From Chicken soup has been found to be one of the three things that decreases the length of the common cold. This recipe from the Oz family has a secret ingredient: ginger juice. It also helps boost immunity and soothes inflammation.
Ingredients
1 whole chicken (3 to 3 1/2 lbs), skinned, with visible fat removed
1 large carrot, peeled
1 1/2 stalks celery
1 1/2 small onions, peeled but left whole
2 or 3 Yukon Gold potatoes
1/2 medium turnip
1/2 bunch of fresh thyme
2-inch piece of fresh ginger
Sea salt to taste
Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Directions
Place the chicken in large soup pot (one big enough to later hold chicken plus all other ingredients, with at least 4 inches left at the top) and cover it with water. Bring to a light boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to gentle simmer.
Cook, skimming occasionally, for 1 hour, or until the chicken is tender enough to pull easily from the bone.
Use a pair of large tongs and a large ladle to remove the chicken from the pot, holding it over the pot for a few seconds to allow chicken cavity to drain.
Remove bones and skin, discard, then set chicken meat aside. Season the chicken broth with salt and pepper, then place the chicken meat back in the pot with the whole vegetables; add water to cover everything by an inch or two.
Bring to a simmer and cook, skimming occasionally, for 1 hour.
Grate the ginger, put it into a square of cheesecloth and squeeze it out into the broth.
Add the fresh thyme with ladle while cooking in pot, if you prefer; or wait until soup has cooled, then cut and reheat before serving.
