I came down with a horrible cold and have turned to all of my tried and true cold remedies.  I’m a fan of Zicam, MucinexD and Robitussin.  I also sip on hot water flavored with lemon juice and honey.  But most importantly, I turn to my Mom’s healing Lebanese chicken soup recipe.

Unfortunately, I don’t have her near me to make it for me so the next best thing is making it myself!  The best part is that it is so easy to make and I feel it really helps to heal a cold!

The soup is so fragrant from the added cinnamon which also has health benefits.  Some studies have shown that cinnamon may reduce inflammation, have antioxidant effects, and fight bacteria.

My mother always made it for our family anytime any of us came down with a cold and even to this day, it brings back great memories of being taken care of as a child.

Mom’s Lebanese Chicken Soup Recipe

Ingredients

2 1/2 Quarts Water

2 Large Chicken Breasts with Skin and Bone

1 Chopped Onion

3/4 Cup Rice, Rinsed

3-4 Celery Stalks, Sliced 

Parsley Flakes

Onion Powder

Cinnamon

Salt & Pepper

Crushed Red Pepper

Lemons

Directions

Wash chicken and then put in pan and fill with 2 1/2 quarts water.  Add 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Before water boils, start removing foam with spoon.  Let soup boil for 5 minutes.

Add chopped onion, celery and rice.   Add parsley flakes, onion powder, cinnamon and pepper to taste.  If you like it a little spicy like me, add some crushed red pepper.  Boil about 15 minutes or until rice is done.  Taste soup for seasoning.

Slice into chicken to make sure it is done.  Once done, remove chicken from pan and cool slightly.  Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and discard.  Remove the meat from the bones and shred.  Return the meat to the soup and let simmer for 5 minutes until soup is piping hot.

Ladle soup into individual bowls.  Serve with lemon wedges.  I love adding fresh lemon juice to my chicken soup.

This is one of the healthiest chicken soups.  The recipe creates its own broth and there are no preservatives.  You can control the sodium according to your taste.  It’s so easy to make and also freezes well.  The cinnamon adds such great flavor and aroma.  Just make sure to serve it piping hot!

As with most ethnic cooking, we rarely have “measurements” for spices.  A little of this and a little of that.  The next time I make this I am going to make an effort to measure my spices and will update this post accordingly.

What are your tried and true cold treatments?  Do you have a favorite homemade chicken soup recipe that you turn to when under the weather?

Thanks for stopping by.  Have a great weekend and stay healthy.