With the winter persisting we need to look after our health and with the first signs of flu and cold I make sure to have a large pan of chicken soup on the go as it has been proven to be of real benefit.
The steam of the hot soup helps to clear up congestion and your breathing. Any spices such as garlic and pepper are know to aso help with respitory diseases. They work the same way as modern cough medicine and make your breathing easier. Garlic is also known to for its high doses of vitamin C.
My recipe as cooked by my mother and the way she was told ber her granny: -

1 large tasty capon our soup chicken
1 large onion
4 or so leeks - cut 3 of these in 2 or 3 pieces not forgetting the green for taste, reserving 1 leek
3 large carrots - cut 2 in large chunks, reserving 1 carrot
1 celeriac or 5 to 6 celery stems
5 or so pepper corns
2 bay leaves
Bunch of parsley
A few chicken stock cubes (optional)
1 green or red chili (optional) very finely chopped.


Simply put the briefly washed chicken in a large pan of water, bring to the boil and skim of any scum. Add all the ingredients apart from the stock cubes and reserved vegetables, the chili & 1/2 of the parsley.
Turn the heat down and cover.
After 3/4 hour or so when the chicken is completely cooked lift the vegetable and chicken out. Remove all the bones and cut or tear the chicken flesh in pieces. (You may have too much chicken so you may want to reserve some to eat cold on another occasion). Leave on one side.
Throw away most of the tired vegeatbles and chop or finely slice your reserved vegetables and add to the soup. Taste and depending on the quality of your chicken here you may need to add some chicken stock cubes. Add you chicken, chopped parsley and chili. Taste again and enjoy!
Annabel - Leicester UK