The BEST soup for a cold??
“Everyone” is aware that chicken soup is the only thing that can help someone afflicted with Man Flu* recover.
Although it’s debatable if there is concrete scientific evidence that chicken soup beats medication, here are three reasons why chicken soup—whether it has noodles or not—is an excellent cold remedy:
- Hydration from the natural salt in chicken;
- Steam and warm, non-creamy soup broth help open up the nasal and throat passages; and
- Antioxidants and nutrients from carrots, celery, onion, and garlic boost the immune system.
From a practical perspective, it’s light so it’s easy to stomach, doesn’t require much effort to chew or (heaven forbid!) the effort of a knife and fork. And even when you’re sick, you can still appreciate the tastiness of a beautiful Chicken Noodle soup! * Man Flu official definition according to Dictionary.com: “a case of the common cold as suffered by a man, implying that he is exaggerating the debilitating effects of the illness” Just saying’…..
How to ensure your soup broth is clear
The clarity of the broth in a delicious chicken noodle soup is something that we all adore. There are a few tricks to the clear broth that make it both flavorful and transparent:
- Simmer the chicken really gently. Harder boil gets the chicken jiggling around = murkier broth.
- Scoop the scum off the surface (#2 in photo below);
- Let the broth settle (or refrigerate overnight). You’ll notice that when “stuff” accumulates at the pot’s base, the broth’s bottom gets darker. After that, slowly transfer the broth into the soup pot, discarding the darker broth that has descended to the bottom;
- Don’t brown the sautéed onion, carrots and celery. Brown veggies = brown broth!.
- Don’t stir the pasta while it boils. This causes the pasta’s starch to be activated, clouding the broth.
What to do with leftover chicken
For this chicken noodle soup, you most likely won’t even use half of the chicken’s meat. Here are some recipes that you can try with the cooked chicken that is left over:
I stuck to a traditional vegetable combination for the soup: onion, carrots, and celery. But don’t let my lack of creativity stop you—feel free to add anything you like! – Nagi xx
