Tuesday, January 10, 2023

HOW TO MAKE 1 HOUR CHICKEN SOUP to fight cold and flu symptoms by author @CleoCoyle #chickensoup



From Cleo Coyle: My husband Marc and I contracted this season's flu over the holidays, and we're still recovering. Actually, I caught it first and gave it to Marc. (So sorry, honey!) This one put us on a fairly wretched resperitory rack, so watch out for it, everyone!

While chicken soup isn't going to solve our serious global health concerns, it is well worth making if you or your loved ones are suffering from sore throat and congestion. Why? Because... 


The science is in, and it seems our grandmothers were right. Studies have shown that properties in chicken soup relieve cold and flu symptoms. Chicken soup not only contains immune boosting properties, it has cold-fighting compounds that (among other things) help soothe sore throats and clear nasal congestion. You can read more here, though...

Frankly, I didn't need to read the scientific research to know homemade chicken soup has healing powers. By the time I slurp down a single bowl of the stuff, I begin feeling relief from a stuffy nose and sore throat. 

So let's get our soup on!





☕ A RECIPE NOTE FROM CLEO 

Cleo Coyle writes two
bestselling mystery
 series with her husband.
To learn more, click here.

A common method for making chicken soup is to throw the chicken and veggies into the pot and turn up the heat for about 4 hours.

I prefer my method, which is done in one hour, and is just as healthful. Just be sure to use white meat chicken. I find the properties in the white meat especially helpful for cold and flu relief, and that's why I specify using 1/2 of a whole split chicken breast.

Many years ago, when I first made this soup for my husband, it was because he caught a cold (again, thanks to me). I felt terribly guilty and was only too happy to bring him a bowl of my chicken soup. I swear, I barely made it back to the kitchen before I heard him crying out from the bedroom...

"This is great! It's helping! It's helping!"

Whether you make this soup for yourself or someone you care about, I sincerely hope it brings you plenty of foodie comfort and good health!

~ Cleo




Click here for
the free PDF.




Cleo Coyle's 
One Hour Chicken Soup

Makes about 2 quarts (about 6 servings)

Ingredients: 
2 quarts (8 cups) cold water
2 bay leaves
1/2 of a whole, split chicken breast, bone in, skin on (see image below)
1 medium yellow or white onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
5 to 6 ribs of celery, chopped (about 2 cups)
4 peeled carrots, chopped (about 2 cups)
2 to 3 envelopes of Goya's Sazon without Annatto (or see my note below for other options)** 
Finishing salt (such as French Grey or another coarse sea salt)




**Note: This soup will be bland without seasonings. Although Goya Sazon without Annatto is my favorite, you can substitute 2 to3 chicken bouillon cubes (or packets) combined with a spice blend that can include your favorites or try onion powder and/or garlic powder and ground black or white pepper. Certainly, add any other herbs or spices that you enjoy (e.g. cumin, paprika, thyme, rosemary).




DIRECTIONS: 

Step 1: Pour the cold water into the pot. Throw in the bay leaves. Bring the water to a brisk boil. Place the chicken into the pot, skin side down. (The meaty part of the breast should be submerged in the water.) 


From ingredient list, this is what you want:
1/2 of a whole, split chicken breast, bone in, skin on.


Bring the boil down to a simmer, cover the pot with a loose lid, and simmer for 40 to 45 minutes or until the meat is tender enough to come off the bone and be shredded with two forks. The water in your pot may boil down a bit during this process. Check the pot after 20 minutes and add more fresh water to replenish, but do not add more water after this point. Return to simmer for the remaining 20 to 25 minutes.

Step 2: When the chicken is cooked enough, remove it from the pot. Add the chopped vegetables, and seasoning (Goya Sazon without Annatto or bouillon cubes and your own spice mix), and boil for another 10 minutes. While veggies are cooking, remove the skin from the breast (and discard). Remove the meat from the bone, shred the breast meat, and save it for the next step. 

Step 3: After the veggies have cooked the full 10 minutes, remove the bay leaves from the pot, and add the shredded chicken. If your chicken breast was very large, hold back a bit of the chicken meat from the soup. Add only enough to keep the ingredients balanced.(*Note: If you'd like to make this a chicken noodle soup, this is the point where you'd add your noodles and cook until they're soft.) Cook the soup for another 6 to 8 minutes. I like to serve the soup with coarse salt on the side. Then salt to taste and...slurp with joy!














Happy New Year, Everyone!



New York Times bestselling author
of The Coffeehouse Mysteries and
Haunted Bookshop Mysteries



Cleo (Alice) with her husband Marc

Visit Cleo's online coffeehouse here.
And follow her at these links...






"A BEST READ OF 2022"

~ Lori Caswell, Escape with
Dollycas into a Good Book



The Ghost and the Stolen Tears
Our 8th Haunted Bookshop Mystery!

"A GEM OF A STORY"

Kirkus Reviews


  
  


And Our Latest
Coffeehouse Mystery
Now on Sale!

Cleo Coyle’s Honey Roasted
is not only a coffee lover's mystery. 
It's a culinary mystery with a tempting 
menu of delicious recipes!


Click here or on the image (above)
for Cleo Coyle's Free Recipe Guide
to HONEY ROASTED


👇


Cleo is now working on her 
next book and 
Newsletter!


Don't miss her book news, 
bonus recipes, and fun 

prize package giveaways!

TO SIGN UP...







To download this recipe
in a free PDF you can print,
save or share, click here.

Click here for
the free PDF.







8 comments:

  1. Thank you for the recipe. Sounds so yummy!
    2clowns at arkansas dot net

    ReplyDelete
  2. Chicken soup and Jack Shepard. I caught the flu over the holidays but The Ghost and the Stolen Tears helped to distract me from my misery. Last week I found out Jack is coming back in the spring! Thank you, Cleo.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I had a very busy holiday with relatives visiting from Germany. Only today I found out about The Ghost and the Stolen Tears AND The Ghost Goes to the Dogs. I ordered both and can't wait to read them. Thank you, and thank Jack for all the fun.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I wanted to tell you I preordered The Ghost Goes to the Dogs because I love dog stories. Now Jack is in one an things could not be better.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thank you for the great recipe, Cleo. I just finished Honey Roasted and now I am listening to the audiobook of The Ghost and the Stolen Tears while I commute.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I agree that when you have a cold, chicken soup does the job. I have a family recipe for TLC chicken soup given to me by my MIL, it is very similar but with a dash of cayenne. I'll have to give yours a try, I have never used the Goya Sazon. Sounds like a nice go to when you need quick relief. Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Oops. Missed this yesterday. My bad!
    My husband and I got the flu after Thanksgiving. Mine turned into pneumonia and I ended up in the hospital. I would have LOVED some bowls of this lovely soup!

    ReplyDelete