Easy Chicken Soup with Spinach and Dill

This powerful soup is a nutrient-dense energy tonic, a delicious prescription. What is the difference between another chicken soup and this medicinal recipe? The secret is using a whole chicken to make the soup stock rather than opening up a box of prepared stock and throwing in some chicken parts, a shortcut you’ll find in many a recipe online.

Then long simmering extracts invaluable nutrients and flavor from the chicken carcass. And the yam gives a wonderful color, flavor, and texture to the soup. It’s excerpted from my and Leda Scheintaub’s The Whole Bowl: Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Soups and Stews. 

While this recipe is universal to all seasons and places, but you may want to adjust it with the weather: In the colder months, try upping the amount of garlic, ginger, and jalapeño, and likewise reduce those three warming ingredients during the summer. And in the summer you can omit the yam; in its place add 1 large chopped zucchini during the last 5 minutes of cooking.

1 (4- to 5-pound) organic chicken, washed (or 5 pounds of chicken pieces with bones and skin)
1 tablespoon minced ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 bay leaves
Unrefined salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large yam, peeled and cubed
1 large onion, chopped
1 jalapeño chile, seeded and chopped
2 stalks celery with leaves, chopped
2 cups baby spinach leaves
½ cup chopped fresh dill

Place the chicken breast side up in a large pot and add water to just cover. Place over high heat, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Do not boil. Skim off and discard the brown foam that rises to the top. Add the ginger, garlic, cumin, bay leaves, and salt and pepper to taste. Return to a simmer, partially cover, and simmer for about 45 minutes, until the breast meat is cooked through.

Carefully lift the chicken out using a slotted spoon or tongs and place on a large plate. Pull the breast meat from the chicken using tongs or a fork and reserve the breast meat on the plate. Return the chicken to the pot and cook for 1 hour, then again carefully lift the chicken from the pot using a slotted spoon or tongs and place on another large plate. Cool enough so that you can comfortably handle it, then pick the meat off the bones and tear it into bite-size pieces; tear the breast meat too. Return all the chicken pieces to the pot, add the yam, onion, jalapeño, and celery and simmer for an additional 30 minutes.

Stir in the spinach and simmer for about 1 minute, until it wilts. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, stir in the dill, and serve.