Nourishing Paleo Chicken Soup Recipe (2024)

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Few things are as soothing and comforting as a bowl of homemade chicken soup. With garlic, ginger, and turmeric, this Nourishing Paleo Chicken Soup recipe can help you warm up and feel better when you are feeling under the weather!

This soup truly is amazing, in so many ways. First of all, your entire family will love this simple paleo soup. It’s kid-approved and even picky eaters love it!

My kids gobble up this nourishing meal and ask for more, every time—even though it’s filled with vegetables. 😉

this idea now...

You don’t need to wait until you’re sick to make this one. There are just some days when I’m in the mood for chicken soup, and this is my go-to recipe every single time!

It’s fairly quick and easy too; you can have dinner ready within an hour (or even less if your chicken is already cooked).

Nourishing Paleo Chicken Soup Recipe (2)

Hearty Paleo Soup

This paleo chicken soup recipe has a lot of yummy, good-for-you ingredients. But let’s take a minute to talk about what this soup doesn’t have.

My soup recipe is gluten-free, grain-free, and dairy-free! This means it can be enjoyed by almost anyone.

This paleo chicken soup also has an amazing combination of spices and vegetables. It’s a wonderful way to get nutrients into your family’s diet.

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A Twist on a Classic Staple

I grew up with the canned chicken soup as our “sick food” and never really liked it. Those squishy noodles and tiny chunks of flavorless chicken are really kinda gross when you think about it. For years, I avoided chicken soup because of that.

Then my best friend introduced me to her family’s chicken soup recipe. She’s Filipino and includes some of her favorite spices and flavors in her soup, like soy sauce and extra extragarlic. She has no hesitation about putting two whole bulbs of garlic in her soup!

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Now me? When I met Allie, I had never used real garlic, only garlic powder. Needless to say, Allie fixed that quickly and I now love garlic almost as much as her.

Anyways, when Allie made her chicken soup for me a couple of years ago, I was amazed at how incredibly delicious it was. She gave me the recipe and I’ve made it many times since.

But when I had to cut out grains and soy from our diet a few months ago, I knew I had to rework that chicken soup recipe to fit. I wanted something that would incorporate my friend’s flavorful recipe, but stay true to what we could eat.

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After two+ months of testing, this is the result – a chicken soup that is so good and so nourishing, we call it Nourishing Chicken Soup.

And just to prove how good it is, all four of my kids gobble up this soup and ask for more, even after eating it once or twice a week for several weeks while I’ve been perfecting the recipe!

Ingredients in This Paleo Chicken Soup

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This soup is delicious thanks to the addition of simmered vegetables and spices coupled with chunks of flavorful chicken. Some of the ingredients in this paleo soup are:

  • Chicken. I recommend purchasing organic chicken when you can. For this recipe, you can use white meat, dark meat, or even add a whole chicken!
  • Organic Chicken Broth or Bone Broth Again, I highly recommend purchasing organic broth if you can – you may be surprised to see how many additives are in the non-organic versions!
  • Vegetables.This paleo soup recipe calls for several different vegetables including onion, celery, carrots, and cauliflower. These veggies will keep your soup filled with fiber, minerals, and other nutrients.
  • Herbs and spices.Remember what I said about Allie showing me how to make a soup flavorful? This is where all of that comes into play! This hearty chicken soup has a fantastic blend of spices and herbs that will make this the best soup you’ve ever tried.

The Importance of Garlic

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Garlic is essential in this Nourishing Chicken Soup recipe, not only because it adds to the flavor profile, but because it has tons of nutrients.

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Either way, when you combine all of that with chicken, vegetables, and a few choice herbs and spices, you have a powerhouse meal that is nourishing for your whole family.

Enjoy!

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Nourishing Chicken Soup

Nourishing Paleo Chicken Soup Recipe (9)

Print Recipe
★★★★★4.9 from 41 reviews

This easy family-favorite chicken soup is packed with ingredients and nutrients that are both nourishing, warming, and delicious!

  • Author: Erika Bragdon
  • Cook Time: 45 mins
  • Total Time: 45 mins
  • Yield: 8-10 servings 1x
  • Category: soup
  • Method: cook
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Ingredients

Scale

  • 23 lb chicken thighs, breast, or a whole chicken
  • 4 cups organic chicken broth
  • 6 cups water
  • 1/2 cup onion, chopped
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
  • 34 cups carrots, chopped
  • 23 cups celery, chopped
  • 68 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 head of cauliflower
  • 1 tsp fish sauce
  • 1/2 Tbsp basil
  • 1/2 Tbsp parsley
  • 3 Tbsp coconut aminos
  • 1.5 tsp sea salt, more or less to taste
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper, more or less to taste

Instructions

  1. Fill a large pot with water. Add the chicken and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes or until fully cooked through. Remove the chicken and set aside.
  2. While the chicken is cooking, you can cut up the vegetables.
  3. Add the broth and 6 cups of the water the chicken was cooked into a large stock pot. Add the onions, ginger, carrots, celery, garlic, and turmeric. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and cook, covered, for about 10 minutes.
  4. While the broth and vegetables are cooking, cut up the cauliflower and pulse several times in a food processor until it resembles grains of rice. If you don’t have a food processor, you can just cut it up into small pieces.
  5. Shred the chicken and add the chicken and diced cauliflower to the pot, along with the remaining ingredients: fish sauce, basil, parsley, coconut aminos, sea salt, and pepper.
  6. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, covered, until the vegetables are tender. Adjust the salt and pepper to taste.

