High-Protein Creamy Turmeric Chicken Soup Recipe (30 Minutes, Non-Dairy) by Donna John

One of my favorite movies is Under the Tuscan Sun. I cannot tell you how many times I've seen the movie and read the book. In one scene Diane Lane's character writes a postcard for a fellow tour mate and says, "I have never tasted anything so essential in my life as this grape on this morning. They even smell purple." While the man did not appreciate that line on his postcard, it stuck with me. This creamy turmeric chicken soup recipe looks, tastes and smells like healthy.

Once you see the ingredients for this high-protein recipe, you'll know what I mean. Everything in this soup recipe is wholesome and loaded with health benefits. The soup's creaminess comes from coconut milk, not dairy cream, so not only is it gluten-free, but also dairy-free. Here is what you need to make this healthy chicken soup: ground chicken, olive oil, onion, a leek, carrots, celery, garlic, turmeric, poultry seasoning, low-sodium chicken broth, coconut milk, fresh baby spinach, frozen green peas, fresh chives or parsley, sea salt and black pepper. Black pepper helps the body absorb the turmeric, so be generous when seasoning!

Cooking Tips

• Leeks can be very sandy, so be sure to wash the leek thoroughly. Open up the layers and rinse well.
  

• You can use boneless chicken breasts or thighs instead of ground chicken. Put the chicken into the pot when you add the broth and coconut milk. Cover and gently simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the chicken, shred and return to the pot.

• You could use kale or your favorite greens instead of spinach. 

Make a big pot of this creamy turmeric chicken soup and enjoy the health benefits of turmeric, the health benefits of leeks, the health benefits of carrots, the health benefits of garlic, the health benefits of spinach, the health benefits of celery, the health benefits of onion, the health benefits of fresh herbs, the health benefits of black pepper, the health benefits of olive oil, the health benefits of coconut milk and the health benefits of chicken. Serve the soup for lunch or dinner with a fresh salad on the side. Here's to eating healthy (and enjoying it!). 

Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes 
Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground chicken 
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 leek, cut in half lengthwise and sliced thin
• 3 carrots, sliced thin
• 3 ribs celery, sliced 
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 14 ounces (1 can) coconut milk
• handful baby spinach
• 1 - 2 cups frozen green peas
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives or parsley
• sea salt and black pepper, to taste

Here's how to make it: 

1. Cook the ground chicken in a skillet until just cooked through. Set aside.
   
2. Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot or dutch oven. Add the onion, leek, carrots and celery. Season with salt and black pepper.
   
3. Cook, stirring often, until vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes.
   
    
4. Add the garlic, turmeric and poultry seasoning. Cook, stirring, about 30 seconds.
   
5. Add the chicken broth and coconut milk.
   
6. Add the cooked chicken to the pot.
   
7. Add the spinach and green peas. Cook until peas are heated through and spinach has wilted.
   
8. Stir in the chives or parsley.
   
9. Taste and see if the soup needs more salt, black pepper or poultry seasoning.
   
10. Simmer a few more minutes or keep on low heat until ready to eat. Store the soup in an airtight container in the fridge. You can also freeze the soup for later.
    

Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. Any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.

Take 30 seconds and join the 30Seconds community, and follow us on Facebook to get recipes in your newsfeed daily. Food, fun, health, happiness.