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Cooking & Packing
Healthy Recipes: Old-Fashioned Chicken Soup
By Aicr.org
Nov 18, 2008 - 12:27:13 PM

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Warm Up with Homemade Chicken Soup

As the temperature drops, stay warm with AICR’s Old-Fashioned Chicken Soup recipe. This vegetable-filled soup tastes best when simmered for an afternoon, so set aside a few hours before your meal to make it perfect. This soup features turnips, which are a good source of vitamin C and also provide cancer-fighting phytochemicals known as glucosinolates. The carrots, which will sweeten significantly as they cook, are rich in vitamin A and carotenoids. The vegetables combine with low fat chicken breast and a mix of savory spices for an aromatic and tasty meal.

Old-Fashioned Chicken Soup

1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 turnip
1 parsnip
3 carrots, divided
1 medium onion, peeled and cut in half
2 skinless bone-in chicken breasts
4-6 whole peppercorns
4-6 whole cloves
2-4 cloves garlic, peeled and mashed with the flat side of a knife
1 tsp. fresh (or 1/2 tsp. dried) thyme, marjoram, or tarragon
1 large bay leaf
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4-5 cups fat free, reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 zucchini, cut into thin strips
1 cup cooked whole-grain pasta or rice, optional

In a large pot, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over high heat. Cut the turnip, parsnip and one of the carrots into chunks and add to the pot along with the onion. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are lightly browned. Transfer them to a bowl or dish and set aside.

Add remaining oil to the pot and heat on medium-high. Add the chicken and sauté, turning often, until lightly browned. Cover the pot, reduce heat to low and cook, about 10 minutes.

Return the vegetables to the pot. Add the peppercorns, cloves, garlic, other spices, and a generous pinch of salt and black pepper. Add enough broth to cover the contents about two inches. Bring the mixture to a boil and immediately reduce heat to a simmer. Do not allow the soup to boil, which produces a muddy flavor and an off-putting, cloudy liquid. While the soup is simmering, occasionally skim off the foam that accumulates on top of the broth.

Cook the soup, adjusting heat so broth continues to simmer gently. Add more broth (or water) if the liquid no longer covers the chicken and vegetables. Simmer until the chicken is tender and almost falling off the bone, about 2 hours.

Transfer the cooked chicken to a large dish. Strain the broth into a large pot. Transfer any pieces of chicken in the strainer to the pot. Discard the vegetables, garlic, spices and herbs. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones and cut into bite-sized pieces. Add the meat, along with any juices, to the broth in the pot. Discard the bones.

Peel the remaining two carrots and cut into thin strips. Add the peeled carrots and zucchini to the pot and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if needed.

For a heartier meal, add cooked whole-grain pasta or rice just before serving.

Makes 4 servings

Per serving: 190 calories, 8.5 g total fat (<1 g saturated fat), 7 g carbohydrate,
29 g protein, 3 g dietary fiber, 550 mg sodium.