Immune-Boosting Chicken Noodle Soup

If my son ever has a fever (which isn't often btw), one of the first things I do is make him chicken noodle soup. You may not know that the ingredients, such as rosemary, lemon, and oregano, are actually healing and can help to detox a build-up of toxins. Using chicken bone broth also has a number of benefits that aid in the battle. You can either buy organic bone broth at the store or make it yourself using this recipe. If you like, you can turn this into a vegan soup, simply by using vegetable broth instead of chicken. The benefits will still be present. This recipe was inspired by Paula Deen's chicken noodle with a few changes of my own.

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

1 Large Onion, diced

2 Carrots, peeled and sliced

2 Celery Stalks, sliced

2 Bay Leaves

1 Stem of Rosemary (or 1 Tablespoon dried Rosemary)

4 Cups Chicken Bone Broth (or Vegetable Broth)

1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder

3 Drops Oregano Oil (or 1 Tablespoon dried Oregano)

1 Tablespoon Italian Seasoning (optional)

Zest and Juice from 1 Lemon

1 Cup Gluten-Free Noodles

1 Can Diced Chicken (optional. I rarely add chicken to the soup. I normally just let the broth do it's thing.)

Salt and Pepper to taste

In a large pot over medium-low heat, drizzle your olive oil and add the onion, carrots, celery, bay leaves, rosemary, and some salt. Stir occasionally, and place the lid over top in order to get everything to cook down faster. Once the vegetables are softened, pour in your broth, lemon zest and juice, and all of your seasonings, including more salt and pepper. Let this simmer for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour. Add your pasta and optional diced chicken and let it cook for another 10 minutes or so. Once the pasta is finished cooking, the soup is ready to serve.

**You also have the option of making your own chicken broth for the recipe by poaching raw chicken during the process. Simply lightly saute your veggies, then add liquid, seasonings, and about 1 lb of raw chicken (cut of choice). I typically go for dark meat in soups. You can add bouillon here for extra flavor, but I usually find that I don't need to. Bring to a boil, and then simmer until chicken is pull-apart tender. Shred the chicken and place back into the pot. Commence with the rest of the recipe.