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    You are here: Home » Dietary Restrictions » Paleo » Turmeric Chicken Soup

    Turmeric Chicken Soup

    February 23, 2017 By Danielle Esposti 7 Comments

    May contain affiliate links.See our Privacy Policy and disclosure.

    Go to Recipe
    Crank your paleo soup game up a notch with this turmeric chicken soup! The tang and spice of fresh turmeric root really shines in this easy soup recipe. It's naturally gluten-free, paleo, and Whole30 compliant and a delicious way to use leftover roasted chicken.

    The tang and spice of fresh turmeric root really shines in this easy weeknight Turmeric Chicken Soup. It’s a delicious twist on classic chicken soup that uses leftover chicken, lots of fresh vegetables, chicken bone broth, and a spiced turmeric coconut milk. It’s naturally gluten-free, paleo, and whole 30 compliant.

    I love a great recipe for using up leftovers, especially when it's also fast and nutritious. The tang and spice of fresh turmeric root really shines in this easy weeknight Turmeric Chicken Stew. I make it using leftover roasted chicken and whatever seasonal vegetables I have on hand.
    Jump to:
    • Cooking with Fresh Turmeric
    • Turmeric Chicken Soup Recipe Notes
    • Recipe

    Earlier this week I blathered about my love for roasted chicken. Today I’m going to talk about how I use the leftover meat. In cooler weather, my go-to way to stretch a chicken is by using the leftovers in some type of soup or stew, like this Turmeric Chicken Soup.

    Finding ways to maximize a pricey pastured chicken isn’t rocket science. A comforting soup packed with lots of fresh (and inexpensive) vegetables can be stretched into both dinner and lunch the next day. Using leftover meat and bone broth from the freezer makes for a quick, cheap weeknight meal that is nourishing and satisfying.

    I love a great recipe for using up leftovers, especially when it's also fast and nutritious. The tang and spice of fresh turmeric root really shines in this easy weeknight Turmeric Chicken Stew. I make it using leftover roasted chicken and whatever seasonal vegetables I have on hand.

    I was at my local store-front farmers market last week and they had fresh turmeric root. Two seconds later my brain pinged, and I was on my way home to make this savory, spicy, tangy turmeric chicken soup.

    Pin it now! Click here to pin this recipe for Turmeric Chicken Soup to your Paleo Board on Pinterest! 

    Cooking with Fresh Turmeric

    Turmeric seems to be all the rage these days for its purported health benefits as an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. I’m not a trained nutritionist, nor am I a medical professional, so I’m not really going to get into it.

    That being said, I am a foodie and an advocate for eating the rainbow, and for those reasons, I will tell you to source fresh turmeric root and enjoy it any way you can.

    I love a great recipe for using up leftovers, especially when it's also fast and nutritious. The tang and spice of fresh turmeric root really shines in this easy weeknight Turmeric Chicken Stew. I make it using leftover roasted chicken and whatever seasonal vegetables I have on hand.

    The flavor profile of fresh turmeric is incredibly distinctive. The taste is earthy, bitter and spicy – not “hot” spicy, more like “biting” spicy. Sort of like ginger on crack. It has a definitive zing.

    Some folks enjoy it raw in fresh pressed juices (I’ve tried it, it’s fine by not really my thing). I like it best cooked, tempered by something sweet like coconut milk.

    I love a great recipe for using up leftovers, especially when it's also fast and nutritious. The tang and spice of fresh turmeric root really shines in this easy weeknight Turmeric Chicken Stew. I make it using leftover roasted chicken and whatever seasonal vegetables I have on hand.

    A fair word of warning on prep – peeling and slicing fresh turmeric will stain the shit out of your hands, cutting board, and anything else it comes into contact with. Wear gloves if you’re fussy about such things, or take a look at this article from Food52 about how to remove fresh turmeric stains.

    I peel fresh turmeric by scraping off the skin with the edge of a spoon, just like you would with fresh ginger root (here’s a great tutorial showing the method I use). To make this turmeric chicken stew, I slice it up and add to the food processor to make a spiced coconut milk.

    Turmeric Chicken Soup Recipe Notes

    I love a great recipe for using up leftovers, especially when it's also fast and nutritious. The tang and spice of fresh turmeric root really shines in this easy weeknight Turmeric Chicken Stew. I make it using leftover roasted chicken and whatever seasonal vegetables I have on hand.

    I used up the majority of my leftover breast and dark meat for this recipe, a little over two cups. It was enough chicken to be a little more stew than soup, so if you prefer a lighter take use just a cup.

    I think this recipe would be really lovely with the addition of chickpeas (I didn’t prepare well and mine were still dry – a boy scout I am not) and if you use just half the meat, they’re a cheap and fulfilling companion. If you give it a whirl, let me know how it turns out.

