Jess Gaertner

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Instant Pot Immunity Boosting Chicken Soup

Hi friends!  So, I know this is so weird, my second recipe post this week and it just so happens to be ANOTHER immunity boosting SUPER easy recipe...don't hate me because I'm giving you delicious, easy, healthy food, mmmmkk?  I'm going to try and keep the blah blah blah to a minimum on this recipe, because I want to talk a little bit about the ingredients.

I call it "kitchen sink" soup because it just so happens to have everything but the kitchen sink in it!  The ingredient list looks intimidating, but really you can throw just about anything you have in the fridge that's about to go bad, and this soup would still taste delicious!

It's got some delicious protein and fats via the chicken thighs, but the stars of the show are a a combination of veggies, liquids, and spices, especially selected for some of their healing properties.  Let's look at some of the power players...


Exhibit A: BONE BROTH.  I don't know many people that haven't heard of bone broth, so I'll spare all the details on this one, but it's a powerful gut healer, has loads of collagen, and bone broth reigns supreme in many healing regimens.  Gut health = body health, k? And don't sub regular ol' stock on this one if you're going for the true power packed punch of immunity boosting!

Exhibit B:  Fresh OJ. Gotta be as fresh as you can get it, and unpasteurized preferably!  Fresh OJ has many benefits that processed and pasteurized OJ can lack. Much like the beauty business, even when a product claims 100% pure juice it can actually have chemical additives in it that preserve it, and keep it tasting consistent to consumers.  Pasteurization can also affect the good enzymes and other beneficial components found in the unpasteurized versions. Not only is fresh OJ rich in Vit C, which boosts immune function, Vit C is also an important co-factor in collagen production (which helps you reap all the benefits of Exhibit A: BONE BROTH....wild, right?

Exhibit C: TURMERIC. Again, if you haven't heard of turmeric yet, I'm not going to give you the full wikipedia rundown on it right now (I have kids that are probably going to wake up in ten minutes to ask me for water and another snack!), but in short, one of the active compounds in turmeric, curcumin, is a powerful anti-inflammatory agent, and high in antioxidants!  Now, I know we aren't consuming therapeutic doses of turmeric in this soup, but hey, it's still highly likely to help you get through that latest nasty cold! For turmeric to be really effective, it needs to be consumed with black pepper and fat--CHECK AND CHECK in this recipe, so igotchu.

Exhibit D:  ALL THE VEGGIES.  Again, I hope I don't need to elaborate on why veggies are good for you...(didn't your mom tell you to eat your vegetables!), but let's just say we have a wide variety here that all provide different levels of key immune boosting vitamins and minerals, as well as detox powers!  Don't leave any out..except the corn, you could leave the corn out, but I'm telling you, a good organic frozen corn in this soup is PERFECTION.

This soup is LEGIT.  My 17 month old sucked it down (who just so happened to be home sick with strep, actually both of us were).  She loved it so much she kept signing and asking for "more-more" for about an hour until we both were completely soaked in soup and covered in vegetables because yes, feeding a 17 month old soup is just as messy as you can imagine in your mind.  But I was happy to oblige because I knew how good it was for her and how much her little body needed it! This is one powerful food is medicine recipe, and we plan to have it on repeat for the rest of cold and flu season! I hope you enjoy it!



Instant Pot Immunity Boosting Chicken Soup

Ingredients:

  • 3 lbs frozen or defrosted chicken thighs⁠

  • 5 cups bone broth⁠

  • 1.5 cups fresh squeezed or high quality orange juice⁠

  • 1 (14.5 oz) can of diced tomatoes (with juice)⁠

  • 2 cups frozen organic corn⁠

  • 2 cups frozen or fresh sliced carrots⁠

  • 2 cups sliced napa cabbage⁠

  • 1 cup sliced mushrooms⁠

  • 3/4 cup chopped red bell pepper⁠

  • 1/2 cup chopped celery⁠

  • 1 tsp garlic powder⁠

  • 1 tsp pink himalayan sea salt⁠

  • 1 tsp turmeric⁠

  • 1/2 tsp black pepper⁠

Optional Toppings:

  • crushed organic corn chips⁠

  • parsley, cilantor, or chopped green onions⁠

  • sour cream⁠

  • shredded cheese⁠

Directions:

  1. Place chicken in Instant Pot.⁠

  2. Add spices.⁠

  3. Add all vegetables.⁠

  4. Add all liquids, careful not to overfill past max fill line.⁠

  5. Close lid, ensuring pressure nozzle is closed.⁠
    Press "SOUP" button to start cooking.⁠

  6. Once Instant Pot beeps to signal completion, quick release pressure and serve warm with desired toppings!⁠