
Gluten-Free · Dairy-Free · Grain-Free
Can be made: Low-Carbohydrate
This soup is deep gold and bursting with flavor and nutrition – better than anything you’ll ever taste out of a can! It’s full of collagen, minerals, vitamins and is even healing to the digestive system. It’s rich and comforting to the soul and a nourishing remedy for colds or flu. I enjoy it for spring lunches, fall and wintertime dinners, and at least once a month all year around “just because”. It also freezes well and I usually have some stowed away for quick meals or illness that pops up unexpectedly.
Ingredients
- 1 whole, raw chicken
- 2 teaspoons raw apple cider vinegar
- minimally processed sea salt (like Himalayan or Celtic – not white)
- 30 turns of freshly cracked black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
- a smidge (start with 1/16 of a teaspoon) of ground Bird’s Eye Chili or Cayenne pepper to taste
- 1 cup wild rice (wild rice is actually the seed of a grass and not a grain)
- 1 large white, yellow or red onion
- 8-10 cloves fresh, raw garlic
- 2 large or 4 small stalks celery
- 4 medium-sized carrots
- 2 medium-sized zucchini
- 2 medium-sized yellow squash
- 4 Roma tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons chopped, fresh oregano (or 2 teaspoons dried)
- 1 medium-sized head of cauliflower – Low-Carbohydrate version only
Directions
- Cover chicken with water in a large stock pot.
- Simmer on low, sprinkled with 2 teaspoons of sea salt, cracked black pepper, Bird’s Eye or Cayenne and apple cider vinegar for 10 hours (I usually do this part before bed).
- Remove chicken from the pot and set in a large bowl. It should be falling apart so use tongs, a slotted spoon or a small strainer to scoop everything out.
- Remove the meat, shred with fingers and set aside.
- Return the rest of the chicken (including bones, cartilage, fat and skin.) to the pot to continue simmering for 4-6 more hours.
- Remove all parts of the chicken from the broth with a slotted spoon or a strainer and continue to simmer broth.
- Add wild rice, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. *Omit wild rice in grain-free version
- Mince (or use a food processor to make tiny pieces of: onion, garlic, carrot, celery and cauliflower. *cauliflower in Low-Carbohydrate version only.
- Add to the pot, stir and allow soup to return to a simmer.
- Mince/process softer vegetables: zucchini, yellow squash and tomato.
- Add to the pot, stir and allow soup to return to a simmer.
- Add shredded chicken back into pot.
- Add oregano and more seasonings to taste.
- Cover and simmer everything on low for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to come together and mature.
Low-Carbohydrate Version:
- substitute cauliflower for wild rice
- If you are on a strict Low-Carbohydrate diet, substitute 1 orange bell pepper for carrots.