Chicken “Noodle” Soup {Paleo, Gluten-Free, and Anti-Inflammatory}

I love, love, love this Chicken “Noodle” Soup. It is so flavorful and comforting. I really love that I can eat this with no guilt. It is gluten-free, paleo, and anti-inflammatory.

The “noodles” are spaghetti squash and honestly, I don’t think I would go back to noodles even if I could – they are that good!

It’s been a tough couple of months with my autoimmune issues. I’ve had a few trips to Urgent Care with severe allergic reactions and chronic sinus infections. I’ve stuck strictly to a gluten-free diet and even cut sugar and peanuts out of my diet, but I was still having health issues.

My doctor suggested that I try an anti-inflammatory diet. I feel like I am still learning about this diet, but so far, I love it! I honestly had never considered that the proteins that I was eating could cause allergic reactions. I can’t handle the corn and grains the animals consume. I now only eat grass-fed organic beef and organic, free range chicken (Thank you, Aldi’s!!!).

I’ve also had to say goodbye to some dear ol’ friends – White Zifandel and cheese. I began to notice that they both gave me headaches and my bones ache for days after having either of them. After excluding them from my diet, the headaches, body aches, and bone pain went away.

This change demands that I am more thoughtful about what I put in my body, but I guess that’s the point, right? It’s really made me realize how much “thoughtless” eating I do!

I still shed a tear every time I pass a Mexican restaurant, but I feel so much better…I guess I’ll just have to come up with some anti-inflammatory Mexican recipes!

**Remember – I am not a doctor, I am just letting you know about my journey. This is a very healthy diet, but please talk to your doctor before changing your diet.

Okay… now on to the recipe! First step is roasting the spaghetti squash for the “noodles”.

Roasting Spaghetti Squash

How to Roast Spaghetti Squash:

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cut Spagetti Squash in half (very carefully- they can be slippery little suckers). Scoop out seeds with a spoon before roasting . Place the squash in a roasting pan or baking dish, cut side down. Add some water in the bottom of the baking dish. Place squash on middle rack of oven and roast for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, check to see if squash is tender enough for your taste (I like the squash “noodles” soft, but I also have had them “al-dente” and they were still good, just a little crunchier than normal). You can cook for another 5-10 minutes if the “spaghetti” isn’t cooked enough for you.

When the squash if thoroughly cooked, flip the squash over. If it’s still pretty warm/hot, hold the squash with a dish cloth. With the squash cut-side up, use a fork to gently pull the squash flesh from the peel and to separate the flesh into strands. You will use all of the “spaghetti” for this soup.

The Seasonings

Turmeric adds a fantastic flavor to this soup. But, not only is turmeric delicious, it is also known for its antioxidant content and ability to work as an anti-inflammatory. The secret weapon behind turmeric’s superpowers is the curcumin that it contains. Curcumin helps fight inflammation in the digestive tract.

I LOVE this organic no-salt seasoning made by the Kirkland Brand. I buy it at Costco, but I have seen it on Amazon. This seasoning is especially good with chicken, and I use it in all my chicken recipes. I highly recommend getting some!

The 21 organic spices include onions, garlic, parsley, carrot, black pepper, red bell pepper, cayenne pepper, rosemary, cumin, tomato granules, orange peel, bay leaf, thyme, celery, basil, lemon peel, oregano, savory, mustard seed, marjoram, coriander.

If you are hypersensitive to nightshades like tomatoes and peppers (or any of these other spices) you can leave out this spice mix. You can add about 1/8 teaspoon of any spices you like. For instance, you can add 1/8 teaspoon each of rosemary, thyme, and a bay leaf.

For the salt, I used Himalayan Pink salt and I added about 1/2 teaspoon. You can add more or less – according to your taste. I also add about 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper as well. You can add these two in with the sautéed veggies or when you add the turmeric and other seasonings into the broth.

If you’re looking for some suggestions for really, really, really good chicken stock, I recommend Kirkland’s Signature Chicken Stock. I’ve tried tons of stocks, broths, and bone broths and this is the best, most flavorful that I have found. I get it at Costco, but you might find it on Amazon or other sites.

I make this soup 1-2 times a week and keep the leftovers in the fridge. Honestly, the leftovers are even better! The flavors really marry and blend together well.

When I’m hungry and too tired to cook or just want something hearty and comforting, I just heat this up and it really hits the spot!

Let's Be Friends! Follow Me:

• 
• 
• 
•