Deb’s Cure-All Chicken Soup

By DEBBIE STEIMAN-CAMERON

I created this recipe one winter when I was living in Indiana. My home office was in the basement of our house, and it was very cold in the room. One day I had been fighting a sore throat and craved something that would warm my bones and soothe my throat. The recipe I developed is now one of my winter favorites, and I rely on it when I want an easy meal or when someone in the house is sick.

The measurements of the ingredients can be easily adjusted to fit your mood or taste buds. I like to increase the garlic and cumin when I’m making this for someone who is sick. We sometimes add rice about 20 - 40 minutes before serving. It makes the soup heartier and works well if you want to serve it as a main course.

4 - 6 chicken breasts, skin removed
3 chicken thighs, skin removed
3 - 4 T. olive oil
2 - 3 T. cumin
3 cloves chopped garlic
1 large onion, chopped
2 - 3 carrots, cubed
2 potatoes, cubed
1 bunch parsley, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in large soup pot. Add cumin, garlic, and onion. Sauté until onion is translucent. Add carrots and potatoes. Stir and coat vegetables with the oil/cumin mixture. Add chicken and enough water to cover the vegetables and chicken. Add the chopped parsley and bring to a boil. Simmer the soup for about an hour or so. Chicken should be well cooked with the meat starting to come off the bone, and the stock should have a rich chicken flavor.

Remove chicken pieces and any bones that have fallen apart in the soup and cool slightly. Take meat off bone and cut into bite size pieces. Put chicken meat back into soup pot and season to taste with salt, pepper, and additional cumin if desired. Add chopped tomatoes and cook for an additional 10-20 minutes.

Updated 1/29/03