Chicken Rice Soup (Great Soup for Common Colds)

As the winter approaches and the cold season begins, many of us, as well as our family members get sick due to the weather, by getting the flu, cold, sore throat, and cold sores. I found this recipe is the best relief for these types of diseases. I have cooked this recipe over and over for my family and helped in reducing their sickness. The best treatment for the common cold, is good nutrition, enough bed rest and hot fluids. The one bowl of chicken soup is full of nutrition that can help to reduce the common colds, and it comes handy when you cannot eat solid food.

"Chicken soup can offer a nutrient-dense food option when someone is struggling with a poor appetite," said Kristen Smith, a registered dietitian, and spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. "It can also help increase hydration during a time when this could be a challenge. Most chicken soups contain ingredients that provide lots of vitamins and minerals, according to Smith. For example, carrots provide your body with vitamin A, a nutrient that plays a role in the immune response, and chicken stock contains zinc, which may help fight a cold when consumed in high amounts. Chicken may help with the repair of body tissue and contains the amino acid cysteine”1.

1. https://www.cnn.com/2017/12/01/health/chicken-soup-food-drayer/index.html. Lisa Drayer is a nutritionist, an author, and a CNN health and nutrition, contributor.

Total: 2 hours

Prep: Half-hour

Cook: 1:30

Yield: 6 to 7 servings

Level: Easy

Ingredients:

• 3 to 5 tablespoon olive oil

• ½ chicken breast finely chopped

• 1 medium-size white onion finely chopped

• 1 cup carrot peeled and chopped

• 1 cup Lentils - Yellow Split (in a medium-size bowl add the lentils and 2 cups of boiled hot water and let it soak for 30 minutes)

• 1 cup rice (in a medium-size bowl add the rice and 2 cups of boiled hot water and let it soak for 30 minutes)

• 1 cup cilantro chopped

• 1 cup parsley chopped

• 1 cup celery chopped

• 5 cups water or as needed

• 6 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth or water as needed

• Salt as preferred

• 1 tablespoon black pepper

• 1 tablespoon cumin

• 1 tablespoon coriander powder

• 1 tablespoon garam masala powder

• 3 tablespoon coriander seed

• 2 tablespoon curry powder

• ¼ cup lemon Juice

Instruction:

In a large pot add olive oil, and the chicken cook for about 5 minutes,

Add the onion cook until the onion is tender, and chicken is cooked

Add black pepper, cumin, coriander powder, garam masala powder, and curry powder

Add the carrots, celery, yellow split lentil, and the rice

Add water and let it cook until the lentil and the rice is fully cooked. Add more water if needed. cook for about 30 to 40 minutes.

Add the vegetables broth and lemon juice let it cook for about 20 to 30 minutes add more vegetable broth as needed.

Add cilantro and parsley

Lower the heat and let it simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.