Over the weekend we did a wee bit of yard work and poor Amy had a severe allergic reaction afterwards. She woke up a couple days later with an aching head, runny nose, and non-stop sneezing fits. So, I decided to make my cure all soup for her and within 24 hours she was feeling much better. The trick is to make a nice homemade broth with fresh lemon and ginger. It will sooth your throat, warm your soul, and give you that extra boost of vitamins you need to get you through your next cold.

Ginger Lemon Chicken Stock

Ingredients:

6 Detwilier’s Chicken drumsticks or 4 bone-in, skin on Chicken Thighs

Note: if you usually only cook with chicken breast I highly encourage you to use drums or thighs when making stock. You can skim away the fat if you wish, but bone in, skin on chicken will render a much more flavorful, hearty broth. Also, the darker chicken will remain tender during a longer cooking time whereas chicken breast can dry out in a hurry and gets rubbery when over cooked. Also, source your chicken from a local farmer if possible as the chicken will have more flavor and a healthier source of fats. If you must use chicken breast then I suggest using pre-made stock.

about 6 cups of water

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

6 sprigs fresh thyme

1/2 a fresh lemon

about an inch or so of fresh ginger root, skin removed

2 cloves fresh garlic

1 tablespoon Vegetable Better Than Bouillon

1 tablespoon low sodium Chicken Better Than Bouillon

4 stalks celery, washed and trimmed

4 stalks carrot, washed and trimmed

1/2 red bell pepper, washed and seeded

1/2 orange bell pepper, washed and seeded

1 sweet onion, quartered

Salt and pepper to taste

square of cheese cloth and kitchen twine

Method:

Create an herb bundle with the cheesecloth, kitchen twine, rosemary, 4 of the 6 sprigs of thyme, ginger root, garlic cloves, and lemon. Lay all the ingredients on top of the cheesecloth in the center, then wrap the edges of the of the cheesecloth around the ingredients to create a bundle and secure it with the kitchen twine. Set aside. In a large dutch oven over high heat, add the 6 cups of water along with the herb bundle, 1/2 the red and orange bell, quartered onion, carrots, celery, bouillon, and the chicken drumsticks or thighs. Salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce slightly and continue simmering until chicken is cooked through 45 minutes to an hour. Skim the broth of fat and foam as it simmers. Once the chicken is done, remove it from the stock onto a platter and allow it to completely cool and once cooled debone the chicken to add back to your soup or to use in another recipe. Remove the herb bundle and remaining (over cooked) vegetables and discard. If you want a cleaner stock, strain the broth a ladle at a time over a colander covered with cheesecloth sitting inside a large mixing bowl. This method will remove all the small bits floating in your broth. Once you’ve finished straining the stock (optional), add it back to your dutch oven and continue with your soup. You can also freeze the stock for later use or store it in the fridge for 5 to 7 days.

Chicken Noodle Soup with Fresh Ginger and Lemon

Ingredients:

4 to 6 cups Ginger Lemon Chicken Stock

2 – 3 cups deboned chicken drumsticks or thighs

4 medium carrots, washed, trimmed, and sliced in half moons

4 stalks celery, washed, trimmed and sliced

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

1/2 orange bell pepper, chopped

1 cup small pasta such as Alphabets, Stars, or Orzo

1 teaspoon Herbs de Provence

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon dehydrated onion flakes

2 sprigs thyme, leaves removed and chopped

1/2 lemon, quartered

Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

In a large dutch oven, bring the lemon ginger chicken stock to a boil over high heat. Reduce slightly to maintain a rolling boil. Add in the garlic powder, onion flakes, and Herbs de Provence. Add in the chopped vegetables and simmer about 20 minutes or until veggies are slightly tender. Add in the cup of dried pasta and cook slightly under al dente, stirring occasionally. Once the pasta is almost al dente, turn off the heat and stir in the deboned chicken and fresh thyme. Adjust salt and pepper as needed. Allow the soup to rest 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Serve lemon wedges on the side and squeeze extra lemon into each soup bowl if desired.