This soup is the ultimate bowl of cozy comfort — rich, nourishing, and deeply flavorful. It’s infused with warming spices like ginger, turmeric, and a hint of cinnamon that makes it feel like a warm hug. A simple ginger infused cashew cream gets stirred in at the end to add richness and creaminess. The best part? It comes together quickly, making it an ideal weeknight meal when you need something comforting, nourishing, and fast. Serve it with warm bread or a scoop of rice!
Ingredient highlight
Turmeric! is loaded with an anti-inflammatory compound called curcumin that has shown in studies to have similar anti-inflammatory effects as ibuprofen. Curcumin is also thought to be neuroprotective, potentially reducing cognitive decline.
Make sure to add black pepper to your turmeric to help activate the curcumin.
Servings 4
Prep Time 15 minutes 
Cook Time 20 minutes Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 carrots, chopped (about 1 heaping cup)*
- 1 bell pepper, chopped (about 1 heaping cup)*
- 1 clove garlic, smashed or thinly sliced
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt, divided
- 1 ½ tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- 4 cups water
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- 4 cups thinly sliced or chopped loosely packed greens (kale, spinach, bok choy)
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- Cooked rice, noodles, or bread, for serving (optional)
- Fresh herbs, for topping (cilantro or scallions)
- Lime wedges, for serving
For the cashew cream:
- ¼ cup raw cashews, soaked overnight, drained**
- 1 clove garlic
- 2- inch piece ginger
- ½-1 cup hot broth (from the soup)
- *You can sub in about 2.5 cups of any combination of cabbage, onion, or celery for either of these veggies.
- **OR quick-soak them by simmering the cashews in water for 10 minutes.
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the carrots, bell pepper, garlic, and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until softened.
- Turn the heat down and stir in the coriander, turmeric, pepper, and cinnamon for a few seconds, then immediately add the water. Add the chicken, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and soy sauce. Stir to combine. Turn the heat to high to bring to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer gently for 10-15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through (160F in thickest part, times will vary).
- Transfer the chicken to your cutting board to cool off. Stir in the greens for 1 minute, then turn the heat off.
- Meanwhile, to make the cashew cream, in a high-speed blender, add the soaked cashews, garlic, ginger, and a heaping ½ cup of broth from the soup. Blend until totally smooth, making sure to allow steam to escape.
- Stir the cream back into the soup, along with the shredded chicken and lime juice. Taste and add more soy sauce or a dash of fish sauce, if needed.
- Serve over rice, noodles, or with a piece of warm bread, if you’d like. Top with lots of fresh herbs and a wedge of lime.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Chop 3 carrots (1 heaping cup)
- Chop 1 bell pepper (1 heaping cup)
- Thinly slice 4 cups greens (kale, spinach, bok choy)
- Cook rice, for serving (optional)
- Soak ¼ cup raw cashews
- Make the soup
Substitutions:
- To make vegetarian/vegan, replace the chicken with cubed tofu. Simmer the soup, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
- Sub chicken breasts with thighs.
- Sub chicken with salmon or any fish – just keep in mind the thickness of the fish and check after 8 minutes.
- To make nut-free, sub cashews with ¼ cup tahini.
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- Warm up leftovers in the microwave or gently on the stove.
- Serve with lots of herbs and a squeeze of lime.
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