🥣 Anti-Inflammatory Creamy Chicken Soup
✨ Description
A soothing, nourishing, and healing chicken soup made with anti-inflammatory ingredients like turmeric, garlic, ginger, carrots, celery, and olive oil. This creamy, comforting bowl is perfect for boosting immunity, reducing inflammation, and warming you up on busy or sick days. Rich, cozy, and ready in under 40 minutes.
đź“ť Ingredients
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb (450 g) chicken breast or thighs, diced
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp salt, or to taste
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup coconut milk (or heavy cream for non-dairy-free)
- 1 cup chopped spinach or kale
- ½ lemon, juiced
- Optional: ½ tsp paprika or chili flakes for heat
👩‍🍳 Instructions
1. Sauté the veggies
- In a large pot, heat olive oil.
- Add onion, carrots, and celery.
- Cook 5–6 minutes until softened.
2. Add garlic and ginger
- Stir in garlic and ginger; cook 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Add chicken + spices
- Add diced chicken, turmeric, thyme, salt, and pepper.
- Cook 5 minutes until chicken is opaque.
4. Add broth and simmer
- Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer 12–15 minutes, until chicken is cooked and veggies are tender.
5. Make it creamy
- Stir in coconut milk (or heavy cream).
- Add spinach/kale and simmer 2–3 minutes until wilted.
6. Finish with lemon
- Add fresh lemon juice for brightness and extra anti-inflammatory benefits.
7. Serve
- Ladle into bowls; garnish with fresh parsley or cracked pepper.
🍽 Servings
4 bowls
đź“Š Nutritional Info (approx. per serving)
- Calories: 320
- Protein: 28 g
- Carbs: 15 g
- Fat: 16 g
- Fiber: 3 g
(Varies based on coconut milk/cream used.)
đź’š Health Benefits (Anti-Inflammatory Boost)
- Turmeric: Contains curcumin, a powerful anti-inflammatory compound.
- Ginger & garlic: Support digestion and immunity.
- Chicken: High-protein, muscle-repairing.
- Spinach/kale: Rich in antioxidants and vitamin C.
- Olive oil: Heart-healthy, anti-inflammatory fat.
- Lemon: Adds vitamin C and helps balance the flavors.
đź“ť Notes
- Coconut milk makes it dairy-free and adds extra creaminess.
- For thicker soup, mash a few cooked carrots inside the pot.
- For thinner soup, add ½ cup extra broth.
- Chicken thighs stay juicier than breasts.
đź’ˇ Tips
- Add ½ tsp ground cumin for deeper flavor.
- Don’t skip lemon—it brightens the soup dramatically.
- A handful of quinoa or rice can be added for extra heartiness.
- For meal prep: soup stays good 4 days in the refrigerator.
âť“ Q/A
Q: Can I use rotisserie chicken?
Yes! Add it during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
Q: Can I freeze it?
Yes—this soup freezes beautifully for up to 2 months.
Q: Can I make it vegan?
Use vegetable broth and replace chicken with chickpeas or tofu.
Q: Can I skip coconut milk?
Yes—use heavy cream, half-and-half, or leave it non-creamy.
Q: Is it spicy?
No, but you can add chili flakes or paprika if you want heat.