As we approach the colder months, the likelihood of catching a cold or the flu can increase. But don’t sweat; we’ve got you covered with our healing chicken soup recipe below.

There’s a strong chance our mothers were right all along, as chicken soup has many healing benefits that may help decrease cold and flu symptoms. Similar to drinking warm tea when feeling sick, hot soup might help speed up the movement of mucus, alleviate nasal congestion and shorten the time bacteria or viruses linger in our respiratory track. Much like the effect of gargling salt water, the broth may also help temporarily relieve the discomfort of a sore throat.

Without further ado, here’s our healing chicken soup recipe.

Zipongo’s Healing Chicken Soup

Makes 10 2-cup servings

1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
1 tbsp ginger, peeled and minced
4 lb. whole chicken, roasted
2 tbsp reserved chicken fat (can use canola oil as substitute)
4 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
4 medium celery, chopped
10 mushrooms, sliced
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
4 qt chicken stock, low sodium
2 bay leaves
1 medium leek, chopped
4 scallions, sliced

1. Preheat oven to 425￮F and roast chicken for 55 minutes.
2. Remove chicken from the oven to cool down. Pull the meat from the bones, chop into bite-sized pieces. Put it aside for later use.
3. Peel and chop all the vegetables. Heat the oil or the chicken fat over medium heat in a large pot and add chopped onions.
4. Sauté onions for a two minutes, then add the garlic, red pepper flakes and ginger to cook for a few more minutes. Add the remaining vegetables except for the leeks and scallions.
5. Add the salt and pepper and sweat for 8-10 minutes.
6. Add the chicken stock and bay leaves. Turn the heat up to medium-high and bring to a boil.
7. Once soup comes to a boil, reduce to a simmer. Add the chicken, chopped leeks. Simmer for 20 minutes.
8. Add scallions just before serving.

Nutrition information

Calories: 160 Kcal
Carbohydrates: 12g
Fiber: 3g
Fat: 5g
Saturated fats: 1g
Protein: 16g
Sodium: 470mg