Sicilian Chicken Soup [HMC]

This might seem like heresy coming from a nice Jewish girl such as myself, but there's more than one way to make chicken soup. Sure, there's what my nana would call "Jewish penicillin," but that kind of chicken soup tends to be bland. This Italian chicken soup is anything but, with a zestiness to make a Sicilian proud. What's immediately noticeable is the introduction of tomato into the soup, which makes it almost stewlike when combined with carrots, onions, celery, and a slew of spices. If you're a little under the weather and your sinuses are clogged, they won't be by the time you're done eating some of this tasty twist on the old favorite soup. Chicken is high in zinc, which plays a vital role in memory formation.

Good

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Heat the olive oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, potato, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt and saute until the vegetables begin to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, fennel, oregano, thyme, and red pepper flakes and cook 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes with their juice and deglaze the pan. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.

Step 2

Add the chicken and 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the soup, stirring to combine. Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice and the basil and parsley. Taste; you may want to add another squeeze of lemon juice or pinch of salt. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve immediately.

Step 3

Use store-bought roasted chicken or leftover chicken, or you can quickly roast some chicken parts while you're making the rest of the soup. Season one bone-in breast and one bone-in thigh with sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Set the chicken on some prigs of fresh thyme and bake at 400 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, allow the chicken to cool, and then cut into bite-size pieces and add to the soup.

Step 4

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Calories: 221 per serving.