Don’t Overlook the Therapeutic Power of Soup
RECIPES

Don’t Overlook the Therapeutic Power of Soup

This season’s chicken soup employs fresh lemongrass and turmeric for their flavor and warmth.

Ready IN
1 hr 50 mins
Servings
4
Save
By JeanMarie Brownson
Updated:

After a warm fall, I’m happy to say that soup season has officially started. Let’s enjoy a hearty bowl of soup to warm both body and soul. Creamy soups are perfect as a starter, while brothy, chunky soups, full of protein and vegetables, make satisfying main courses.

Don’t overlook the therapeutic power of soup. Chicken soup’s reputation as more than just a meal holds over time. Sitting down with a steaming bowl often helps clear sinuses, soothe throats, and settle a rumbly stomach.

Whether you’re making a starter soup or a main-course bowl, the better the broth, the better the soup. Store-bought broths typically have flavor but lack the rich body that comes from making your own. When cutting up a whole chicken, save the back, wing tips, and neck for broth. Alternatively, chicken wings, thighs and drumsticks add flavor and body to broth at little cost. The skin and bones will be removed after they have made their contribution.

This season’s chicken soup employs fresh lemongrass and turmeric for their flavor and warmth. Both are available in large supermarkets and specialty produce stores. You can substitute ground turmeric from the spice aisle; just be sure it’s as fresh as possible. Refrigerated lemongrass puree can replace the fresh stalks. Whole shallots and garlic trickle out flavor while simmering to tenderness. Same for the vegetables.

You’ll need a fairly large, deep pot, with a heavy bottom, such as a 5-quart Dutch oven, for a season of soup-making. A lid comes in handy for trapping steam and flavor.

For an umami punch, add a spoonful of soy sauce, white miso paste or roasted chicken base towards the end of the cooking. White vinegar adds a hint of tang, while honey balances everything with a modicum of sweetness and a drizzle of dark sesame oil contributes a nutty aroma.

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Serve this soup with a scoop of coconut rice—the coconut pairs well with the turmeric and lemongrass flavors. Cook the rice while the soup simmers. Alternatively, heat pouches of pre-cooked white or brown rice in the microwave oven.

Sure, soup-making requires both ingredient prep and simmer time. But few meals offer so much nourishment and soul-warming comfort.

Don’t Overlook the Therapeutic Power of Soup
JeanMarie Brownson
Time
1 hr 50 mins
(Prep 30 minsCook 1 hr 20 mins)
Servings
4
Ingredients
  • 4 pounds assorted bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, drumsticks and wings
  • 1 to 1/2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts
  • 2 small (10 ounces) leeks, trimmed, halved lengthwise, well rinsed
  • 2 stalks fresh lemongrass or 1 tablespoon refrigerated lemongrass puree
  • 2 or 3 stalks celery, cut into 2-inch segments
  • 2 or 3 skinny carrots (8 ounces total), peeled, cut into 1/2-inch rounds
  • 6 or 7 (about 10 ounces total) small shallots, peeled
  • 6 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 2 ounces fresh turmeric, peeled, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices, about 1/2 cup (or 2 to 3 teaspoons ground turmeric)
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • coconut rice (recipe follows) or 3 cups cooked white or brown rice
  • 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce or white miso paste (or 2 teaspoons roasted chicken base)
  • 1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil
  • 1 can (15 ounces) baby corn, drained, rinsed, halved crosswise, optional
  • 2 cups (about 2 ounces) fresh spinach leaves
  • fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
STEP 1
Put the chicken thighs, drums and wings into a large, deep pot or Dutch oven. Cut the white part and about 2 inches of the dark green section of the leeks crosswise into 2-inch segments and add to the pot.
STEP 2
Trim off and discard the dried tops of the lemongrass stalks. Use a mallet to pound the bulbous end of the stalk to crush it a bit and then add to the pot. Add the celery, carrots, shallots, garlic, turmeric, and salt. Add 10 cups water. Stir well.
STEP 3
Heat to a boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to a low simmer. Partly cover the pot and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.
STEP 4
Add the chicken breast pieces to the pot, submerging them in the broth. Continue to simmer until all the chicken is tender, about 30 minutes more. Remove from heat. Cover the pot tightly and let rest for 20 minutes to finish the cooking.
STEP 5
Make the rice while the soup rests.
STEP 6
Use tongs to remove chicken pieces to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, pull the meat off the bones in large shreds. (Discard the skin and bones.)
STEP 7
Remove and discard the lemongrass stalks from the broth. Heat the broth mixture to a gentle simmer. Add vinegar, honey, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Taste and adjust if necessary to make a subtly sweet-salty-acidic broth. Stir in chicken shreds and drained corn.
STEP 8
Just before serving, stir in spinach. Serve soup in wide soup bowls with a scoop of rice. Sprinkle with cilantro.
Notes
Note: Adding the breast pieces halfway through the simmering time helps keep the meat moist and tender.
Serves 4 to 6
Coconut Rice
Serves 6
2 cups jasmine or long-grain rice
1/2 of a 15-ounce can (about 3/4 cup) unsweetened coconut milk, stirred well
1 teaspoon salt
Put rice into rice cooker. Stir in 1 2/3 cups water, coconut milk, and salt. Cover and cook according to the manufacturer's directions until rice is tender, usually about 30 minutes.
Fluff the rice with a fork and serve.
Note: If you do not have a rice cooker, put all ingredients into a medium-size saucepan and heat to a boil. Reduce heat to very low, cover tightly, and simmer until rice is nearly tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand covered (don’t stir) for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
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JeanMarie Brownson
JeanMarie Brownson
Author
JeanMarie Brownson is a James Beard Award-winning author and the recipient of the IACP Cookbook Award for her latest cookbook, “Dinner at Home.” JeanMarie, a chef and authority on home cooking, Mexican cooking and specialty food, is one of the founding partners of Frontera Foods. She co-authored three cookbooks with chef Rick Bayless, including “Mexico: One Plate at a Time.” JeanMarie has enjoyed developing recipes and writing about food, travel and dining for more than four decades. ©2026 JeanMarie Brownson. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.