Chicken soup is the home remedy for flu and cold season and the perfect gift for achy friends and family. Make it Italian by adding baby meatballs.

Ingredients

1 cup cooked shredded chicken or 2 to 3 favorite chicken parts
6 cups chicken soup stock

2 bay leaves, crushed
1/2 cup beans (fava, kidney, lima, soy)
2 carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 green onions, chopped

1/4 cup brown rice, rinsed (or whole grain of choice)
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon salt

Garnish

1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1/8 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, grated

Prepare a 4-quart sauce pan with a lid.

Pour fresh or defrosted soup stock into the saucepan and place on top of the stove set to medium.
Add the bay leaves, beans, carrots, celery, chicken, garlic, onions, pepper, brown rice and salt. Simmer for one hour with the lid on. The soup is done when carrots are tender. Remove the bay leaves before serving. Garnish with chopped parsley and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.

Variations

• 1/4 cup barley (substitute barley for the rice)
• 1/2 cup of noodles
  (add noodles around 7 minutes before serving, follow cooking instructions on the package)
• 1/4 cup pastina
  (add pastina around 6 minutes before serving, follow cooking instructions on the package)
• 1 potato, diced (substitute potato for the rice)
  any vegetable in season
• Add about 12 baby meatballs

Tip

Use the cooked chicken leftover from making the chicken soup stock or add favorite chicken parts to cook in the stock.