Copycat Carrabba's Mama Mandola's Chicken Soup Recipe | CDKitchen.com (2024)

FAQs

Why do people put lemon juice in chicken noodle soup? ›

Not only does acid brighten your soup, but also balance the flavor including the saltiness that comes from the broth (store-bought chicken broth and stock, or bouillon, are typically high in sodium).

Carrabba's Italian Grill Mama Mandola's Sicilian Chicken Soup Bowl (1 serving) contains 22g total carbs, 17g net carbs, 5g fat, 16g protein, and 200 calories.

The famous chicken soup study from 2000 focused on its impact on inflammation. “The 2000 study basically found that chicken soup inhibited neutrophil chemotaxis, which is a fancy way of saying it helped temporarily decrease inflammation so those who were sick could temporarily breathe easier,” Pike said.

Ensure you've added enough salt and black pepper. Too little salt means your soup's flavors will remain hidden. When you know your soup is salty enough, move on to other seasonings like herbs and spices.

Whether it's white wine or vinegar, a touch of acid added to the simmering pot will create a richer finished product. That's because acid helps break down the cartilage and other connective tissues in the bones of the chicken, which helps speed up the formation of gelatin in the stock.

Compared with hot water alone, studies show chicken soup is more effective at loosening mucus. The herbs and spices sometimes used in chicken soup, such as pepper and garlic, also loosen mucus. The broth, which contains water and electrolytes, helps with rehydration.

Bone broth serves as a great way to replenish the fluids that you're losing, while also providing your body with valuable electrolytes from the sodium in the broth. These electrolytes will also help you absorb the water more easily.

Along with a high saturated fat content, soup can come with an overload of sodium, as well. The American Heart Association recommends the average person consume no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day, but an ordinary can of Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup already has 890 milligrams of sodium per serving.

The sodium in the recipe helps relieve sore throat pain (the same principle behind gargling warm salt water), the heat helps clear nasal congestion, and can relieve pain and sinus pressure.

How do you add depth to chicken soup? ›

"If your broth is lacking in savory richness, try adding roasted onion, tomato paste, mushrooms, seaweed, soy sauce, or miso. These ingredients add umami flavor and depth to broth," she says. The choice of ingredient depends on the recipe, though.

Always Add An Acid To Your Soups

Lemon is arguably even more essential in richer soups like wild mushroom and rice, curried split pea, or even white bean and bacon. This is because the delicate balance of flavor profiles requires that acidic, lemony zing to cut through the fats in the soup.

Here's why: Lemon juice helps to tenderize meat, but when left for too long, it will break down the proteins too much, making the meat tough and rubbery… sometimes even mushy. So, if you want tender, juicy, and flavorful chicken, make sure to only marinate the chicken for 2-3 hours.

Many marinades use vinegar as an acid substitute but lemon juice is more effective as it lends a citric flavor. Depending on how tender you want the chicken to be, and how zingy you want it to be, use anywhere from 1 tablespoon to ¼ cup lemon juice for marinades.

Soaking your chicken in lemon juice may be an effective way to neutralize odors and rinse off some bacteria, but it won't act as a complete disinfectant. Rather, it's a safer alternative to washing your chicken off in the sink, and the lower pH environment will help prevent new bacteria from growing.