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Sage & Echinacea Chicken Soup – Easy Herbal Remedy Cold & Flu Care Recipe
Nov
The telltale sign of the achy muscles and tickly throat warns that your immune system has kicked in and could use some help. Before things get too bad, whip up a batch of this cold and flu care chicken soup and get to nourishing that cold or flu away.
Packed with healing goodness, this soup is not just the ultimate comfort food, it actually helps your body fight off the sickness with medicinal ingredients like sage, garlic, onion, cayenne and even echinacea!
And why not echinacea?! We use echinacea in tea and supplements. We all know its the best thing to boost the immune system. Why not add a little boost to your chicken soup? Try 2-4 T. of dried echinacea leaf, flower, and/or root in a tea strainer (or 2-4 store-bought echinacea tea bags) steeped in the broth while the soup is cooking. You don’t taste it, but you know it’s there and so does your body.
Easy Sage & Echinacea Cold Care Chicken Soup
Prep time: 30mins | Cook time: 45mins
Ingredients:
- 1 T. butter
- 1 T. olive oil
- 1 medium head garlic { smashed and minced at least 15 minutes prior to cooking
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 T. all-purpose flour
- 2 quarts chicken broth { or hot water plus Better Than Boullion organic chicken base from Costco according to package directions
- 1 cup carrots, chopped
- 1 whole boneless, skinless chicken breast { use leftover deboned chicken if you have it, just wait to add it until the end
- 2 T. dried sage leaves { rubbed in the palms of your hands to create a fine powder
- 2-4 T. dried echinacea { use dried aerial parts and roots in a tea strainer ball or bundle in cheese cloth, or 2-4 pre-made echinacea tea bags
- 1/2 t. crushed cayenne pepper
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- 8 ounces pasta, uncooked { or an equivalent amount of leftover cooked rice or pasta may be used here
- 2-4 T. fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions:
- Heat butter and olive oil together in a medium size soup pot over med-low heat.
- Saute the garlic and onion on MED-LOW until translucent, about 3-5 minutes. You do not want these to brown, just soften.
- Increase the heat to MED and add flour to create a roux. Whisk in to absorb oils and cook 1-2 minutes. Let it bubble, but do not let it brown.
- Add the chicken broth to the pot, careful of the steam! Whisk and stir over low heat to eliminate any lumps. This will give you a somewhat thickened but still nice and brothy soup base.
- Bring to a simmer and add the whole uncooked chicken breast, carrots, sage, cayenne, salt, and pepper.
- Place dried echinacea into a tea strainer ball or bundle in cheese cloth and add to the pot. You want to let this steep in the broth for as long as possible to release the medicinal qualities into the broth.
- Simmer covered on low approximately 15-20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and will pull apart easily.
- Remove the chicken breast to a plate and allow it to cool enough to handle.
- While the chicken cools, add the pasta to the pot and simmer according to package directions or desired doneness (usually 7-12 minutes, depending on the variety of pasta used).
- Pull the chicken apart with a fork to make rough spoon sized pieces and return it to the soup pot to heat through.
- Remove the echinacea bundle or tea bags.
- Toss in a handful of fresh chopped parsley to finish.
- Serve it up! Store the leftovers in the fridge to reheat as needed until you are feeling better.
Get well soon!
Why it’s good for you
Echinacea – immune stimulant, anti-inflammatory, antibiotic, detoxifying – good for stimulating the immune system to fight both bacterial and viral infections
Sage – antiseptic, astringent, clears mucus – good for sore throat, sinus congestion { do not use sage if pregnant or breastfeeding
Garlic – antibiotic, antiseptic, expectorant – good for fighting infection, boosting the immune system, reduces mucus
Onion – antioxidant, antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, expectorant – good for cold, flu and coughs
Cayenne – antiseptic, analgesic, stimulant, carminative, relieves muscle spasms – good for reducing fever, combating infection, relieve pain and headache
Parsley – anti-inflammatory, antioxidant – good for flushing waste from the body
Play with these other healing ingredients for variations
Ginger – antiemetic, carminative, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, inhibits coughing – warming and soothing for coughs, colds, flu, fever, headache, aching muscles
Thyme – antiseptic, expectorant, antioxidant, tonic, relieves muscle spasms – good for throat and chest infections, congestion, tired and achy muscles
Tweak with the recipe!
In my kitchen recipes are really just guidelines and springboards for inspiration. Make the recipe your own!
How do you nourish a cold away?
Yummy
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