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November 12 is National Chicken Soup Day. It was established for making and sharing soup with your family, friends, or co-workers. You can tell each other stories of helping others by making them soup or share recipes. Chicken Soup For the Soul was founded in in 1933 it was a popular series and the holiday takes its name from this concept. Most countries have their own unique recipe for chicken soup.
A Brief History of Chicken Soup
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In Greece Hippocrates a physician prescribed chicken soup for colds and the flu. In Jewish family's chicken soup is a remedy for colds and illness. It is regarded as a healing food served to those that are ill or recovering from illness. The Chinese believe chicken soup had medicinal properties that improves the immune system. Its healing properties are attributed to chicken bones used in making the broth, chicken, vegetables and herbs.
In Mexico chicken soup is a symbol of hospitality. It is made for special holidays that the Mexican celebrate. In Africia it is made with cumin and coriander. It boosts the immune system and reduces inflammation in illness.
Chicken Pho Photo Source: Flicker/William
A chef named Jenn Luis wrote a book called The Chicken Soup Manifesto. It contains chicken soup recipes from around the world. Her book includes recipes from the United States, Africia, Asia, and Europe. Chicken pho was developed in Vietnam in the 1930s when beef sales were restricted by the government.
Chef Jenn Luis has a recipe for Chicken Matzo Ball Soup in her book. It was a recipe that her mother made for the family. She has a recipe from Ethiopia that uses peanuts and one from Korean that uses rice porridge.
Chicken Matzo Ball Soup: Flicker/Amy Ross
How To Celebrate With Chicken Soup
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You do not need a holiday to try some new chicken soup recipes with your family and friends. A new recipe livens up meals and gives you something to talk about. Below are some ideas on how to celebrate with chicken soup.
Look for new chicken soup recipes online or get a cookbook out of the library. Choose a recipe and make it for lunch or dinner and share it with family and friends.
Have your kids choose a recipe and let them help you make the soup. You can go shopping and let them help you with preparing the ingredients. Tell stories about chicken soup at the table when eating about helping a sick friend or memories of tasty recipes.
Have a chick soup pot luck at work and have some people make chicken soup or order it from a local restaurant. Tell stories about your memories of chicken soup and its healing power. Make a few different recipes for chicken soup to make it more interesting.
Share a new recipe with co-workers, family, friends to try through regular mail or email. If your local club meets close to the holiday bring a chicken soup recipe to serve with the other refreshments.
If you know someone sick or recovering from illness at home bring a chicken soup recipe to their home for them to try. It is a hospitable way to help them recover and show you care.
Where to Find Chicken Soup Recipes
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Below are some websites where you can find different chicken soup recipes.
26 Chicken Soup Recipes You'll Want to Make Forever, Eating Well, by Leah Goggins, March 2023
Chicken Soup Recipes, Leites Culinaire 2024
Chicken Soup Around the World, The Food Network Kitchen, 2024
Top 44 Chicken Soup in the World, Taste Atlas, October 2024
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Chicken Soup Recipes
Chicken Soup with Leeks, Spinach, and Basil
You will need a medium saucepan, knife, cutting board, measuring cups, spoon, bowl and strainer.
1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil
1/2 cup of chopped fresh leeks
2 carrots diced
1/2 cup fresh chopped spinach
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
2 boneless chicken breasts
2 cups or more of vegetable or chicken broth
1/2 cup of orzo or other small pasta
In a medium bowl soak all vegetables for five minutes in water. In a medium saucepan over medium heat add one tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil. On a cutting board remove stems of carrots and dice into bite sized pieces add to pot. Chop the leeks into small pieces and add mix with a wooden spoon. Chop the spinach and mix well. Cut the chicken breast into bite sized pieces. Let the vegetables and chicken cook about 5 minutes.
Add the vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and reduce heat to medium Let pasta cook for about 8 minutes or according to package directions. Serve immediately or turn off and heat up later. Soup serves about four.
Spicy Chicken Soup With Leeks, Peppers, and Paprika
You will need a medium sized sauce pan, spoon, measuring cups, bowl, cutting board, knife, and strainer.
1 tablespoon avocado or olive oil
2 Italian peppers chopped fine
1/2 cup of chopped leeks
2 carrots diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh spinach
2 chicken breast chopped fine
1/4 cup tomato sauce
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon smoked paprika.
2 cups of chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 cup orzo or other pasta
In a medium bowl soak the vegetable five minutes or more in hot or warm water. Strain. On the stove add 1 tablespoon or oil to the sauce pan.
On the cutting board chop the leeks fine put into bowl Dice the carrots and add to bowl. Remove stems and chop spinach add to the bowl. Over medium heat add 1 tablespoon oil to your saucepan. Add the vegetables and let cook five minutes.
Chop the chicken breast into bite size pieces and add to the pot. Let it cook for about five minutes. Stir to keep from sticking. Add the 1/4 cup tomato sauce, paprika, and broth. Let it come to a boil reduce heat add pasta and let cook 8 minutes or according to package directions. Serves 4.
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