Chicken soup with ginger and lemon: what your body remembers

Chicken soup is one of those things that almost every healing tradition arrived at independently. There is a reason. The long simmer in salted water draws collagen and minerals from the chicken, and the broth that results is warm, easy to digest, and grounding in the way that simple food made with care tends to be.

What makes this version different from your grandmother's is the amount of ginger. A full quarter cup of fresh grated ginger goes into this pot. Ginger has been studied for its effects on inflammation and digestive comfort - it is 'linked to' reduced inflammatory markers in several contexts, and it has a long record of use for nausea, bloating, and gut motility. That is not a small thing when your gut is in recovery. Carrots bring beta-carotene, which your body converts to vitamin A - a nutrient involved in maintaining the mucosal lining of the gut and the integrity of immune barriers.

The cassava pasta makes this a complete meal. It has the texture of regular pasta, holds up in broth, and is fully AIP-compliant. If you do not have it on hand, leave it out and serve the soup with a side of roasted root vegetables - the broth and chicken are enough.

Before you eat, take one breath. Notice what is in front of you. You cooked this for yourself, and that matters.

Ingredients

• 6 cups water
• 3 to 4 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 tablespoon plus 3 teaspoons sea salt, divided
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 5 carrots, thinly sliced
• 4 zucchini, peeled, quartered lengthwise, and sliced
• 2 teaspoons dried dill (optional)
• Several sprigs fresh rosemary and/or fresh mint
• 1/4 cup fresh ginger, grated or minced
• 8 oz cassava pasta, cooked separately according to package directions
• 2 to 3 lemons, halved, for juicing

Method

Place the chicken thighs in a large pot with the water and 1 tablespoon of the sea salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Skim the foam that rises to the surface during the first few minutes. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the chicken is fully cooked through and pulls apart easily, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Lift the chicken out and set it aside to cool slightly. Keep the broth simmering.

In a separate skillet, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the carrots and zucchini and cook until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. You are not cooking them through - just starting them. Add the remaining salt and stir to combine.

Shred or chop the chicken and return it to the pot. Add the sauteed vegetables, ginger, dried dill (if using), and the rosemary and mint sprigs. Simmer together for 10 minutes so the flavors come together and the vegetables finish cooking.

Remove the herb sprigs. Add the cooked cassava pasta and the juice of 2 lemons. Taste and adjust - more lemon, more salt, or more ginger depending on what the soup needs. Serve warm.

Instant Pot variation

Add the chicken thighs, water, 1 tablespoon salt, ginger, and herb sprigs to the Instant Pot. Seal the lid and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then vent remaining steam. Open, remove the chicken and shred it. Add the raw carrots and zucchini, remaining salt, and dried dill. Use the Saute function on low to simmer the vegetables in the broth until just tender, about 8 minutes. Return the chicken, add the cooked cassava pasta and lemon juice, and taste for seasoning.

*Adapted from eatbeautiful.net*

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*Provenance: method rebuilt in ARM's own words from source file aip-source-archives/eat-beautiful/anti-inflammatory-ginger-chicken-soup.md (eatbeautiful.net). Ingredient list used as factual reference. No third-party text reproduced. Health claims flagged in verify_flags.*