Chicken Soup for the Hungover Headbanger

Whether you are hungover, sore, sick or just need some good old fashioned comfort food, homemade chicken soup is where it's at.

Today is a rainy Sunday and all I want to do is curl up in front of the fireplace with a good book, and slurp at some piping hot feel-good soup. I grew up eating Lipton Chicken Noodle from a package, and I suppose I still have a soft-spot for it, but nothing beats home cooking! 

Chicken soup has long been dubbed as a healing, feel-good food, and for good reason.  

**Soup has anti-inflammatory properties that help soothe sore throats.  An amino acid released from the chicken during cooking chemically resembles the drug acetylcysteine, which is often prescribed for bronchitis as well as other respiratory problems.  

**Also, steam is a real benefit. Sipping the hot soup and breathing in the steam helps clear up congestion. 

**When you are ill it's always helpful to intake plenty of fluids; once again, chicken soup to the rescue!

 Aside from being a "get-better" soup, it can also be consumed to relieve depression (giving you an overall sense of well-being), make you more relaxed/ de-stressed, aide in hangover recovery and of course is just an overall healthy, easy and relatively cheap meal option.

Here's how I make mine:

Chunky Chicken Soup (about 4 servings)

Ingredients

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed

3 L chicken stock

2 sticks of celery, diced

2 large carrots, diced

1/2 large white onion, diced

1 clove of garlic, minced

1 cob of corn or 2/3 c. canned corn 

1/2 tomato, diced

salt, pepper, thyme, oregano, parsley, any other herbs you like

linguine pasta, broken into small pieces, about 1/2 c.

I might have to go for seconds on this!!

Execution 

1. Heat some olive oil in a large pot. Saute chicken, celery, onions and garlic for about 2 minutes.

2. Add the chicken stock, bring to boil.

3. Add carrots, tomato and seasonings (Don't season too heavily as the soup will reduce. You can always correct your seasoning at the end.) Reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes.

4. While soup is simmering cook the linguine pieces al dente in a separate pot. You can cook the pasta in the soup, but I find it makes is cloudy and starchy and I prefer thin, clear broth. You're choice.

5. Taste the soup. Veggies should be tender. Adjust seasoning and add corn and pasta.

6. Consume and prepare to feel awesome!

Til next time...

Sinfully Yours,

The Gruesome Gourmet