Feel better with these 2 savoury chicken soups

Savoury soups are a healthy and delicious way to introduce more vegetables into your diet. Here are easy recipes for chicken-tomato soup and a country-style chicken and veggie soup with noodles.

This soup is a good source of vitamin C. Serve it as a first course or as a light main dish. If you're serving it as a main course, round out the meal with a salad of crisp lettuce leaves dressed with a herb-flavored vinaigrette. This recipe takes 20 minutes to prepare, 50 to cook, and will yield 6 servings. Here's what you'll need:

• 1 whole bone-in chicken breast, skin removed
• 1.5 L (6 cups) low-sodium chicken stock
• 500 ml (2 cups) water
• 3 cloves garlic
• 5 ml (1 tsp) black pepper
• 5 ml (1 tsp) dried oregano
• 5 ml (1 tsp) olive oil
• 5 scallions, coarsely chopped
• 100 ml (3 1⁄2 oz) pickled green chili peppers, drained
• 4 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped
• 125 ml (1⁄2 cup) freshly squeezed lime juice
• 4 corn tortillas (15 cm/6 in) sliced into 3 even strips, toasted
• 45 ml (3 tbsp) chopped cilantro

1. Place chicken, stock, water, two cloves garlic, pepper, and oregano in a medium saucepan. Simmer, uncovered, for 25 minutes.
2. Remove chicken from pan and discard the bones. Cut chicken into large chunks. Strain and reserve stock.
3. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Crush remaining garlic and add to pan with the scallions. Sauté until softened (about five minutes). Add chili peppers, tomato, and strained stock. Simmer, partially covered, for 15 minutes. (Notice that the recipe can be made ahead up to this point.)
4. Add the chicken, lime juice, and toasted tortilla strips. Simmer for five minutes. Garnish with cilantro.

Each serving contains the following:

• 200 Calories
• 25 g Protein
• 5 g Fat (including 1 g saturated fat)
• 11 g carbohydrates (including 2 g fibre)
• 60 mg Cholesterol
• 550 mg Sodium

This tasty soup full of root vegetables has a distinct and delicious earthy flavour. It takes 15 minutes to prepare, 40 to cook, and serves 4. Here's what you'll need:

• 15 ml (1 tbsp) canola oil
• 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 medium celery stalk, diced
• 2 cans (398 ml/14 oz) cans low-sodium chicken stock
• 1 can (398 ml/14 oz) can diced tomatoes
• 250 g (1/2 lb) bone-in chicken breast, skin removed
• 1 small turnip or parsnip, peeled and diced
• 5 ml (1 tsp) dried basil
• 100 g (3 1⁄2 oz) thin noodles
• 1 ml (1⁄4 tsp) black pepper

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté until softened (five minutes). Add stock, tomato, chicken breast, turnip, and basil. Simmer, uncovered, until chicken is cooked through (30 minutes).
2. Remove the chicken from the pan and discard any bones. Coarsely chop chicken and return it to the soup along with the noodles. Cook until the noodles are tender (four minutes). Add pepper.

Each serving contains the following:

• 283 Calories
• 19 g Protein
• 5 g Fat (including 1 g saturated fat)
• 41 g Carbohydrates (including 5 g fibre)
• 25 mg Cholesterol
• 828 mg Sodium

Laboratory studies show that chicken soup slows the migration of neutrophils, which relieves sore throats and runny noses. That's why it's such a staple for when you have a cold. But don't save these recipes for when you're sick: they're delicious enough to make any time.