When I was a little peanut and was home from school with the sniffles I can distinctly remember the aroma of my Nonna cooking up a batch of cold curing chicken soup as I watched Gilligan’s Island or I Dream of Genie – I know, I know… I am aging myself here! No matter how sick I felt, that homemade goodness always made me feel better. This is a non recipe that has been passed down in my family for three generations – likely more! Last week my little nugget began sneezing followed by a sore throat and a fever. I immediately whipped up a batch of mama’s love. I must admit – in a similar way that I love a snow day (like today), I also swoon a sick day. A sure way to remember what is most important – family and cuddles and the cutest feverish rosy cheeks!
Mama’s cold curing Chicken Soup
Homemade Chicken Soup
3 generations of mama'sIngredients
1 whole organic chicken
2 whole chicken breasts
1 bunch of carrots – roughly diced
1 bunch of celery – roughly chopped
2 large onions – one diced and the other halved
2 zucchini – roughly diced
6 sprigs of fresh thyme
6-8 cloved of garlic
salt & pepper
small tubettini pasta
pecorino grated cheese
The Prep
Place all ingredients except for the zucchini in a large pot. Add enough water to cover the chicken. If I have a box of organic low sodium chicken brother on hand I often use a mix of broth and water.
Allow water to boil and then reduce to low and simmer, covered, for 2 ½ – 3 hours or until the chicken is falling off the bones and begins to naturally shred to pieces. Add your diced zucchini after 2 hours of cooking for the last hour of cooking.
Cook your pasta in water separately and combine with soup. Cooking the pasta in the soup will make for mushy pasta and will absorb too much of the soups liquid. Serve with a hearty helping of pecorino grated cheese, lemon zest and fresh parsley.
