Chicken Soup, Italian Style

Chicken Soup. Yum. Who doesn't like chicken soup? It is good anytime, but it is especially good when you are not feeling well. Recently, I made a pot of soup for a friend who was under the weather. A bowl of homemade chicken soup can warm the cockles of your heart, especially when it is filled with the rich flavor of the moist chicken and sweetness from the carrots and celery. Throw in a burst of pizazz from the onions and garlic and then, as a bonus (I like to call it an Italian bonus), add in fresh, tender and delicious baby spinach. Hmmmm. Feeling better already! 

But chicken soup is not the first line of defense when fighting sickness or disease. First we fight by rebuking the enemy, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the attack of sickness and disease:

Luke 10: 19 

Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

I bind and rebuke this flu, these aches and pain and demand they flee now, in the name of Jesus Christ. 

Then we pray, thanking our Father in Heaven for a quick recovery:

Psalm 30:2 

LORD my God, I called to you for help, and you healed me. 

Thank you for the complete healing. I accept this healing in the name of Jesus Christ. 

Then we make soup. (recipe below)

The enemy attacks. Any sickness, flu, virus, disease is not from God. It is from the enemy, Satan, attacking because he wants to stop us from doing what we are intended to do, the works of God; worshiping His son, Jesus; living for God; praying continuously.  Satan hates Jesus, so he tries to stop us. He puts things in our way to distract us: Little things like a barking dog, the phone ringing, you just remembered that you need to do this or you need to do that. Or big things like knocking you down with the flu, virus, disease or a broken bone.

In the words of Jesus in John 10:10:

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 

The thief is Satan. It doesn't get any clearer than that. He simply does not want us to pray to God. He does not want us to worship God. He does not want us to do the works of God.

So, when the enemy attacks, remember the order:

Bind and rebuke Satan in the name of Jesus Christ. 

Pray and thank God for a quick recovery.

And eat soup!

God is Good; All the time!

Priscilla

Chicken Soup, Italian style

4 pounds bone in, skin on, chicken thighs; about 6 water

1 to 2 teaspoons sea salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 aged cheese rind, optional

1 medium to large onion, chopped

4 or 5 medium carrots, peeled and chopped

3 or 4 cloves garlic minced

4 or 5 stocks celery, leaves on, chopped

3 tablespoon basil

3 tablespoon parsley or cilantro

2 tablespoons oregano

2 tablespoons turmeric

4 cups baby spinach, the Italian bonus

Noodles, optional

Add the chicken to a large stock pot. Fill with water to about an inch from the top of the pot. It may be six cups, but it may be more (or less). Bring the chicken and water to a boil. Reduce heat to a steady simmer. Stir in the salt, pepper and add the cheese rind. Cover the pot and simmer for about 50 minutes. 

While the chicken is simmering, I prepare the vegetables, chopping onion, carrots and celery, then mincing the garlic. 

After the 50 minutes, check the soup. It should be a lovely shade of golden goodness! 

With a slotted spoon, lift a piece of the chicken and poke it with a fork to see if it is tender. If it is, using that same spoon, remove the chicken from the pot into a glass dish or a small pot to cool. Turning back to the beautiful broth that you’ve created, add in the veggies, onion, carrots, celery and garlic, followed by the many seasonings. Basically, add all of the other ingredients, except the spinach. Stir. Turn up the heat to a boil. Then, once the broth is moving well, lower the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.

While the veggies are cooking and mingling in the pot, you can turn your attentions to the chicken. Have a second bowl or dish at the ready to hold the chicken meat. Using a fork, gently pull the chicken from the bones and place it into the second bowl. Once all the chicken is off the bones, shred it to the size of meat you prefer. When the veggie timer goes off, grab a carrot with the slotted spoon and poke it with a fork to make sure it is tender. If it is, add the chicken into the soup. If not, check the veggies in another 3 to 5 minutes. 

Now that the chicken is back in the pot and the veggies are ready, stir in the spinach. Turn off the heat and place the lid back over on the pot. The spinach will cook quickly in the hot broth.

You are ready to eat now!!

Note: If you are not a fan of the leafy green stuff, then simple omit it. This soup is just as tasty without the spinach. 

If you like noodles in your soup, now is the time to prepare them according to the package directions. To serve, add the cooked noodles in a bowl, followed by the chicken soup. Yum!

Remember that cheese rind? While this big pot of Chicken Soup, Italian Style was simmering, that cheese rind was doing its duty by releasing rich flavor to make your soup better than ever! Now that the soup is done, stir  the pot and you will find that cheese rind. When you do, you found gold! Gently remove it from the pot and place it into a small bowl. Now grab a spoon scrape the extra melty cheese from the rind and eat it! Just a little extra added bonus for making such a wonderful pot of soup!