Turmeric Ginger Chicken Soup (Great For Cold & Flu Season)

POSTED ON

January 11, 2022

This turmeric ginger chicken soup is filled with nutrient-dense herbs, spices, and veggies that are high in antimicrobial properties, healing broth, and immune-supporting vitamins like vitamin C, making it the perfect soup to enjoy during cold and flu season.

turmeric ginger chicken soup recipe

You know the feeling — you start to feel a little under the weather and all of a sudden you are googling “how do I boost my immune system NOW”. But unfortunately, this really shouldn’t be the way that we are thinking about our immune health. You see rather than waiting for your immune system to be under attack, why not just support it all year long with nutrient-dense whole foods that are incredible at supporting a healthy immune system — sounds like a good idea right?

What Is Turmeric Ginger Chicken Soup?

Turmeric Ginger Chicken Soup is an immune boosting twist on a classic cold weather staple that is perfect to make when you are starting to feel a little under the weather. Filled with nourishing broth and nutrient dense herbs, spices, and veggies this turmeric ginger chicken soup is a cold and flu season staple.

turmeric ginger chicken soup recipe

What You Will Need To Make This Turmeric Ginger Chicken Soup

With the exception of a few ingredients, you most likely will be able to find the vast majority of ingredients for this turmeric ginger chicken soup already in your pantry.

Stock

  • 1 whole chicken
  • 8 cups water
  • 1 leek
  • 1 onion (quartered)
  • 1 carrot (sliced in half)
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper

Soup

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 leek sliced finely
  • 1/2 fennel bulk sliced finely (core removed)
  • 2 carrots (sliced)
  • 3 garlic cloves (minced)
  • 1 thumb size knob of ginger (minced)
  • 2 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley
  • Optional: 1/2 cup brown rice
turmeric ginger chicken soup recipe

How To Make Turmeric Ginger Chicken Soup

If you have ever made homemade chicken soup from scratch then the steps for this recipe are going to feel pretty similar. Like most soups, using high quality ingredients and allowing the soup to simmer will result in a much more flavorful turmeric ginger soup.

Step One

In a large pot combine water, chicken, leek, onion, carrot, garlic, salt, and pepper. 

Step Two

Bring to boil over high heat and then reduce to simmer. 

Step Three

Allow the broth to simmer for 25 minutes, flipping the chicken half way, and remove from heat once chicken has cooked fully. 

Step Four

Next remove the chicken from the broth and place on a cutting board. 

Step Five

Then strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer, making sure to catch the broth in a separate bowl. 

Step Six

In the same large pot over medium heat combine olive oil, leek, fennel, garlic, ginger, turmeric, and fennel seeds. 

Step Seven

Allow the spices and vegetables to cook until slightly softened, stirring consistently with a wooden spoon to keep from sticking to the pot.

Step Eight

Once vegetables have cooked slightly, add the broth back into the pot, bring to a boil. 

Step Nine

Reduce the heat and bring the turmeric ginger chicken soup to a simmer over medium-low heat, and allow to simmer for 20 minutes.

Step Ten

After 20 minutes add the sliced carrots and continue to simmer.

Step Eleven

While the turmeric ginger chicken soup is simmering pull the chicken from the bone and shred using a fork. 

Step Twelve

Add the shredded chicken to the turmeric ginger chicken soup and continue simmering for an additional 5 minutes or until the rice is fully cooked in the soup.

Serve hot and sprinkle with parsley and additional salt and pepper to taste. 

turmeric ginger chicken soup recipe

Tips For Making The Best Turmeric Ginger Chicken Soup

  • Choose High Quality Ingredients: If at all possible choose a local pasture raised chicken for this turmeric ginger chicken soup. Not only will the chicken have more omega-3 fatty acids, it will also taste SO much better. The same goes for your veggies. Often local farmers markets will carry root vegetables like carrots and ginger long into the cold weather months.
  • Make The Rice Separately: While you can make the rice right in the soup itself, if you plan to save this soup to freeze or store in the fridge for a few days, I find that cooking the rice in the soup can make it a little starchy. Instead cook your rice separately and add to your soup as desired.
  • Use Fresh Ginger: If you can find fresh ginger this will make a huge difference in the flavor of your turmeric ginger soup.
turmeric ginger chicken soup recipe
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turmeric ginger chicken soup recipe

Turmeric Ginger Chicken Soup

  • Author: Megan Faletra
  • Prep Time: 15 min
  • Cook Time: 75 min
  • Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: Soup
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Description

The best turmeric ginger chicken soup for cold days or when you are feeling a little under the weather.


