Chicken soup is a soup made from chicken, simmered in water, usually with various other ingredients. The classic chicken soup consists of a clear chicken broth, often with pieces of chicken or vegetables; common additions are pasta, noodles, dumplings, or carrots, and grains such as rice and barley. Chicken soup is commonly considered a comfort food.[1]
Humans were already boiling food by the time that chicken was domesticated in the neolithic period, so it is likely that chickens were being boiled for soup.[2]
Modern American chicken soup, which typically includes root vegetables such as carrot, onion, leeks and celery, was a staple across Northern Europe and was brought to the United States by immigrants.[3]
Preparation
Variations on the flavor are gained by adding root vegetables such as parsnip, potato, sweet potato and celery root; herbs such as bay leaves, parsley and dill; other vegetables such as zucchini, whole garlic cloves, lettuce, or tomatoes; and black pepper.[4][5] The soup should be brought slowly to a boil and then simmered in a covered pot on a very low flame for one to three hours, adding water if necessary. Saffron or turmeric are sometimes added as a yellow colorant.
Homemade chicken soup with elbow macaroni, chicken pieces, carrots and celery
Southern Chinese-style chicken soup with mushrooms and corn pieces
Homemade chicken noodle soup cooking
Nutritional value
Chicken soup can be a relatively low fat food: fat can be removed by chilling the soup after cooking and skimming the layer of congealed fat from the top.[6] A study determined that "prolonged cooking of a bone in soup increases the calcium content of the soup when cooked at an acidic, but not at a neutral pH".[7]
Terminology
Strictly speaking, chicken soup, unless qualified, implies that the soup is served as a thin broth, with pieces of meat, and possibly vegetables, and either noodles, rice, barley, or dumplings.
Cream of chicken soup is a thick, creamy, soup made with chicken stock and pieces, combined with milk (or cream) and flour, which might contain vegetable pieces, depending on the recipe.
Cream of chicken soup
Several terms are used when referring to chicken soups:
Chicken broth is the liquid part of chicken soup. Broth can be served as is, or used as stock, or served as soup with noodles.[8] Broth can be milder than stock, does not need to be boiled as long, and can be made with meatier chicken parts.[9]
Chicken bouillon or bouillon de poulet is the French term for chicken broth.[9]
Chicken consommé is a more refined chicken broth. It is usually strained to perfect clarity, and reduced to concentrate it.[10][9]
Chicken stew is a more substantial dish with a higher ratio of solids to broth. The broth may also be thickened[11] toward a gravy-like consistency with a roux or by adding flour-based dumplings (matzah balls do not have the same thickening effect).[9]
Chicken stock is a liquid in which chicken bones and vegetables have been simmered for the purpose of serving as an ingredient in more complex dishes.[12] Chicken stock is not usually served as is. Stock can be made with less palatable parts of the chicken, such as feet, necks or bones: the higher bone content in these parts contributes more gelatin to the liquid, making it a better base for sauces. Stock can be reboiled and reused as the basis for a new stock. Bouillon cubes or soup base are often used instead of chicken stock prepared from scratch.[9]
Health effects
Chicken soup has long been touted as a form of folk medicine to treat respiratory infections.[13] In 2000, scientists at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha studied the effect of chicken soup on the inflammatory responsein vitro. They found that some components of the chicken soup inhibit neutrophil migration, which may have an anti-inflammatory effect that could hypothetically lead to temporary ease from symptoms of illness.[14] However, since these results have been obtained from purified cells (and directly applied), the diluted soup in vivo effect is debatable. The New York Times reviewed the University of Nebraska study, among others, in 2007 and concluded that "none of the research is conclusive, and it is not known whether the changes measured in the laboratory really have a meaningful effect on people with cold symptoms."[15]
It has also been shown that chicken soup contains the amino acidcysteine, which is very similar to acetylcysteine, which is used by doctors for patients with bronchitis and other respiratory infections.[16]
Sancocho de gallina is another popular dish throughout Colombia and in neighboring countries. This is a broth that includes entire pieces of (often rather tough) soup hen on the bone with large pieces of plantain, potato, cassava and/or other vegetables.[23] A bowl of sancocho is usually an entire meal.
