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Herbs & Cultures

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Jewish chicken soup

Clear broth of a whole chicken with soup vegetables, also called ‘Jewish penicillin’.

Traditional use

Time
3 hours
Makes
6 bowls
Image of Jewish chicken soup
HaJunkiyada · CC BY-SA 4.0

Chicken soup is a traditional dish of the European Jewish kitchen, and all over Europe a folk remedy for colds and flu. The nickname ‘Jewish penicillin’ says it all. Research has never shown that the soup cures a cold, but a bowl of hot broth with vegetables is exactly what you want when you are ill.

Ingredients

  • 1 boiling chicken or 1 kg chicken wings and legs
  • 2.5 litres cold water
  • 2 onions, halved
  • 3 carrots, in pieces
  • 3 celery sticks or a piece of celeriac
  • A bunch of parsley or dill
  • 2 tsp salt and some peppercorns
  • Optional: thin vermicelli or matzo balls

Step by step

  1. Put the chicken in the cold water and bring slowly to the boil. Skim off the foam.
  2. Add onion, carrot, celery, herbs, salt and pepper.
  3. Simmer very gently for 2–2½ hours with the lid half on.
  4. Take out the chicken, pick the meat off the bones and strain the broth.
  5. Ladle broth, some meat and vegetables into bowls, with vermicelli or matzo balls if you like.

Tips

  • Leave the broth in the fridge overnight: the fat sets on top and is easy to skim off.

Registry

Herbs in this recipe

Read more about effects and safety on each herb’s page.

  • Caution

    Asia · Food · № 240

    Onion

    Allium cepa

    Traditionally attributed effects: stimulating, diuretic, expectorant, skin-irritant, aphrodisiac, antiseptic; for cough, haemorrhoids, jaundice, indigestion, insect bites, boils, wounds, chilblains and sore joints.

    Ayurveda+4Folklore
  • Caution

    Europe · Food · № 259

    Carrot

    Daucus carota

    Traditionally attributed effects: stimulating, diuretic, tonic, carminative; expels kidney and bladder stones, relieves lower back pain from the kidneys, reduces oedema, restores the bladder, stimulates digestion; seed traditionally as a contraceptive.

    Western herbal medicine+4Folklore
  • Caution

    Europe · Food · № 61

    Celery

    Apium graveolens

    Vegetable and spice. The seed was traditionally used for gout, joint complaints and as a diuretic. Convincing clinical evidence is lacking.

    Western herbal medicine+3Folklore
  • Caution

    Europe · Herb · № 219

    Parsley

    Petroselinum crispum

    A culinary herb rich in vitamins C and K. Root and seed were used as a diuretic. Large amounts of seed or oil are toxic and can induce contractions.

    Greco-Roman medicine+1Folklore

Cultures and traditions

Where the herbs come from

The herbs in this recipe also appear in these traditions.