Chicken Ditalini Flu Fighter (Print out)

Hearty chicken and ditalini soup enriched with ginger, garlic, and turmeric for warmth and nourishment.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 14 oz)
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

03 - 1 medium onion, diced
04 - 2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
05 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
06 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
07 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
08 - 1 teaspoon fresh turmeric, grated or 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

→ Broth & Pasta

09 - 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
10 - 3/4 cup ditalini pasta
11 - 1 bay leaf

→ Seasonings & Finishings

12 - 1 teaspoon salt, adjust to taste
13 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
14 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
15 - Juice of 1/2 lemon

# How to Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chicken breasts and sear each side for 2 to 3 minutes until lightly golden. Remove chicken and set aside.
02 - Add onion, carrots, and celery to the same pot. Cook for 5 minutes until softened.
03 - Incorporate garlic, ginger, and turmeric; cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Return chicken to pot. Pour in chicken broth and add bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer covered for 20 minutes.
05 - Remove chicken breasts and shred with two forks. Return shredded chicken to pot.
06 - Add ditalini pasta, salt, and pepper to the pot. Cook uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes until pasta is al dente.
07 - Stir in parsley and lemon juice. Adjust seasoning as needed. Remove bay leaf before serving.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with extra parsley if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The turmeric and ginger work quietly in the background, warming you from the inside without any aggressive spicing.
  • It comes together in under an hour, which means you can actually make it when you're tired or when someone needs it fast.
  • Ditalini pasta gives it substance without making it feel heavy, and the broth stays light enough to actually want to sip.
02 -
  • Don't skip the searing step—that golden crust on the chicken is flavor you can't get any other way, and it dissolves into the broth to make it more savory.
  • Fresh turmeric, if you can find it, tastes completely different from the powder; fresh has a brightness that ground turmeric flattens out, so seek it out at specialty stores or farmers markets.
  • Add the pasta uncovered near the end—if you cover it while the pasta cooks, it'll turn to mush in the residual heat and the broth will become starchy and cloudy.
03 -
  • If your broth tastes too salty, add a raw potato to the pot for ten minutes, then remove it—it'll absorb excess salt without diluting the flavor.
  • The lemon juice at the end is non-negotiable; it's not about tasting lemon, it's about making every other flavor sharper and more alive.
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