Best Chicken Soup Recipe for When You Have the Flu

Nothing ruins your month like getting the flu, especially if you are one of the first people in your circle of friends and family who gets it. Chicken soup is more than just mom's remedy - there is science behind using chicken soup to ease discomfort and help get you back to health. Here's a simple + quick recipe for you while you're sick with the flu. 

So the idea here is to take a few shortcuts while keeping the soup as healthy as possible. The last place you want to be is in the kitchen while you're sick! This is meant to minimize your prep and cooking time. Also, there aren't amounts listed as you add as much of each item as you see fit, If you're making soup to last a few days, use lots of broth and plenty of ingredients. This is just a basic guide we hope you find helpful.

Chicken broth is the key here and you need plenty of it; not only is it a clear fluid but it has plenty of nourishing components that'll help speed your recovery. When you have the flu there isn't time to roast a chicken and make your own broth but instead try to buy the unsalted or low sodium premade variety. There's a ton of sodium in chicken broth, and sodium will dehydrate you, which you don't need when you're sick. Also, to save time on prep pickup pre-sliced carrots and some chopped onions in the frozen food section. Pick up a can of potatoes and a can of chopped chicken too. Additionally you'll need to get some celery and a couple of turnips from the produce section.

Put all of your broth in a large pot and put in the frozen carrots and frozen chopped onions while you prep the rest of the ingredients (frozen pearl onions work too.)

All you really need to do for prep at this point is to slice up some celery, slice up the canned potatoes, and dice the turnips. Add them to the pot along with the chicken and bring it to a low boil. Let it simmer for about an hour. Add parsley, oregano, and some pepper. If you have some white pepper, it'll help give it a small peppery kick to clear your sinus a bit. Squeezing half of a lemon in the soup doesn't hurt either.

If you like you can add noodles, stars, rice, or any other pasta.

Hope you feel better soon!