Golden Immunity Soup

Inspired by my favorite Golden Tea, this soup is exactly what you’ll need to get yourself through the woes of winter. It is light and bright yet warm and cozy, too and loaded with immunity-boosting antioxidants designed to help your body restore itself after a bout with those pesky colds, coughs, and yes, even COVID.

While there are all sorts of goodies packed into this pot of liquid gold, turmeric is the ultimate secret weapon, here. This ancient spice native to Southeast Asia has long been known for its anti-inflammatory properties, high antioxidant concentration and brain-boosting benefits. It contains a compound called curcumin, which not only gives the root its vibrant golden hue but also its distinctly earthy, pepper flavor. Curcumin is commonly used in alternative medicine practices to treat inflammation, stress, anxiety and even cancer.

You’ll also find fresh ginger root (use a microplane for easy grating!), which has antioxidant properties and carries enzymes that help reduce inflammation and may even inhibit airway-constricting enzymes. You want those airways free and clear during the cold season! Fresh ginger also adds a cleansing, refreshing flavor.

And don’t be intimidated by the large amount of antioxidant-packed garlic; its flavors will mellow as the soup simmers. Vitamin A-packed carrots and spinach provide a one-two punch of both antioxidant power and plant-based goodness. The buttery-sweetness of the carrots is the perfect match for the recipe’s hearty spices, while the tender bite of wilted spinach adds texture, flavor and a boost of fiber. Sub kale or Swiss chard if you prefer.

And because I like depth, heartiness and lots of textures in my soups and stews, there’s a hefty scoop of brown rice added right into the pot. No need to precook it; instead, let the rice slowly simmer with the rest of the stew. The starches will thicken and absorb all that savory goodness as the rice cooks, forming a porridge-like base that is certain to stick to your ribs and warm your soul.

I went with a miso-based broth for several reasons. Miso is a fermented soybean paste that is rich with probiotics. It’s important to maintain a healthy gut at all times, but especially when you are not feeling well. A large portion of the immune system (about 70 percent!) is located in our guts, so keep that gut happy by feeding it more probiotics, especially when you are sick.  Bonus: miso adds a deep, umami flavor that floods the entire soup.

One important note: in order to absorb all the hearty fat-soluble vitamins found in this dish (A, D, E, and K), you need fat. That’s where the skin-on chicken thighs come into play. You’ll remove the skin after cooking, but letting the chicken simmer with the skin on will allow some of the fat to unlock all those good-for-you nutrients. The skin also creates a barrier that keeps the meat super moist and tender while it simmers. Once the chicken is done, remove the skin and bones, and be amazed at your lean, but buttery chicken!

Finish the whole pot with a bright splash of fresh lemon juice and a hefty crack of black pepper. You’ll find yourself making this simple, one pot wealth of wellness on repeat!  Looking for even more texture? Top with toasted walnuts. Stay well!

Golden Immunity Soup

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 ½ tablespoons freshly grated ginger
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 pound carrots, sliced into ¼-inch coins
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground turmeric
• 1 ½ pounds organic bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• ¾ cup uncooked long grain brown rice
• 2 tablespoons miso paste
• 1 (9-ounce) bag fresh baby spinach
• Fresh lemon wedges
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add garlic, ginger, celery, shallot and carrots. Cook 3-4 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant and tender. Add turmeric, cook 1-2 minutes stirring constantly.

Add chicken, 8 cups water, salt and rice. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat, bring to a simmer. Combine miso and ½ cup very hot water in a small bowl; stirring until miso is well incorporated. Add miso mixture to stew. Simmer 45 to 50 minutes or until rice is cooked and chicken is done, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom to prevent rice from sticking.

Remove chicken from soup, set aside to cool. Once cool, remove skin and bones; discard. Shred chicken; return chicken to pot and stir. Remove from heat; stir in spinach, a squeeze of fresh lemon and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.

Ladle into bowls and enjoy.

Sidney Fry is a two-time James-Beard-Award-winning food and nutrition writer who loves creating simple, healthy recipes and thoughtful, actionable content for the hungry consumer. A healthy living proactivist, Sidney is also a registered dietitian nutritionist, recipe developer and mama of three based in Birmingham, Alabama.