If you're feeling under the weather, a bowl of soothing chicken noodle soup could be just what the doctor ordered. If you're suffering from a cold or flu, the symptoms are typically the result of the body’s inflammatory response to an invading virus. So, while you don’t want to suppress the response, dampening an over-active response can be a good thing.

The chicken in your soup offers a number of benefits. It's high in protein to help the immune system and is also a good source of vitamins and minerals, such as B vitamins, which boosts immunity and help with digestion. Vegetables such as carrots, celery, and onion have vitamins C and K, as well as loads of antioxidants and minerals.

Chicken Noodle Soup  

Serves 4 - 6 

Ingredients: 

1 tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 medium carrots, diced

2 celery sticks, diced

2 cups shredded chicken

2L chicken broth

200g egg noodles or pasta of choice

3 tsp vegetable stock powder / cubes

1/2 tsp black pepper

4 thyme sprigs (optional)

1 bay leaf (optional)

Finely chopped parsley, for garnish (optional)

Method:

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium meat. Add onion and garlic, cook for 2 minutes. Add celery and carrots, cook for 5 minutes until softened and a bit sweet. Don't let them brown.
2. Turn heat up to medium high. Gently pour 8 cups of broth into pot (top up with water if necessary), leaving behind residue settled in the bottom of the broth pot (from previous recipe).
3. Add stock, thyme, bay leaf and pepper. Stir.
4. When it starts bubbling, add noodles/pasta. Cook for time per packet MINUS 2 minutes. Stir gently only once or twice.
5. Add chicken, stir (it warms quickly), then season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Serve soup immediately, garnished with fresh parsley.