Chicken Soup

Tanya Eisenwasser

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Simple chicken soup with vegetables.

Prep 15 min

Cook 35 min

Serves 6

Gluten-freeDairy-free

Ingredients

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or breast)
• 8 cups filtered water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil or coconut oil
• 1 medium onion, diced (optional, see tips)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced (optional, see tips)
• 3 medium carrots, sliced into rounds
• 2 celery stalks, sliced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
• Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Optional Add-Ins

• 4 oz gluten-free noodles or rice noodles
• 2 cups kale, butter lettuce, or mild greens (added at the end)
• 1 medium zucchini, diced

Instructions

Prep

1. Cut chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces.
2. Dice onion and mince garlic if using.
3. Slice carrots into rounds and celery into half-moons.
4. Grate fresh ginger using a microplane or fine grater.

Cook the Chicken

1. Warm oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
2. Add onion and celery. Cook until softened, about 4-5 minutes.
3. Add garlic and ginger. Stir for 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Add chicken pieces and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned on the outside.

Simmer the Soup

1. Pour in filtered water and add carrots, thyme, bay leaf, and salt.
2. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low.
3. Cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes until chicken is cooked through and carrots are tender.

Finish

1. Remove bay leaf and discard.
2. If adding noodles, stir them in and cook according to package directions (usually 6-8 minutes).
3. If adding greens, stir them in during the last minute to wilt.
4. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
5. Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley.

Tips & Substitutions

• Use fresh chicken only. Never use leftover or rotisserie chicken, which has had time for histamine to build up.
• Onion and garlic are optional. They can be histamine liberators for some people. Skip them or reduce the amount based on your tolerance.
• This skips the traditional long-simmered bone broth. A shorter cook time keeps histamine levels lower than hours-long simmering.
• Rice noodles or cassava noodles work as add-ins. Cook them according to package directions, usually 6-8 minutes. For a version built around the noodles, see chicken noodle soup, or pho for a ginger-forward rice noodle bowl.
• Avoid spinach, which is high in histamine. Use kale or butter lettuce instead for added greens. Chard is tolerated by some but can be reactive for others.

Why This Works

Fresh chicken. Protein cooked fresh and eaten right away keeps histamine levels as low as possible. Cutting into bite-sized pieces speeds up cooking time, reducing overall exposure.

Carrots and celery. Carrots are naturally low in histamine and generally well tolerated. Celery is tolerated by many but can be a trigger for some people. Together they form a mild, classic soup base.

Fresh ginger. Generally well tolerated and commonly used in low histamine cooking. Some people find it soothing for digestion, though individual response varies.

Thyme. A fresh herb that is generally well tolerated. It adds savory depth without the histamine concerns of some stronger spice blends.

Onion and garlic. These contain small amounts of quercetin, a compound sometimes discussed in mast cell research, though individual response varies. They can also act as histamine liberators for sensitive individuals.

Storage

Best eaten fresh the same day. This soup contains chicken, so leftovers accumulate histamine more quickly than vegetable-only soups. If you need to save portions, freeze them immediately after the soup cools rather than refrigerating.