Ingredients

Units Scale

Stock

  • 1 whole chicken
  • 8 cups water
  • 1 leek
  • 1 onion (quartered)
  • 1 carrot (sliced in half)
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper

Soup

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 leek sliced finely
  • 1/2 fennel bulk sliced finely (core removed)
  • 2 carrots (sliced)
  • 3 garlic cloves (minced)
  • 1 thumb size knob of ginger (minced)
  • 2 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley
  • Optional: 1/2 cup brown rice

 


Instructions

  • In a large pot combine water, chicken, leek, onion, carrot, garlic, salt, and pepper.
  • Bring to boil over high heat and then reduce to simmer.
  • Allow the broth to simmer for 25 minutes, flipping the chicken half way, and remove from heat once chicken has cooked fully.
  • Next remove the chicken from the broth and place on a cutting board.
  • Then strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer, making sure to catch the broth in a separate bowl.
  • In the same large pot over medium heat combine olive oil, leek, fennel, garlic, ginger, turmeric, and fennel seeds.
  • Allow the spices and vegetables to cook until slightly softened, stirring consistently with a wooden spoon to keep from sticking to the pot.
  • Once vegetables have cooked slightly, add the broth back into the pot, bring to a boil.
  • Reduce the heat and bring the turmeric ginger chicken soup to a simmer over medium-low heat, and allow to simmer for 20 minutes.
  • After 20 minutes add the sliced carrots and continue to simmer.
  • While turmeric ginger chicken soup is simmering pull the chicken from the bone and shred using a fork.
  • Add the shredded chicken to the turmeric ginger chicken soup and continue simmering for an additional 5 minutes or until the rice is fully cooked in the soup.
  • Serve hot and sprinkle with parsley and additional salt and pepper to taste.

Notes

If you would like to add rice to your soup I would recommend making it in a separate pot on the stove and then adding some rice to each individual soup bowl as desired. While you can add raw rice directly to your soup while it is cooking, it will soak up a lot of the broth and will create a much starchier/thicker soup for leftovers. For these reasons, I prefer to make/store it separately and add as desired to each persons individual bowl.

To make rice perfectly every time use a 1:2 ratio of rice to water. Bring your water first to a boil and then once boiling add the rice, cover the pot, and reduce the heat to simmer. Different types of rice will cook at different speeds, so your best bet is to watch your rice and once it has absorbed all the water and is nice and fluffy you will know that it is done.

Keywords: ginger chicken soup, turmeric ginger chicken soup

Megan Faletra, MS, MPH, RDN

Megan Faletra, MS, MPH, RDN

Megan is a maternal-child health dietitian and mom of two. With nearly a decade of experience working in maternal-child nutrition both domestically and abroad, Megan is passionate about supporting mothers and their little ones through pregnancy, postpartum, and beyond.

Megan especially loves helping to nourish families with simple, delicious recipes that both children and adults will enjoy. All of the recipes at MADRE are gluten free, and focused on celebrating food culture, seasonality, and supporting the nutritional needs of growing children, mothers, and families.

Megan holds a MS in Nutrition and MPH in Global Health from Tufts University, and received her dietetic license (RDN) from Brigham and Women's Hospital. She has advanced training in pediatric nutrition and baby led weaning, and is currently working towards becoming a certified lactation consultant.

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Mom of two girls under two, and registered dietitian specializing in prenatal, postpartum, and infant wellness. My passion for supporting moms and babies began more than a decade ago, but nothing made me more committed to helping moms and babies thrive than going through my own pregnancy and postpartum journey.

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