Healing Soup

Make a delicious, healing, and healthy chicken soup on the stove or in the slow cooker, with fresh garlic, ginger, kale, broccoli, chicken breast, and parsley (170 calories or 2 WW points).

healthy chicken soup

A few years ago, I came down with a nasty cold and Daniel made me this chicken soup. He packed it with nutritious, healing ingredients like garlic, fresh ginger root, extra-virgin olive oil, handfuls of kale, parsley, broccoli, chicken, and good quality chicken broth, and called it “Healing Soup.” We’ve made it a dozen times since, a tradition whenever one of us is sick, and maybe we’re crazy (definitely) but it does at least feel healing. A big, steaming bowl helps clear congestion and delivers:

  • 170 calories
  • 20 grams of protein
  • 500 gram potassium
  • 50% of your recommended daily value of Vitamin A
  • 90% of your recommended daily value of Vitamin C

From start to finish, healing soup takes just 40 minutes but you can easily make chicken soup in the slow cooker (see my instructions below in the recipe).

healthy chicken soup

When you’re ready to eat, drizzle a teaspoon or so of olive oil over your bowl of soup. Trust me, it adds the most delicious richness (and remember, fat helps our bodies absorb vitamins and nutrients from the foods we eat). Serve it with a hunk of crusty bread for dipping, and a few grates of Parmesan cheese.

 

healthy chicken soup
Print Recipe
5 from 4 votes

Healing Soup

Make a delicious, healing, and healthy chicken soup on the stove or in the slow cooker, with fresh garlic, ginger, kale, broccoli, chicken breast, and parsley.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chicken and broccoli soup, chicken soup recipe, healing soup recipe
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 170kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 heaping cups cooked and chopped chicken breast about 1 pound raw or 12-14 ounces cooked
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • .5 c chopped yellow onion ½ medium onion
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 tbsp finely minced fresh ginger
  • 64 oz cartons low-sodium chicken broth 8 cups
  • 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves or 1 ½ teaspoons dried thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • .5 tsp salt, plus more to taste
  • .25 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 c chopped broccoli (about 1 crown fresh broccoli)
  • 2 c chopped kale about 2-3 kale leaves, stems removed and leaves chopped
  • .5 c chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

  • Stovetop directionsIn a large stock pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is just tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and stir for 30 seconds.
  • Add the chicken broth, thyme, bay leaves, the chopped chicken, salt, and pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
  • Stir in the broccoli and kale and cook until the broccoli is bright green and tender, 8 to 10 more minutes. Stir in the fresh parsley, taste the broth, and add more salt if needed. Serve.Slow cooker directionsPlace 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast in base of your slow cooker (about 2 large chicken breasts).
  • Add the olive oil, onion, garlic, ginger, thyme, bay leaves, salt, pepper, and broth. Cook on low for 4 hours or high for 6 to 8 hours.
  • Take the chicken out of the broth, transfer to a cutting board and chop. Remove the bay leaves and use a fine mesh sieve to strain the broth (you don’t have to strain your broth, but it will look murky if you don’t).
  • Add the broccoli and kale and the chopped chicken back to the broth in your slow cooker, stir, cover, and continue cooking until the broccoli is bright green and tender, about 30 more minutes.
  • Taste the broth and add salt to taste. Stir in fresh parsley and serve.

Notes

 2 WW Freestyle points

Nutrition

Calories: 170kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 252mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g
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13 thoughts on “Healing Soup

  1. Lana Trentham

    Yummy! Looks so good & comforting! I love the flatware you use. Can you tell me where you got it or what brand/style it is? Thanks!

    Reply
    1. Andie Mitchell Post author

      Thanks so much Lana! They’re Oneida “Chef’s Table” (I bought single silverware pieces from Target, but you can buy a set on Amazon, Macy’s, Bed Bath and Beyond, etc!

      Reply
  2. Scarlet

    I just can’t get enough of soup this time of year. So warming and comforting and satisfying. I love all the greens in this soup! So good for you!

    Reply
  3. Cynthia

    5 stars
    I made this last night and substituted extra firm tofu for chicken and added a squeeze of a fresh lemon. It was amazing! Thank you for this truly outstanding recipe that I can’t wait to make again!

    Reply
  4. Carolyn

    Your description paragraph mentioned lemon, but I didn’t see it in the ingredient list or instructions, so I wanted to ask!

    Reply
    1. Andie Mitchell Post author

      Oh thank you for noticing that error! I squeeze lemon juice in at the end, but I decided to leave it out of the recipe because it’s not essential/necessary. You can add some lemon juice if you want, but it’s great without it too!

      Reply
  5. Liz

    5 stars
    I just got done making your soup. It’s amazing. My husband loves it too! It’s a keeper. Thank you for the time you take on your recipes. Many of your creations, I have passed to my weight loss buddy. She, in turn, has made it for her family.
    Many Thanks, Liz

    Reply
  6. SJH

    5 stars
    Delicious recipe! Thank you! I baked the chicken breast at 425 F with plenty of olive oil, salt, and pepper—and then cut into small cubes. The olive oil drizzle and grate of parm before serving really completes the flavors! Thank you so much for sharing this—it’s a keeper, and I plan to make it again and again!

    Reply
  7. Pingback: Healing Soup – Moms Recipes

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