    Turmeric chicken soup is pretty adaptable for all seasons. The addition of sweet potatoes, yukon golds, peas, fresh or canned tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, or summer squash would all work well here. If you need more green, experiment with kale, chard, and/or mustard, but add them halfway through the cooking process so they don’t turn into a soggy mess.

    The tang and spice of fresh turmeric root really shines in this easy weeknight turmeric chicken soup. It's naturally gluten-free, paleo, and whole 30 compliant. #turmeric #chickensoup #paleo #whole30 #recipe #realfood #wholefoods

    Did you make this Turmeric Chicken Soup? I’d love to know how it turned out! Leave a comment and a rating below.

    While you’re at it, let’s be friends – follow me on Pinterest and Instagram for the latest and greatest.

    Recipe

    I love a great recipe for using up leftovers, especially when it's also fast and nutritious. The tang and spice of fresh turmeric root really shines in this easy weeknight Turmeric Chicken Stew. I make it using leftover roasted chicken and whatever seasonal vegetables I have on hand.

    Turmeric Chicken Soup

    No ratings yet
    Author: Danielle Esposti
    Print Recipe Rate this Recipe Pin Recipe
    The tang and spice of fresh turmeric root really shines in this easy weeknight turmeric chicken soup. It’s a delicious twist on classic chicken soup that uses leftover chicken, lots of fresh vegetables, chicken bone broth, and a spiced turmeric coconut milk. 
    Prep Time: 10 mins
    Cook Time: 35 mins
    Total Time: 45 mins
    Servings : 4
    Calories: 348

    Recommended Equipment

    • Food Processor
    • Dutch Oven

    Ingredients

    • 1 ½ tbsp fresh turmeric root, sliced
    • 1 tsp cumin
    • 1 tsp coriander
    • 1 can whole fat coconut milk
    • 2 tbsp coconut oil
    • 1 medium vidalia onion, diced
    • 4 cloves garlic, minced
    • 2 carrots, peeled and diced
    • 2 celery stalks, including the tender green leaves, diced
    • 2 c. chicken bone broth or stock
    • 2 c. roasted chicken
    • 1 tsp sea salt
    • ½ tsp cracked black pepper
    • pinch red pepper flakes
    • fresh cilantro, chopped
    • naan, for serving (optional)

    Instructions

    • Peel and slice turmeric. In a food processor, blend the turmeric root with the cumin, coriander and coconut milk until smooth.
    • Heat a dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the coconut oil and heat until it melts. Add the onion and sauté until translucent and starting to brown around the edges, 6-8 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, 1 minute.
    • Deglaze the pan with a few tablespoons of the spiced turmeric-coconut milk, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
    • Add the remainder of the turmeric-coconut milk to the dutch oven, along with the carrots, celery, chicken bone broth, roasted chicken, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low and simmer until the vegetables are tender and the stew is slightly thick, 20-25 minutes.
    • Ladle the stew into bowls and top with fresh chopped cilantro. Serve immediately with naan bread.

    Notes

    Make it Vegetarian/Vegan. Omit the chicken and substitute chickpeas and potatoes. Sub vegetable broth for chicken.

    Nutrition Information

    Calories: 348kcal (17%)
    Did you make this recipe?Mention @oursaltykitchen or tag #oursaltykitchen!
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    Disclaimer: This post and the recipe card may contain affiliate links, which means we receive a small commission (at no cost to you!) if you make a purchase using these links. Rest assured, we only endorse products we own and truly love!

    7 Comments
    Filed Under: Gluten Free, Grain Free, Main Dishes, Paleo, Soups and Stews, Winter Recipes Tagged With: dinner, good for leftovers, one pot meal, roasted chicken, vegetarian friendly, Whole30

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kaitlin

      February 01, 2020 at 10:27 pm

      So, so good! Everyone in my family enjoyed it.

      Reply
    2. Elise

      April 05, 2020 at 9:26 am

      Can you use the low-fat coconut milk in a carton for this recipe?

      Reply
      • Danielle

        April 05, 2020 at 11:11 am

        Yes. It tends to be a little sweeter, but it will work just fine, and you might like the sweetness!

        Reply
        • Elise

          April 05, 2020 at 5:44 pm

          Great— thanks so much! I am excited to try it out.

          Reply
    3. Pat

      October 02, 2020 at 4:41 pm

      Can I use dried turmeric in place of the root, and if so how much.

      Reply

    Trackbacks

    1. All the Paleo Comfort Food You'll Ever Need! (over 100 recipes!) says:
      January 4, 2019 at 6:04 pm

      […] Turmeric Chicken Stew from Our Salty Kitchen […]

      Reply
    2. Pomegranate Chicken (Paleo, Gluten Free, Dairy Free) | Our Salty Kitchen says:
      December 20, 2019 at 11:17 am

      […] Turmeric Chicken Soup […]

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