Denmark
The Danish hønsekødssuppe is traditionally cooked using large hens specifically reserved for soup, known as suppehøner ("soup-hens"). Vegetables like celeriac, carrots, onions and leek are usually added and typical flavourings are thyme, laurels and white pepper. The soup may be served with small white dumplings and meatballs. As part of traditional housekeeping, the cooked meat is reserved for other dishes such as høns i asparges ("hens in asparagus") or hønsesalat ("hens-salad").[24]
France
The French serve chicken-based forms of bouillon and consommé. Typical French seasonings for chicken soup includes: bay leaves, fresh thyme, dry white wine and garlic.[25]
Germany
In Germany, chicken soup is made with chicken broth, vegetables, such as carrots, spices and herbs and small noodles. For the broth, a large hen, called a Suppenhuhn (lit.: "soup hen"), may be boiled, and pieces of it—especially from the boiled breast—can later be added to the soup.[26] In southern Germany, homemade chicken soup typically consists of chicken broth, to which spices and semolina dumplings or noodles are added. Another dish made with chicken broth, pieces of chicken, boiled vegetables, and spices is known as Hühnereintopf,[27] meaning "chicken stew". Alternatively, homemade noodles may be added to the chicken broth, without vegetables, and with only pickling spice, salt and pepper added to it.
Ghana
In Ghana, chicken soup, also known as Chicken Light soup is made by cooking the chicken in a blended mixture of tomatoes, onions, pepper and other spices and sometimes garden eggs and is served primarily with fufu or on its own.[28]
Hungarian chicken soup is a clear soup, a consommé, called Újházi chicken soup.[30] A consommé with entire pieces of chicken, chicken liver and heart, with chunky vegetables and spices like whole black peppercorn, bay leaves, salt and ground black pepper. The vegetables boiled along with the pieces of chicken are usually carrots, celeriac, parsley root[31] and parsnip. Soup vermicelli, semolina dumplings or thin Spätzle noodles or small dumplings are also added to the soup. Even other vegetables may be used, such as green peas, a whole tomato and whole onions boiled along with the soup, mushrooms, asparagus, celery, green pepper, cauliflower, kohlrabi, green beans or parsley, in different combinations.
Indonesia
Soto ayam, a version of chicken soup popular in Indonesia
In Indonesia, chicken soup might appear as sayur sop, vegetable and chicken broth soup that contains chicken pieces, potato, green beans, carrot, celery, and fried shallot.[32] Another chicken soup variant commonly found across the country is soto ayam;[33] a turmeric yellow spicy chicken soup with vegetables and noodle or vermicelli, served with steamed rice, pieces of lontong or ketupat.[34]
Italy
In Italy, chicken soup is often served with pasta, in such dishes as cappelletti in brodo, tortellini in brodo and passatelli.[35] Even when served on its own, the meat and any vegetables used are usually removed from the broth and served as a second dish.[36]
Japan
In Japan, chicken soup is known as torijiru.[37] Typically it starts with dashi, which is made from boiling konbu (kelp) and katsuobushi (dried skipjack tuna flakes), and not by boiling the chicken (whole chicken is not typically available in Japanese supermarkets)[citation needed]. After the dashi is prepared, pieces of boneless chicken thigh meat are usually used and combined with vegetables like daikon radish, carrot, burdock, konnyaku, welsh onion, mushrooms, potatoes, and taro root. At the end, different seasonings are added depending on the region of the country or type of soup. It could be a miso-based soup or soy sauce-based. Cooking sake, mirin, salt, and vinegar are also used with the soy sauce or miso. The pork equivalent called butajiru is more popular than the chicken-based soup.[38]
Bone stocks for ramen are also often made with chicken stock, and it is almost invariably used in the less common kotteri variety.[39]
Chicken soup is a traditional dish of the European Jewish kitchen. The Russian and Polish Jewish communities use a relatively high proportion of chicken stock for their soup, made mostly from the bones. The soup is prepared with herbs like parsley and fresh dill or thyme, and is often served with knaidlach (matzah balls),[40]kreplach (dumplings), lokshen (flat egg noodles), or mandlen (Shkedei Marak in Israel) (soup "almonds"). A traditional garnish was eyerlekh (little eggs). These unlaid chicken eggs were taken from a hen and boiled in the soup.[41][42] Modern health standards make these difficult to obtain now.
Samgyetang is a Korean chicken soup with insam (Korean ginseng), daechu (dried jujube fruits), garlic, ginger, glutinous rice, and sometimes other medicinal herbs.[43] It is believed to be not only a cure for physical ailments but also a preventer of sickness.[44]Dak baeksuk, a type of chicken broth with garlic, is also popular among Koreans.[45] It is believed by some to help cure minor illnesses such as the common cold. Some types of baeksuk also contains noodles, similar to chicken noodle soup.
