3 healthy chicken soup recipes

Here are few healthy recipes to jazz up your good old grandma’s chicken soup

By Debalina Dey

There is nothing like a bowl of healthy wholesome soup to keep yourself warm during the cold. Chicken soup is said to have medicinal qualities, which helps getting rid of flu and a runny nose.

Spicy tomato and chicken clear soup

Ingredients

• 5 large red ripe tomatoes
• 2 medium sized beets
• 2 medium sized carrots
• 1 small onion roughly chopped
• 4 fat cloves of garlic
• 1” pc of ginger peeled and pounded in a pestle n mortar
• 2 chicken drumsticks
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon chilli garlic paste (4 dried red chillies soaked in warm water for 15 minutes, 4 garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon vinegar, blended together)
• Salt n pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 6 cups of water
• Finely chopped coriander leaves for garnishing
• Chilli oil for garnishing (optional)

Method

• Roughly chop the tomatoes and thickly grate the beets and carrots
   
• Now in a pressure cooker tip in the tomatoes, grated beets and carrots, chopped onion, garlic cloves, ginger, chicken drumsticks, sugar, salt, bay leaf and 6 cups of water.
  
• After 2 whistles let the pressure drop. Take out the chicken pieces with a tong and put the rest back on pressure
  
• Roughly chop the chicken pieces
  
• After 1 more full whistle take the pressure cooker off the heat and let all the steam release on its own.
  
• Sieve the broth in a large bowl nicely mashing the tomato mixture in order to get all the juices out
  
• Meanwhile heat a large kadhai and add butter. Once the butter melts add the chilli garlic paste fry for 2 minutes and add the chicken pieces. Fry for 3 minutes on a high flame
  
• Stir in the tomato broth and let the soup bubble for 5 minutes
  
• Take it off the heat and check the seasoning. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves, pepper and chilly oil
  
• Serve this soup along with some toasted bread drizzled with olive oil

Zen chicken soup

Ingredients

• 3 chicken drumsticks
• 1 cup finely shredded cabbage
• 1 red radish sliced
• 1 turnip diced
• 1 carrot cut into sticks
• 4 baby corns cut into sticks
• ½ cup broccoli florets
• ¼ cup beans cut into bite sized pieces
• ¼ cup fresh peas
• ¼ cup fresh corn
• 1 chopped onion
• 6 cloves of garlic pounded in a mortal n pestle
• 1 tsp ginger paste
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch diluted in water
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 1 tablespoon chilli sauce
• 1 tablespoon soya sauce
• 1 tablespoon tomato sauce
• Few drops of chilli oil (optional)
• Few drops of sesame oil
• 1 sliced fresh red chilli for garnishing
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

• Put the chicken, ginger, garlic, turnip and salt in a pressure cooker and after 2 whistles turn the gas off and let it cool on its own.
   
• Take out the chicken pieces shred them and keep aside.
  
• Put the stock back on fire and let it come to a boil.
  
• Now add all the vegetables, onion and chicken back to the stock
  
• Let everything boil on high heat for 5 minutes
  
• Beat the eggs and add them to the soup stirring continuously to form egg ribbons
  
• Now add all the sauces, chilli oil and salt and pepper
  
• Next add the diluted cornstarch and keep stirring till your soup thickens
  
• Garnish with sesame oil and sliced fresh red chilli

Fragrant chicken clear soup

Ingredients

• 2 chicken drumsticks
• 2 tablespoon lime juice
• 2 turnips diced into cubes
• 1 medium sized carrot diced into cubes
• 1 small onion chopped roughly
• 2 garlic cloves (minced finely)
• 1 teaspoon ginger paste
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 cloves
• 2 tablespoon chopped parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped dill
• 2 tablespoon butter
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 6 cups water
• Salt to taste

Method

• Marinate the chicken in lime juice, salt and olive oil for an hour.
   
• Heat a non-stick frying pan and place the marinated chicken drumsticks in it. Brown and seal the drumsticks from all sides on high heat for 5 minutes and set aside.
   
• Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a pressure cooker and add bay leaf, cloves and garlic fry for 10 seconds.
  
• Add chopped onions, ginger and fry till onions become soft.
  
• Now add turnips and carrots fry for 5 minutes.
  
• Add 6 cups water, chicken and put the lid on.
  
• After 2 full whistles turn the gas off and let the cooker cool down on its own.
  
• Take the chicken out and shred it. Take the bay leaf and cloves out and put the cooker back on fire without the lid.
  
• Let it come to a rumbling boil and add the chicken salt and pepper.
  
• After 5 minutes take it off the heat add the chopped parsley, dill and 1tablespoon butter.