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Of course, as soon as fall hits not far off in the distance is the first cold of the season. At first signs of illness, I always make soup; its healing broth and spices are sure to pull me through a sick spell. I use this recipe to cook large whole stewing hens or roosters I get from my local farm, since they are generally too tough to be roasted but make a lovely pot of soup.
Chicken Soup with Acorn Squash
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Serves: 6
Ingredients
- 1 4-5 pound stewing hen or rooster
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 4 large carrots, chopped
- 4 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 large or 2 small acorn squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-1/2 inch cubes
- added salt to taste
Instructions
- Begin by cleaning the chicken and placing it in a large stock pot. Add the onion, bay leaf, garlic, salt and half of the carrots and celery. Fill the pot with water until the chicken is just covered. Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer, and cook until the meat is tender, about 1-2 hours depending on the size of your bird.
- Skim the surface of the broth to remove any scum that may appear during cooking. Remove the chicken and skim the broth, discarding the vegetables. In the empty stock pot, bring the coconut oil to medium-heat and add the remaining vegetables (acorn squash, carrots, and celery). Cook until browned on the edges - about 10 minutes.
- Add the broth back to the pot, and simmer for 20 minutes.
- While the vegetables are simmering, remove the meat from the chicken carcass and place into a bowl. Add the chicken back to the soup and simmer another 20-30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Add more salt to taste.
25 comments
Can I use just a regular roasting chicken for this soup? Probably does not matter either way. Thank you.
Cindy, yes!
Thank you so much for these recipes! I am BRAND NEW to the AIP diet. Your website is making this feel not quite as daunting! Thank you so much!!!!!
Lorena,
Thanks for being here! I wish you luck on your journey!
Mickey
This soup is wonderful! This was the first AIP recipe I’ve tried (I chose it because it didn’t call for bone broth, which I haven’t gotten around to making yet)… and it may be the best chicken soup I’ve ever had. The acorn squash gives it a really interesting flavor. I’m really looking forward to trying your other recipes!
Debbie–yay, happy you liked it!
Your recipes are amazing! We are in love with them (and that’s me, my husband and two toddlers). 🙂 Thank you for all you do!
One quick question on this soup. Do you think it would do well in the crockpot? If so, would I add the veggies at the beginning, or still only once the chicken is done?
Thanks!
I did cook this in the crockpot on high for 6 or 7 hours. I basically did what your recipe called for, adding half the veggies in the beginning and then putting the other pre-cooked (actually, roasted in the oven) vegetables in near the end. It was delicious and soothing. 🙂 Thank you!
Thanks for the feedback on a variation, Patti!
Patti,
So happy you like the recipes! I do think this would work well in the crockpot, I think you can add everything together. 🙂
Can I use the instapot for this recipe? If so, what settings? Thanks!!!
Hi Amy, I believe you can make it in an Instapot but I don’t know the settings as I don’t own one!
[…] Autoimmune Paleo: Chicken Soup with Acorn Squash […]
I made this today and my whole house smelled absolutely appetizing! I never thought to make chicken soup with the whole chicken to make the stock before, and I love the simplicity of this recipe. I’m craving soup like this most days, all winter long. Thank you!
Erin,
Thanks for the feedback and happy you enjoyed it!
Can I put it all in the Nutribullet? I find myself having soups all blended a lot better.
Hi Lissette,
If your blender can handle hot liquid, you can give it a try with caution – I’ve never used that brand before and am unsure if it will work safely. Good luck!
I never leave comments on anywhere but I had to. This was delicious. I made it alongside regular chicken noodle soup for my family and LOVED it. I just started following this site because I wanted to get control of my Hashimoto’s disease and CHRONIC HIVES. My hives have been significantly reduced in the last 3 days I’ve been on the AIP. It’s such a relief. And such a lovely site. Thank you.
Sumi, so happy to hear! Wishing you continued success as you navigate your journey.
I used butternut squash…. the thought of peeling an acorn squash was challenging.. lol
Great soup!!
Mary – 100% agree that peeling acorns is by far the biggest deterrent to using them!
What is the reason for discarding the first round of veggies? Can we leave them in?
Hi Katie! They are for flavor and will be super soft at the end of cooking. It is fine to leave them in if you want!
Thank you for replying!!
Katie, they are for flavor – you are welcome to keep them in if you want, but I don’t like the mushy texture.