Gut Healing Coconut Chicken Soup with Lemongrass, Ginger, and Saffron

Slofoodgroup Team April 08, 2023

Collagen Rich Chicken and Spinach Soup with Rice Noodles and Coconut Broth

Chicken soup has long been thought of as a natural cure-all. It’s no wonder why, as every bowl of chicken soup is filled with warmth, comfort, colorful vegetables, and protein. We wanted to take traditional chicken soup and give it a makeover, though, adding more flavor, color, and nutritional benefits—including ginger for gut health, collagen (bone broth) for skin and joints, and saffron for mental wellness, and spinach for overall health and wellness. 

Don’t think you need to reserve this recipe for the times when you or someone in your family are under the weather, though. This chicken soup is incredibly easy to make and perfect for a weeknight meal, taking under an hour from start to finish, with much of that time being hands-off.  

How to Make Saffron Ginger Chicken Soup with Coconut-Flavored Bone Broth

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil 
• 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts 
• ½ yellow onion, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 cup thin-sliced carrots
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 32 ounces of chicken bone broth
• 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
• 1 13-fluid-ounce can of full-fat coconut milk 
• ½ teaspoon saffron threads
• 1 ½  tablespoons ginger powder
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• Sea salt and cracked pepper to taste
• 1 8-ounce package of rice pad Thai vermicelli noodles
• 1 ½ cups frozen spinach
• 6 drops of food-grade lemongrass essential oil or 1 tablespoon of lemongrass paste

Procedure

1. In a large pot, heat the coconut oil and add the onions with a sprinkle of salt. Cook on low-heat until the onions turn translucent.
2. Stir in the garlic, carrots, and celery and turn the heat to medium. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. 
3. Add your chicken and bone broth and simmer all the ingredients together for 20 minutes. 
4. Check that the chicken is cooked through and, if so, remove it. If not, leave it simmering in the broth until it is cooked through, and then remove it and let it sit for 5 minutes before slicing it into small pieces.
5. Stir in the ginger, mushrooms, curry powder, and saffron and continue simmering the soup until the carrots and celery are tender, about 20 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, fill a second pot with salted water for your noodles. Cook them according to the package instructions and set aside. 
7. Add the frozen spinach, coconut oil, and chicken pieces to the soup and cook for an additional 5 minutes, or until everything is heated through. 
8. Finish with lemongrass oil or paste and salt and pepper. 

To serve: 

Add some of the rice noodles to the bottom of a bowl and top with the soup and eat as-is or add cilantro and a dollop of coconut cream.

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