Description
This comforting and nourishing chicken soup combines fresh vegetables, aromatic herbs, and warm spices to create the best chicken soup you’ll ever eat. Featuring tender chicken, pearl couscous, and a hint of ginger and turmeric, this recipe is easy to prepare and perfect for any season.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Base
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil
- 6 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 large carrots, thinly sliced
- 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon fresh grated turmeric (or 1 teaspoon ground turmeric)
- 6 cups low sodium chicken broth
Protein and Seasonings
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs
- 1 teaspoon freshly chopped rosemary
- 1 teaspoon freshly chopped thyme, stems removed
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Additional Ingredients
- 1 cup pearl couscous
- ⅔ cup frozen peas (optional, but recommended)
Instructions
- Sauté Vegetables: Place a large dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat and add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add minced garlic, diced onion, sliced carrots, and chopped celery. Cook for a few minutes until the onion becomes translucent and vegetables start to soften.
- Add Spices: Stir in the freshly grated ginger and turmeric. Sauté for about 30 seconds to allow the spices to release their aroma and flavors.
- Add Broth and Chicken: Pour in the low sodium chicken broth, add the chicken breasts or thighs, freshly chopped rosemary, thyme, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, ensuring the chicken is submerged in the broth.
- Add Couscous and Simmer: Stir in the pearl couscous to the boiling soup. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 20–25 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked and couscous is tender.
- Shred Chicken: Remove the cooked chicken using a slotted spoon and transfer it to a cutting board. Shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces using two forks.
- Finish Soup: Return the shredded chicken to the pot. Stir in the frozen peas. If the broth seems insufficient, add another cup of broth as desired. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary.
- Serve and Enjoy: Ladle the soup into bowls and serve warm for a hearty and flavorful meal.
Notes
- Turmeric can stain surfaces and skin; consider wearing gloves when handling fresh turmeric.
- To make this soup vegetarian or vegan, substitute chicken broth with vegetable broth and replace chicken with one can of drained chickpeas.
- For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free couscous or substitute with ¾ cup quinoa; the cooking time remains the same.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approximately 1.5 cups)
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 65mg
