Winter Healing Herbal Chicken Soup

My favorite wintertime chicken soup! Very warming and healing.

In a huge pot, several gallons, I use:

Filtered Water
2-3 Chopped Onions
4 Chopped Scallions
Parsley (bunch)
Cilantro (bunch)
Garlic (several cloves, chopped)
Basil (Dried) (1 tablespoon)
Oregano (2 tablespoons)
Black pepper (1/2 teaspoon)
Ginger (1 tablespoon)
Curry Powder (2 tablespoons)
Aged Dried Ginseng Root (several small roots)
Sea Salt (1 tablespoon)
Organic Roasting Chicken (I use everything except the legs and breast which I roast separately in the oven in a light sauce of lemon, butter, garlic powder, oregano, sea salt)
4 Carrots chopped
4 Celery Stalks chopped

 

Let it cook for several hours, first bringing it to a vigorous boil for a few minutes as you add everything, then a gentle boil for hours and hours--add water as needed in the beginning. We will later strain out the broth (most of the herbs and chicken cooks down so there's not much there that you will be eating, mostly bones and the like to remove) only after we cool the soup in the refrigerator or outside if it's cold enough where you live--the cold causes the fat to rise to the top--skim it off, before you enjoy the wonderful chicken broth. I freeze some as well to use later as needed with bean and lentil dishes or just when I want some great chicken broth. 

I usually save the cooked ginseng roots and eat them as well; a little bitter but very good for your immune system.

Note on selecting a chicken:  A good chicken should not be yellowish in color, rather more white than yellow, and the fluid surrounding the chicken should be clear or pink, not cloudy or yellowish. Look for organic, free range, or better yet locally raised whenever possible, but the color is most important.