The BEST Gut Healing Chicken Soup – Healthy Recipe

Gut health doesn’t have to be complicated!  Fix your leaky gut and heal your immune system with this delicious gut-healing soup!

Contrary to popular belief, healing a leaky gut (aka SIBO and/or SIFO) doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg.  But not healing it will cost you more than an arm and a leg, it will cost you your generalized health/quality of life and years of your life!  I’m 35 with 5 kids so far and working on healing my leaky gut and secondary autoimmune issues now.  But this isn’t my first rodeo.

Over 10 years ago when I was a younger, new mom – I healed my gut using simple foods like slow-roasted meats, broth, easy-to-digest fruit and veggies, herbs, and healing spices.  I did not have extra money for supplements or gadgets like red lights.  I just had to work within a limited budget and stay disciplined with simple, gut-healing foods and basic ferments + probiotics.  It worked!  

I was able to heal my gut…

…and live symptom-free at an effortlessly healthy weight + body composition with a stellar immune system for several years.  Then, in 2020, I took a position working the night shift in LTAC (long-term ICU).  I did this so we could work on paying off debt.  But it came at the cost of my health due to working nights, letting my diet and exercise slip, and having a root canal against my better judgment because I needed the tooth fixed and was sleep-deprived.

So, my life goes like this: sick as a kid and teen, sick and overweight as a young adult due to being a sick kid + living a party lifestyle.  Had my first baby, had my first autoimmune flare postpartum, then made my mind up to heal naturally.  Healed myself over a couple of years with simple, whole foods.  Enjoyed perfect health for many years.  Made poor choices to pay off debt, got sick again (autoimmune, weight gain, etc.).  Quit the stressful job and thought I’d get better.  Didn’t get better and continued having postpartum autoimmune flares after baby #4 and #5.  Now, at 35, I’m healing myself again, and it’s working like a charm again!  So I’m sharing the process on my YouTube channel, Instagram, and with recipes here on the blog.

This gut-healing soup recipe is something I came up with many years ago.  Each ingredient is purposeful and I eat this soup at least once a day for an extended period of time until all of my symptoms are gone and I feel great every day.  Soup season or not – sick people do well on soup!  And if you have chronic symptoms, you’re sick – trust me, that’s not fun to hear, I know first hand!

I may receive a small commission for items purchased through affiliate links in this post at no additional cost to you.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• This is a base recipe that can be modified to add ingredients you find healing or take away ingredients you can’t yet tolerate.
• This soup is very nutritious and anti-inflammatory thanks to the carefully selected key ingredients.
• Gut healing soup will improve joint health, digestive health, reduce bloating, and keep you satiated longer than filler foods that we are told are nutritious by the “experts.”

What You’ll Need

INGREDIENTS

ROASTED WHOLE CHICKEN + BROTH

• whole chicken (organic, pastured if possible)
• 1/2 cup olive oil or melted butter
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose seasoning like paleo powder
• 1 gallon of homemade bone broth (this can be chicken broth or beef broth)

GUT HEALING SOUP

• 1/4 cup butter or olive oil
• 2-3 large leeks
• 3 cups diced carrots
• 6 stalks of celery
• 1 cup sprouted split peas
• 3 large onions, diced
• 6-12 cloves garlic, minced
• fresh herbs, finely chopped (oregano, thyme, parsley, and sage are some of my regulars when I make this soup)
• 1 tablespoon quality sea salt or real salt (non-iodized)
• 1 tablespoon turmeric powder

TOOLS

• 2 gallon (8 quart) large pot or Dutch oven
• cutting board and knife
• large slotted spoon

Ingredient Breakdown

I chose all of the ingredients in this soup intentionally to correct SIBO and/or SIFO.  Let’s discuss:

Butter or Olive Oil?

• If you are strictly avoiding dairy, then the obvious choice is olive oil.  Butter contains only trace amounts of lactose, so even those with lactose intolerance can sometimes tolerate and benefit from consuming butter.  You can further reduce lactose exposure by culturing your cream before making butter. If you’re up for a project, check out my recipe for cultured butter.
• A good, quality, cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) can be a wonderful addition throughout the process of gut healing.  Working through the endocannabinoid system, the phenolic compounds in EVOO have an epigenetic effect on the CB1 tumor suppressor gene in colon cancer cells… in simpler terms, don’t hold back on using EVOO, it’s a great way to reduce your risk for or even improve colon cancer, I’d call that a gut health win!