Keywords: soup, chicken soup, herbs

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Nourishing Paleo Chicken Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What makes chicken soup so healthy? ›

Chicken broth, a clear liquid, counts towards your hydration goals. Nutritionally, it's rich in essential fatty acids and protein. Essential fatty acids, which the body cannot make on its own and which must come from the foods we eat, are a source of energy and major components of cell membrane structure.

Why does Grandma's chicken soup work when you are sick? ›

The famous chicken soup study from 2000 focused on its impact on inflammation. “The 2000 study basically found that chicken soup inhibited neutrophil chemotaxis, which is a fancy way of saying it helped temporarily decrease inflammation so those who were sick could temporarily breathe easier,” Pike said.

Why is chicken soup anti-inflammatory? ›

Renard et al. (2000) found that chicken soup inhibited the migration of neutrophils, thus showing anti-inflammatory activity.

Why does chicken soup always make you feel better? ›

According to the study, undertaken by Nebraska Medical Center, chicken soup achieves these results by inhibiting something known as neutrophil chemotaxis. Basically, white blood cells behave differently after chicken soup, resulting in added anti-inflammatory activity.

Is it healthy to eat homemade chicken soup everyday? ›

Known to all, chicken is considered to be a great source of protein and amino acids that are really good for the growth of muscles and other tissues. Hence, a bowl of chicken soup can be a great addition in your daily diet.

Is it healthy to eat chicken soup every day? ›

Consuming Chicken Soup strengthens the immune system, and we all can get benefit from it. On regular consumption, one can avoid cold, flu or other infections. It's rich in anti-inflammatory properties which helps reduce swelling as well.

Is chicken soup good for weight loss? ›

Clear chicken soup also has the goodness of protein in it, due to the presence of chicken. Protein further helps in achieving desired weight loss goals by inducing a feeling of satiety, which saves you from overeating and bingeing on other fattening foods.

How healthy is homemade chicken soup? ›

Rich in nutrients

The chicken itself delivers protein, which is an important nutrient for satisfaction, immunity and your muscles. Chicken also delivers zinc, a key immunity nutrient. Most chicken soup recipes starts with onion, carrots, celery; but any vegetables you add will deliver fiber, vitamins and minerals.

What is the best broth to drink when sick? ›

Bone broth serves as a great way to replenish the fluids that you're losing, while also providing your body with valuable electrolytes from the sodium in the broth. These electrolytes will also help you absorb the water more easily.

What is the disadvantage of chicken soup? ›

Chicken noodle soup

However, canned versions tend to be very high in sodium, which is a risk factor for high blood pressure in people sensitive to dietary salt ( 13 ). For example, a 1-cup (106-gram) serving of canned chicken noodle soup may provide up to 80% of the recommended daily intake for sodium ( 24 , 25 ).

What is a good anti-inflammatory drink? ›

But, if you'd rather avoid a blender, teas, such as green, black, chamomile, slippery elm, hibiscus, and ginger turmeric tea, are soothing options. Alternative sources of inflammation-fighting power include kombucha, coffee, bone broth, and beet juice.

Is canned chicken noodle soup healthy? ›

Store-bought chicken noodle soup isn't always the healthiest options, which is why some experts recommend making a homemade version so you can control overall nutrition content.

What happens to your body when you eat soup everyday? ›

Your gut health may improve.

Along with adding fiber, getting a variety of vegetables in your soup can "help diversify the good bacteria in the gut, which studies have shown helps keep it healthy and in tip-top shape," says Michalczyk.

Why does chicken soup make me sleepy? ›

As it does with turkey, the body uses tryptophan from chicken to make melatonin—which can help you rest—and serotonin, the chemical that signals your nerves and makes you feel happy and at ease. Both of these are reasons chicken soup is associated with comfort food: you literally feel a physiological sense of comfort.

Why does Chinese soup make you feel better? ›

Trusted for thousands of years, Chinese soups have been used as natural supplements to boost immune systems, ward of common ailments such as a cold, as well as boost energy levels of active adults and even athletes. The secret lies in the quality and potency of the natural herbs used.

Which part of chicken is healthiest for soup? ›

And both Celis and Freidank agree that a whole chicken is the best choice for the best chicken soup. "I suggest a whole chicken and bones to create a more robust soup," Celis says. Although Freidank is team whole chicken, if a whole bird isn't the right choice for you he suggests using thigh quarters or just thighs.

What is the healthiest soup to eat why? ›

Vegetable soup is one of the best soups to eat. Vegetable soup is made with potatoes, carrots, onions, green beans and green peas. The combined nutrition of each vegetable adds a great number of vitamins and minerals to your diet. Potatoes are a good source of potassium and carrots provide beta carotene.

What makes homemade soup healthier? ›

7 smart tips for making a healthy soup

Use more vegetables in your soup than meats or grains. Add fresh herbs at the very end of cooking. Add milk to stocks to make a creamy soup. Add it after the vegetables are soft cooked.

Why is soup so healing? ›

This may be due to the numerous nutrients involved in increasing immune defenses, which dissolve in water while cooking chicken in broth, including essential amino acids, water-soluble B vitamins, minerals such as iron, selenium, zinc, calcium, magnesium, potassium, which not only from meat, but also from bones, skin ...

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