Food | Chicken Soup on Tour

Take a journey around the world in chicken soup. There can’t be many nicer ways to travel...

When you’re nursing a cold, or just feeling in need of some succour and comfort, a bowl of chicken soup is the answer. We’re not sure there’s much it can’t solve, to be honest. 

Chicken soup has been soothing humans since the times of the ancient Greeks and Chinese, but it’s as a Jewish dish that it’s most well known, earning it the title ‘Jewish Penicillin’ . A 12th century Jewish philosopher, Maimonides, even claimed it could cure not only the common cold but also leprosy and asthma. 

Wherever you go in the world there’s a version of chicken soup to sustain you. Here are a few you might be less familiar with for some inspiration next time you’re wielding a ladle in the face of a cold. 

In France, try a Chicken Pot Au Feu.

Head to Vietnam for Pho Ga.

You can sample Bahian Chicken and Shrimp Stew in Brazil.

Warm your very bones with Ajiaco in Columbia. 

In Greece, order a bowl of Chicken Orzo Soup.

Go Italian with this Chicken and Escarole Soup with Fennel.

Try a Japanese take on chicken noodle soup with this Chicken Udon.

And finally, fight off  cold with some spice with a hearty Mulligatawny from India 

We were inspired to go on our Chicken Soup Tour by the recipe in our January issue for Chorba Bayda taken from The Chicken Soup Manifesto by Jenn Louis (Hardie Grant) Photography: Ed Anderson. The January issue is on sale now, in shops or you can buy it in our online shop and have it delivered straight to your doormat.

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More from our January issue…

More soup for your soul…

Sponsored post: Time for some New Year TLC?

Do you need some wholesome, hearty food to get you through a cold and wintry January?  This delicious soup, brought to you by Yeo Valley, is the ultimate comfort food to keep you warm and cosy. And, what's more, it’s super speedy to make and healthy to boot! Why not put that boot camp on hold for another few days and treat yourselves to a little soul food...? Smoked Haddock and Leek Soup

Serves 4 / Prep Time 5 mins / Cooking Time 25 mins

Ingredients

2tsp oil

3 sticks of celery diced

400g potatoes cut into small cubes

1litre vegetable stock

2 bay leaves

2 leeks cut into disks

200g Sweetcorn, tinned or frozen

600g Smoked Haddock, skinned and cut into bite sized chunks

200ml 0% Yeo Valley Natural Yeogurt

Small bunch of parsley

What to do:

1.  In a large saucepan gently heat the oil then add the celery, put the lid on a sweat for 5mins. Add the stock to the pan along with the potato and bay leaves and simmer for 10 mins until the potatoes are tender.

2.  Add the leeks, sweetcorn and haddock and a good grind of black pepper. Bring back to a simmer and cook for a further 5mins until the fish is cooked through.

3. Remove from the heat, stir in the Yeogurt and check the seasoning then divide between 4 bowls and top with the parsley leaves.

 Notes:  For a change use half smoked haddock and half prawns.

Sneak a peek at the January issue

Now that the mayhem of Christmas is over, make some time for yourself and curl up with our brand new January issue. Here's a sneak peek of the new cover - subscribers will find Issue 19 on their doormats from this weekend. Those who haven't yet signed up can get it at newsagents and supermarkets from 3 January. To subscribe to The Simple Things head over to myfavouritemagazines. Happy reading!