliced
1 medium yam peeled and cubed
1 bunch of fresh spinach, washed, drained, stems removed and coarsely sliced or 8 cups of fresh baby spinach leaves
¼ cup finely grated fresh ginger root (with peel) – more if you like
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ – ½ teaspoon saffron stamens (optional)
Olive oil (organic)
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions

Add olive oil to the bottom of a large soup pot and saute onions for 5 minutes. Add carrots and celery and saute for an additional 3 minutes.
Stir in sliced garlic and cubed yams.
Add ginger root, cayenne and saffron. Stir.
Add organic chicken broth, shiitake mushrooms and astragalus. Stir.
Bring to a gentle boil, then turn down heat and simmer for 25 minutes.
Add cubed cooked organic chicken and simmer for 15 more minutes.

When ready to serve, place a handful of fresh chopped spinach leaves in each bowl and ladle in the hot soup.  Add your garnish on top!

Garnish options:

Chopped fresh cilantro, parsley, basil, mint, epazote or shiso leaves, finely chopped Napa cabbage, lime wedges.

Can also be served with a handful of cooked buckwheat soba noodles or cooked rice noodles.

Enjoy and stay warm! 

This article is reprinted with permission from the author, Dr. Nalini Chilkov, L.Ac., O.M.D, and first appeared on Integrative Cancer Answers.