Mexico
Caldo de pollo, also known as Consome de Pollo, is a common Latin-Americansoup made with whole chicken pieces instead of chopped or shredded chicken, and large cuts of vegetables, such as half-slices of potatoes and whole leaves of cabbage.[46] Another variation of chicken soup is caldo tlalpeño which is garnished with chopped avocado, white cheese, and a chipotle chile.[47]
Peru
Aguadito de pollo is a traditional chicken soup in Peruvian cuisine consisting of chicken, cilantro, vegetables and spices.[48]
Caldo de Gallina (lit., "broth of hen"), the Peruvian form of chicken soup, is made with whole pieces of chicken instead of chopped or shredded chicken, along with potatoes, egg noodles, and hard-boiled eggs. Lime wedges and chili or aji pepper paste are added as condiments.[49]
Philippines
A bowl of tinola, a chicken soup from the Philippines
Chicken soup in the Philippines is called sopas and has some western influences in it. While there are many variations in the recipe, it usually contains chicken strips in broth, onions, vegetables (mainly carrots, cabbage and celery), and macaroni noodles. It is cooked with evaporated milk to give it richer flavor. Sopas is normally associated with the cold, rainy season in the Philippines, and may thus be regarded as local comfort food.[50][51]
Another chicken soup is called mami which its style derives from its other Asian neighboring countries, especially East Asia and normally served with sliced chicken, broth, noodles, chopped vegetables. Mami is also associated with the cold, rainy season as well.[52]
The Polish chicken soup is called rosół. It is commonly served with fine noodles, boiled carrots and parsley every Sunday.[55] The broth is served separate from chicken meat.
There are many types of rosół, as:
Rosół Królewski[55] (royal rosół), made of three meats: beef or veal, white poultry (hen, turkey or chicken) and dark poultry as duck, goose (crop only), just a couple of dried king boletes, one single cabbage leaf and a variety of vegetables such as parsley, celery, carrot, and leek. The cooking must take at least six hours of sensitive boiling over a small fire.[55] At the end, softly burnt onion is added to the soup.
Rosół myśliwski (The hunter's rosół) is made of a variety of wild birds[55] as well as pheasant, capercaillie, wood grouse, black grouse, or grey partridge, with a small addition of roe deer meat, a couple of wild mushrooms, and 2–3 juniper fruits.
Chicken soup is known as canja, a chicken broth prepared with rice or pasta and shredded chicken meat.[56] It is believed to help a person overcome colds and digestive problems, among other mild forms of sickness.[57]
Romania and Moldova
In most regions of Romania, chicken soup known as supă de pui consists of a clear or dense sour soup with strained chicken and vegetable broth, and either noodles (tăieței) or dumplings (găluște) are added.[58] Different versions use pieces of chicken and pieces of boiled vegetables (like onion, carrot, parsnip, celery, zucchini, peas, beans, leaves and root of parsley or peppers) and are seasoned usually with sour cream (smântână), tomato juice, lemon juice, or borș.[58]
Taiwan
In Taiwan-style chicken soup, dried jujube fruits, dried shiitake, and other various herbs are also sometimes added. While it may be possible to use regular ginseng in the recipe, a special type of ginseng called San qi is commonly used.[59] This is grown almost exclusively in Wenshan County, Yunnan Province. The roots are powdered for ease of use, although it may also be possible to use the flowerheads.[60]
Russia and Ukraine
East Slavs traditionally prefer an often simple chicken and vegetable bouillon with added noodles or rice, and a pinch of fresh herbs.[61] Another type of chicken soup includes chicken, noodles, carrot, potato and onion.[61] Some cooks add chopped boiled egg and even sour cream to their variations of the soup.
United Kingdom
Traditionally, chicken soup (or broth) in Britain is a clear and watery soup with chunky vegetables (such as carrot, celery and onion), chicken, salt and pepper. However, a thick, creamy variety called cream of chicken soup,[62] which may not contain any vegetable pieces (depending on the recipe), is more popular today. A distinct version from Scotland that has become popular throughout the UK is cock-a-leekie soup, a clear, thin broth of shredded chicken and leeks.[63]
United States and Canada
American-style chicken noodle soup.