Onions, Leeks, and Garlic (Alliums)

• Onions, leeks, and garlic are all part of the allium family.  They are an amazing prebiotic source containing soluble fiber and lots of inulin which aids in mineral absorption and feed the good bacteria in your gut.  
• Prebiotic fiber is plant fiber that can’t be digested by your body.  It passes through your GI system and feeds the healthy bacteria in your colon.  
• I like alliums, in particular as a prebiotic source because they also have antimicrobial properties that target harmful microbes while feeding helpful microbes…essentially they work in your gut to restore balance and correct overgrowth of any harmful microbes.  
• Alliums also have a potent anti-diabetic effect.  This is especially important for gut health because most people who have poor gut health are insulin resistant at the least, but many are pre-diabetic or diabetic.  Alliums contain an insulin-like compound called allicin that has a chemical structure similar to that of insulin.  Alliums also inhibit enzymes that break down starches and carbs, thus delaying glucose absorption.
• They also add a ton of flavor, who doesn’t love garlic?!
• Leeks and onions add a lot of volume to help you feel full without carb or calorie overloading.
• If you’ve got severe SIBO and can’t tolerate onions and garlic at the moment, stick to leeks or leeks greens which are a low FODMAP option.  Fortunately, even at my sickest I have been able to tolerate alliums when cooked well in this soup.

Carrots, Celery, and Fresh Parsley (Umbellifers)

• These foods are all part of the parsley or umbellifer family of vegetables.  They’re called umbellifers because of their umbrella-like stem structures called umbels, there’s a fun fact for kids!  
• Umbellifers are rich in the flavone apigenin which modulates various signaling pathways in the body that regulate cell death, cell invasion, cell cycle arrest, etc.  Through these pathways they protect against cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, depression, insomnia, and more.
• Carrots are one of the least problematic veggies even to the sickest gut!  For severe SIBO that is causing acute symptoms and making a person very sick every day, I recommend starting the process of healing your gut by making bone broth and meat-based soup with just leeks, carrots, herbs, and spices. 

Split Peas

• Split peas are legumes which can be problematic in the initial stages of gut healing so proceed with caution.  I begin adding split peas to my gut healing soup after a few weeks of a gut health reset because they are an amazing source of soluble fiber that feed probiotics.  
• One half-cup serving of split peas is only 110 calories with 10 grams of protein and 12 grams of fiber!  Women in the childbearing season need to consume at least 25 grams of soluble fiber daily, so including split peas in your gut-healing soup is an excellent way to get you halfway there along with the other sources of soluble fiber in the ingredient list.
• Split peas are also a low glycemic index (GI) food so they help you feel full longer without carb loading and causing blood sugar fluctuations, this makes them a great choice for weight loss without feeling hungry. 

Oregano, Thyme, and Sage (Culinary herbs in the Lamiaceae or Mint family)

• Herbs in the mint family are fabulous for gut healing due to their antimicrobial and antiparasitic properties.  They help cleanse and reset the gut by pushing back bacterial and fungal overgrowth without harming beneficial microbes.
• Mint herbs are rich in antioxidants that neutralize free radicals.  Free- adicals damage tissues and cause inflammation in the body.  So consuming antioxidant-rich herbs has an anti-inflammatory effect.
• As you see, the combined effects of correcting intestinal overgrowth and reducing inflammation make these herbs the perfect addition to gut-healing soup!

Salt

• Real, quality salt is an essential part of the human diet!  It’s a real shame that salt consumption has been blamed for what processed food has done.  
• Real salt provides 60+ naturally occurring minerals that aid in all sorts of body processes from digestion to regulating blood pressure to nutrient absorption and regulating nerve impulses. 
• Salt your food to taste.  But please do not misunderstand me here, I am talking about using real salt on real, home-cooked, from-scratch food…I am NOT saying to go out and stuff yourself with table-salt-covered, seed oil-fried, fake, ultra-processed food.

Turmeric

• Like our culinary herbs, turmeric is also antioxidant-rich. This means it has an anti-inflammatory effect not only in the gut but in the whole body!  Turmeric works wonder for joint pain…and the root cause for joint pain is gut dysbiosis so that makes sense.
• Turmeric is also a heavy hitter for gut health because it fortifies the intestinal lining to improve gut permeability (leaky gut).  Healing leaky gut is crucial for healing the chronic symptoms caused by SIBO and SIFO.
  • Overgrowth in the small intestine or even all the way up in the stomach means that harmful microbes are constantly dying and releasing endotoxin. This damages the gut lining and makes its way into the bloodstream.  
  • Once endotoxin reaches the bloodstream via the portal veinous system, it travels throughout the body and exerts its toxic effect on various organs and tissues.  
  • This explains how the root cause for things like fibromyalgia or arthritis or mental illness actually starts in the gut!
  • Heal the leaky gut and push back the overgrowth. You will see many or even all of your chronic symptoms disappear!
• You can take turmeric or curcumin supplements for an enhanced therapeutic effect BUT that is not recommended during pregnancy.  I personally stick to using turmeric powder in my soup since I’m usually pregnant, breastfeeding, or both.

