Chicken soup is a classic dish that is perfect for warming you up on a cold day. And now, a chef has shared a simple trick to make the dish taste better and ‘look impressive’ too.
There’s nothing quite like a steaming bowl of soup now the weather’s turning chilly. Whilst supermarket shelves are packed with ready-made options, homemade versions always taste better.
Soup is one of those dishes that’s straightforward to make from scratch using basic ingredients. Whether you fancy chunky vegetable, hearty minestrone, or silky tomato soup, you’ll discover recipes for every traditional taste, plus endless variations.
Chicken soup will always be a timeless favourite, but there’s a method to make the recipe “even more delicious”, according to culinary expert Christina Manian at Simply Recipes.
To enhance chicken soup’s appearance and flavour, she recommends adding turmeric, reports the Express.
Christina highlighted that this gentle spice contributes a “unique, earthy, peppery, and slightly musky flavour” to the broth.
She says that the aim isn’t to dominate the dish but rather to have your guests wondering: “What is that delightful flavour?” whilst they enjoy your recipe.
Beyond improving its taste, the chef observed that turmeric provides the chicken soup with a “gorgeous colour” that makes it “look impressive”.
Christina continued: “This pantry staple brings out a brilliant golden hue that most people associate with chicken soup.
“The beautiful colour adds to the whole experience as we eat with our eyes first. It’s a bonus that turmeric is also super nutrient-dense.”
To properly add turmeric into chicken soups, the chef suggests “blooming” the spice. This technique involves heating a spice to unlock its essential oils, maximising its full flavour potential.
Explaining how to do it, Christina said: “While some cooks add classic chicken soup veggies like carrot, onion, and celery raw to the hot broth, I lightly sauté them before adding broth. This creates the perfect opportunity to bloom the turmeric.
“After the veggies are sautéed to my liking, I stir in my turmeric, let that cook for about a minute, then add the broth to the stockpot.”
A small amount of turmeric delivers significant impact, so be careful not to overdo it as its taste can rapidly shift from rich and earthy to “strong and bitter”.
Begin with half a teaspoon, sample the flavour, then gradually increase according to your preference.