Cold Remedies that Work: Chicken Noodle Soup Recipes

If you or someone you know is suffering from the common cold, why not head to the kitchen and whip up a pot of chicken soup? Not only is chicken soup a tasty way to stay hydrated, but recent research reveals that substances in the soup act as anti-inflammatories and help reduce congestion, a common symptom of colds.

Here are several chicken soup recipes for you to try in your kitchen!

Rotisserie Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe

This chicken soup is easy to make, as it calls for rotisserie chicken. You can find rotisserie chickens at most grocery stores. If you can't find a rotisserie chicken, go to a fast food restaurant and purchase several chicken breasts. You can remove the skin and shred the meat as a substitute for the rotisserie chicken.

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. canola oil
• 2 to 4 cloves garlic, diced
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 1 rib of celery, diced
• 1 tsp. fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 cups store-bought chicken stock
• 1 rotisserie chicken, skin and excess fat removed, meat shredded
• 2 cups wide egg noodles
• salt and pepper, to taste.

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large soup pot over medium-high heat.
2. Add the garlic and saut just until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
3. Add the onion, carrot and celery and saut until the vegetables begin to soften, about six minutes.
4. Add the thyme and the bay leaf and saut for approximately one minute.
5. Add the chicken stock and the chicken meat. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for at least 30 minutes.
6. Add noodles and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the noodles have softened.
7. Season with salt and pepper.

Asian Chicken Soup Bowl Recipe

For a different spin on chicken noodle soup, try this Asian-inspired soup. Full of vegetables and featuring a delicious broth, this soup is sure to help you beat a cold!

Ingredients

• 4 cups chicken stock
• 2 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts
• 4 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 1-inch piece of ginger, peeled
• 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 8 ounces rice noodles
• 2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 clove garlic, diced
• 1 large carrot, julienned
• 1 red bell pepper, julienned
• 1/2 small Napa cabbage, julienned
• 1 green onion, chopped.

Directions

1. In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, bring the stock to a boil.
2. Add the chicken, garlic, yellow onion, ginger and soy sauce. Return to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for 30 minutes.
3. While the stock cooks, cook the rice noodles according to the package directions. Once cooked, strain them and divide them among four bowls.
4. Remove the chicken from the stock. Remove the skin and shred the meat. Discard the skin and bones. Divide the chicken among the four bowls.
5. Strain the stock, reserving the liquid and discarding the solids. Pour the stock into the bowls with the noodles and chicken. You may have leftover stock. If so, reserve it for another use.
6. In a wok or saut pan, heat the sesame oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, carrot, bell pepper and Napa cabbage. Cook for approximately four minutes. You want the vegetables to remain crisp. Add the vegetables to the soup bowls.
7. Top the bowls with the green onion. Serve with soy sauce.

Resources

Mayo Clinic Staff (February 23, 2006). Cold remedies: What works, what doesn't, what can't hurt. Retrieved October 25, 2007, from the Mayo Clinic Web site: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/cold-remedies/ID00036.