Whole Chicken (Pastured Organic if possible)

• Pastured meat contains higher levels of essential amino acids. Those are very important for maintaining the mucosal lining and intestinal wall integrity in the gut.
• Meat is very easy to digest and obviously high in protein. This is essential for building and repairing all parts of the human body.  
• Also, calories are not really calories…let me explain.  Calories from all the macro groups (carbs, fat, and protein) have the same amount of energy.  BUT, the body uses macros differently.  Protein calories take more energy to metabolize so they are less fattening than fat and carb calories.  Focusing on animal protein in your macro count is a great weight loss strategy for this reason.

Gut-Healing Bone Broth

• The collagen and gelatin in bone broth make it a gut-healing staple!  Collagen and gelatin repair the lining of the GI tract and reduce inflammation which reduces intestinal permeability (leaky gut).
• The benefits of collagen and gelatin don’t stop at reparing a damaged gut – bone broth also makes for healthier hair, skin, and nails.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Roast a whole chicken

1. Mix olive oil and seasoning in a small bowl.  Wash and pat dry a whole chicken then pour/rub the seasoned oil all over the chicken.  Roast in a roasting pan or dutch oven at 375 until the internal temperature is 165F.  
2. Allow the chicken to cool, remove all of the meat, and set aside.  Save the carcass with skin to make bone/carcass broth.

Make bone broth

1. Add the carcass, skin, and drippings from the roasted chicken to a large pot or dutch oven (or just use the one you used for roasting), fill it with water, bring to a boil, then turn the heat down and simmer for 1 hour for low histamine broth or up to 24 hours.  
2. Remove from heat and strain the broth.  Use it to make this soup or save for later use.

Make Gut Healing Soup

1. Chop and prep all veggies and herbs.
2. Heat butter or olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, then add chopped veggies, split peas, herbs, and spices (salt and turmeric).  Let everything “sweat” over medium heat for 15-20 minutes.
3. Add the broth and chopped, cooked chicken from the whole roasted chicken, cover, and simmer on medium-low heat for at least 30 minutes or up to an hour.
4. Serve hot or store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.  

FAQ

1. Can I use vegetable broth instead of bone broth?
   • Yes, you can use vegetable broth to make gut healing soup but you will be missing out on many healing and nutritious properties of bone broth.
2. Can I use other spices like black pepper or curry powder instead of turmeric?
   • Yes, you can add other spices to this soup, but do not remove the turmeric if you’re hoping for optimal healing because of the healing, anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric.
3. Is this soup safe for pregnancy and breastfeeding?
   • Yes, I made this recipe with pregnant and breastfeeding women in mind, even though it is great for all people in all seasons of life.  Turmeric can be unsafe during pregnancy when taken in very high doses in supplement form, but when used as a culinary spice it is just fine and beneficial.  Turmeric is a staple spice in many parts of the world where women eat it daily and have many healthy children.  I do not take a turmeric supplement while pregnant or breastfeeding, I just get my daily “dose” of turmeric by eating a bowl of this soup.
4. Can I add fermented foods like sauerkraut to my gut healing soup?
   • I would recommend waiting until you are a few weeks into healing your gut to add ferments.  Around 4 weeks in, I do drop a teaspoon of homemade sauerkraut on top of my soup before I eat it – adding ferments to the pot of soup while its coking would kill the cultures which is why I just drop some on top of my soup when I’m ready to eat.

Tips

• Start with a whole chicken or bone-in pieces.  This will yield a more flavorful, nutritious final product and the bones, skin, and carcass can be used to make homemade broth.
• Use the highest quality ingredients you can source.  Don’t stress too much about this.  When I was younger on a tight budget, I just got the best I could find – I bought organic when possible but didn’t have access to farm fresh anything then – I was still able to heal.
• If you’ve got a giant 5-gallon stock pot, double or triple this recipe and freeze several batches of gut healing soup.  This would be especially helpful if you’re preparing postpartum meals.
• I eat a LOT of ruminant meat, mostly beef, as well for gut healing.  I slow roast a few big beef roasts at the beginning of every week and keep the meat in the fridge to have on hand.  Sometimes I throw a big chunk of roast into my soup when I’m heating a bowl up for added protein to keep me satiated longer.  This is especially vital for pregnant and/or breastfeeding mothers or for athletes focusing on digestive system healing.  
• Aim for 1 gram of protein per pound of ideal body weight every day.  My ideal body weight is 160lbs so I aim for 160 grams of protein a day.  I do not calorie count.  But I do track protein intake.  When you eat enough protein, you won’t have the appetite to overdo it by carb loading.  

Storage

Gut Healing soup can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 3 months.  Reheat on the stove over medium heat.

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