Leyla Weighs In: My go-to chicken soup

This isn’t a soup I make only when I feel like I’m coming down with a cold or flu, it’s hands down, my favorite chicken soup.

My eldest auntie taught me that wings impart the best flavor. She wasn’t kidding! And the collagen and gelatin rendered from the wing parts are superb. I start with about 15-17 of them for a good-sized pot. I add a couple of stalks of chopped celery and a couple of chopped carrot sticks. I also add a large red onion roughly chopped and a few cloves of garlic. You can use any type of onion but I’m particularly fond of red onions lately.

I add enough water to cover the ingredients in the pot and turn on the burner on the stovetop. Then I add a big handful of fresh chopped dill weed (the stems too as they add lots of flavor) and the same with parsley if I have any on hand (flat leaf or curly). I add a fair amount of salt and black pepper to the pot. Please don’t taste the broth to adjust for seasonings until the chicken has had a chance to fully cook.

Once this comes to a boil, I turn down the heat and let it simmer very gently on the stovetop for at least two hours with the lid propped open just a smidge. At about the 1 ½ hour mark, I add in any greens I have on hand: spinach, arugula, kale, bok choy—about 2-3 handfuls roughly chopped—and let this cook for another 30 to 60 minutes. The longer it simmers, the richer the broth becomes.

This soup is now ready. I don’t remove the skin or the bones. I simply ladle it all into my bowl. What can I say? I love boiled dinner! As a condiment, I’ll scatter in some thinly sliced scallions—mostly the green parts. Sometimes I like a little squeeze of fresh lemon juice—especially if there’s spinach in the soup.

Pulling it out of the fridge the next day I’m grateful for this gelatinous pot of goodness waiting for me—especially if I’m feeling under the weather. I make this soup regularly in lieu of a collagen supplement. I also eat the skin on my chicken!

To your health!

Leyla Muedin, MS, RD, CDN