In the United States and Canada, chicken soup often has noodles or rice in it, thus giving it its common name of "chicken noodle soup".[64] The term may have been coined in a commercial for the Campbell Soup Company in the 1930s. The original 21 varieties of Campbell's condensed soup featured a "chicken soup with noodles", but when it was advertised on the Amos 'n' Andyradio show in the 1930s by a slip of the tongue the soup was referred to as "chicken noodle soup".[9] Traditionally, American chicken soup was prepared using old hens too tough and stringy to be roasted or cooked for a short time. In modern times, these fowl are difficult to come by, and broiler chickens (young chickens suitable for roasting or broiling) are often used to make soup.[9]
Canned chicken soup
Canned chicken soup (not condensed)
Often (but not always) sold as a condensed soup, canned chicken soup such as Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup, is notable for its high sodium content:[65] 890mg per 1⁄2 cup serving. This gives a 1+1⁄2 cup bowl of soup[66] about 2,500mg of sodium, a full day's allowance in the case of this mainstream brand.[67] Other condensed chicken soups produced by Campbell's, such as Chicken with Rice[68] or Chicken & Stars Soup,[69] have similar amounts, as do generic versions of the product.[70]
Canned chicken soup with much less sodium than the traditional formulation is available, including many varieties produced by Campbell's, some with as little as 100mg of sodium.[65] Campbell's claims production of a chicken noodle soup that will find broad consumer acceptance—in short, that will sell—is very difficult, so it has to balance healthfulness with sodium content.[71]
Usually, the main ingredients of this canned soup are:[4][5]
Chicken Broth
Chicken
Noodles
Carrots
Salt
And others such as celery, lettuce, or mushrooms depending on the brand
Chicken Soup with Barley is a 1956 play by British playwright Arnold Wesker. It explores the challenges faced by a family of communist Jewish immigrants in the UK from 1936 to 1956.[76][77]
Chicken Soup with Rice is a poem by author and illustrator Maurice Sendak. It was popularized in 1975 by a cartoon musical on TV titled Really Rosie. Carole King voiced the title character. She also wrote the music and sang all the songs.[78][79][80]
Andy Warhol's work Campbell's Soup Cans depicts five varieties of Campbell's soups: chicken noodle, chicken gumbo, cream of chicken, chicken with rice, and chicken vegetable.[81][82]
Australian Jewish punk rock band YIDcore released an EP in 2002 called The Great Chicken Soup Caper. The band’s mascot is a rubber chicken.[citation needed]
Nabemono, or simply nabe, is a variety of Japanese hot pot dishes, also known as one pot dishes and "things in a pot".
Polish cuisine is a style of food preparation originating in and widely popular in Poland. Due to Poland's history, Polish cuisine has evolved over the centuries to be very eclectic, and shares many similarities with other national cuisines. Polish cooking in other cultures is often referred to as à la polonaise.
Russian cuisine is a collection of the different dishes and cooking traditions of the Russian people as well as a list of culinary products popular in Russia, with most names being known since pre-Soviet times, coming from all kinds of social circles.
Pennsylvania Dutch cuisine is the typical and traditional fare of the Pennsylvania Dutch.
Sancocho is a traditional stew in several Caribbean cuisine and Latin American cuisines. Latin variations represent popular national dishes in Dominican Republic, Colombia, Cuba, Honduras, Mexico, Ecuador, Panama, Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela. It usually consists of large pieces of meat, tubers and vegetables served in a broth.
Czech cuisine has both influenced and been influenced by the cuisines of surrounding countries and nations. Many of the cakes and pastries that are popular in Central Europe originated within the Czech lands. Contemporary Czech cuisine is more meat-based than in previous periods; the current abundance of farmable meat has enriched its presence in regional cuisine. Traditionally, meat has been reserved for once-weekly consumption, typically on weekends.
Noodle soup refers to a variety of soups with noodles and other ingredients served in a light broth. Noodle soup is a common dish across East Asia, Southeast Asia and the Himalayan states of South Asia. Various types of noodles are used, such as rice noodles, wheat noodles and egg noodles.
Sopa de mondongo is a soup that originally came from Colombia, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. It is made from diced tripe slow-cooked with vegetables such as bell peppers, onions, carrots, cabbage, celery, tomatoes, cilantro, garlic or root vegetables. The dish is generally prepared in former Spanish colonies in Latin America, Caribbean, and in the Philippines. The proposed etymology for mondongo is in the African Kikongo language, meaning “intestines, entrails of certain animals.
