CHICKEN SOUP FOR MY SOUL AND MY BELLY

Last week I roasted a big meaty chicken for dinner. Not one of those scrawny ones from the grocery store but a full grown bird from a meat market.

I stuffed it with a couple fresh lemons and rubbed that bird with some salt, pepper and a bit of Italian mix spices. Into the oven to roast up with an onion on the side. It got nice and brown and was so delicious.

I had chicken wraps for lunch for a few days and also some leftover chicken for dinner twice. It was just that good. There was still a lot left.

My BB Guy had developed a sore throat and was not feeling well. I developed the same symptoms as he did a day later and ended up with a very sore throat and constant headaches. Ugh.

Time to make Chicken Soup:

• 1 chicken carcass (I left the lemons in and I highly recommend this)
• 2 onions, rough chopped
• 3 large cloves garlic
• *4 carrots
• about 20 black peppercorns
• 1^1/2  Tablespoons of salt – note this is a really big soup pot
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 hot red chillies – don’t worry the heat tempers down but it is essential
• a baby finger sized piece of fresh turmeric root
• *4 more carrots
• 1/2 cup quinoa grains – added almost at the end
• handful fresh chopped cilantro – added at the very end

Put the first 9 ingredients into your big soup pot and cover with water to just above the contents. As the soup cooks the bones will collapse and everything will be very well covered in the broth.
Simmer for a few hours and then strain out the contents saving all the chicken meat and add the meat back into the pot with the broth.
Cut up the remaining 4 carrots into big chunks and add to the strained broth along with the quinioa grains and cook another 20 minutes or so until the carrots are tender. Toss in the fresh cilantro and serve.
You will not need any more salt or pepper and the gentle heat from the chillies will have you craving more and more. The hint of lemon comes through as well and it is such a bright fresh tasting soup.
This was the best chicken soup I have ever made or even had for that matter. I have been eating it daily to help with my sore throat and have reached the end except for some broth that I poured into two containers and froze for a later date when I will toss in some fresh ingredients for a quick lunch or dinner.

FOR A PRINTABLE RECIPE CLICK HERE