Old Fashioned Chicken Broth

A good bowl of chicken bone broth is both healing, nourishing & soothing to the soul. If there was an example of 'food as medicine' it would be a steaming bowl of chicken soup, filled to the brim with with a variety of veggies and herbs.

Broth has a long and interesting history, various cultures around the world have been making bone broth for thousands of years. Chicken soup has long been recognised as an important part of the physicians tool box. Therapeutic observations of chicken soup were recorded by Dioscorides and Army surgeon under the emperor Nero, as far back as 60 AD in his De Materia Medica. More than 2,500 years ago, in Chinese medicine, bone broth was used to strengthen the kidneys and support digestive health. Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine also recommended broth for cleansing and digestive issues. In the 12th century, physician Moses Maimodies wrote 'Chicken soup is recommended as an excellent food as well as a medicine' and gained popularity and became known as "Jewish Penicillin". Bone broth has many names. The French call it “bouillon”. The Spanish and Portuguese know it as “caldo”. In Italy, it goes by the name “brodo”.

Bone broth history throughout the years proves that this liquid gold has kept its reputation for numerous health benefits. Packed with vitamins, minerals, anti-inflammatory and gut microbiome healing properties. It has become one of the trendiest traditional foods around. Keeping to the traditional ways of making broth will yield more of the benefits, so sticking to organic bones are necessary. Most butchers, farmers markets & even supermarkets stock organic chicken now.

At the end of the day, broth is pretty easy to make, just some bones, water, a variety of veggies, herbs, spices and some boiling time. It can be left in the fridge for a week or keep in the freezer for 6 months to be used as a soup base or sipped as is. I love it best as a base with a myriad of fresh goods.

Below is a classic recipe that I hope you will find useful. You can add your own style by being creative with different herbs & spices.