Cazuela is the common name given to a variety of dishes, especially from South America. It receives its name from the cazuela – traditionally, an often shallow pot made of unglazed earthenware used for cooking. The ingredients and preparation vary from region to region, but it is usually a mid-thick flavoured stock obtained from cooking several kinds of meats and vegetables mixed together.
Caldo de pollo is a common Latin American soup that consists of chicken and vegetables.
Chicken and dumplings is a Southern dish that consists of a chicken boiled in water, with the resulting chicken broth being used to cook the dumplings by boiling. A dumpling—in this context—is a biscuit dough, which is a mixture of flour, shortening, and liquid. The dumplings are either rolled out flat, dropped, or formed into a ball.
Soup is a primarily liquid food, generally served warm or hot, that is made by combining ingredients of meat or vegetables with stock, milk, or water. Hot soups are additionally characterized by boiling or simmering solid ingredients in liquids in a pot until the flavors are extracted, forming a broth. Soups are similar to stews, and in some cases there may not be a clear distinction between the two; however, soups generally have more liquid (broth) than stews.
Puchero is a type of stew originally from Spain, prepared in Yucatán, Mexico, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, Perú, south of Brazil, the Philippines, and Spain, specifically the autonomous communities of Andalusia and the Canary Islands. The Spanish word "puchero" originally meant an earthenware pot, before being extended to mean any vessel, and then the dish cooked in it.
A stew is a combination of solid food ingredients that have been cooked in liquid and served in the resultant gravy. Ingredients can include any combination of vegetables and may include meat, especially tougher meats suitable for slow-cooking, such as beef, pork, venison, rabbit, lamb, poultry, sausages, and seafood. While water can be used as the stew-cooking liquid, stock is also common. A small amount of red wine or other alcohol is sometimes added for flavour. Seasonings and flavourings may also be added. Stews are typically cooked at a relatively low temperature, allowing flavours to mingle.
Sopas is a Filipino macaroni soup made with elbow macaroni, various vegetables, and meat, in a creamy broth with evaporated milk. It is regarded as a comfort food in the Philippines and is typically eaten during breakfast, cold weather, or served to sick people.
Indonesian noodles are a significant aspect of Indonesian cuisine which is itself very diverse. Indonesian cuisine recognizes many types of noodles, with each region of the country often developing its own distinct recipes.
↑ Joyce Eisenberg and Ellen Scolnic. "The Whole Spiel: Funny essays about digital nudniks, seder selfies and chicken soup memories", Incompra Press, ISBN978-0-692-72625-9 pg. 153
↑ Burros, Marian (7 February 2007). "What the Egg Was First". The New York Times. Retrieved 28 April 2010.
1 2 Jane E. Brody (1 April 2013). "Sodium, Hiding in Plain Sight"(Well blog). The New York Times. Retrieved 30 April 2015. A cup of canned chicken noodle soup can have as little as 100 milligrams or as much as 940 milligrams of sodium.
↑ Anahad O'Connor (2 August 2011). "The Problem With Serving Sizes"(Well blog). The New York Times. Retrieved 30 April 2015. A similar number of the people asked, 61 percent, said they would also eat the entire can of a condensed soup, like Campbell's Chicken Noodle, which lists 2.5 servings per can. A single serving contains 890 milligrams of sodium, and the full can has 2,390 milligrams
↑ "Chicken Noodle Soup Nutrition Facts". campbellsoup.com. Campbell's Soup. Archived from the original on 27 October 2015. Retrieved 30 April 2015. Amount Per Serving (serving size) = 1/2 cup condensed Sodium 890mg
↑ From label of Shurfine Chicken Noodle Condensed Soup, "900mg" per 1/2 cup serving. accessed 30 April 2015
↑ Michael MossI (29 May 2015). "The Hard Sell on Salt". The New York Times. Retrieved 30 April 2015. Chicken noodle soup has been especially vexing
↑ Canfield, Jack; Hansen, Mark Victor (2010). Chicken Soup For The Soul 101 Stories to Open the Heart and Rekindle the Spirit. Ebury Publishing. ISBN9781407080765.
↑ "Chicken Soup". TV Guide (Magazine). Retrieved 11 September 2022.
Rosen, H. N.; Salemme, H.; Zeind, A. J.; Moses, A. C.; Shapiro, A.; Greenspan, S. L. (1994). "Chicken soup revisited: Calcium content of soup increases with duration of cooking". Calcified Tissue International. 54 (6): 486–488. doi:10.1007/BF00334329. PMID8082052. S2CID34474821.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
