Spring Recipe

Season: Spring
Focus: Light detox, seasonal nourishment, early immune support
Key Ingredients: Silkie chicken, chickweed, nettle, dandelion greens

“In the early light of spring, even weeds whisper their healing secrets.”

Why This Recipe Works

This soup captures the essence of spring—fresh, cleansing, and gently nourishing. It’s the kind of recipe that feels like a reset button for your body after a long winter.

At the heart of the dish is the Silkie chicken, prized for its rich amino acids, collagen, and immune-supportive compounds like carnosine and anserine. The slow-simmered broth pulls nutrients from the skin, bones, and joints, creating a healing base that is both grounding and deeply restorative.

Layered into this mineral-rich broth are wild spring greens that appear just when your body needs them most:

• Chickweed is high in vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, and potassium. It’s cooling and soothing, great for reducing inflammation and supporting gentle detox.

• Nettle is one of nature’s best multivitamins—loaded with iron, chlorophyll, and trace minerals. It’s a known blood builder and supports kidney function.

• Dandelion greens help stimulate digestion and support liver detoxification. They're rich in vitamins A, K, and C.

Adding a slice of traditional herbal medicine, this recipe includes astragalus root—a staple in Traditional Chinese Medicine known for its ability to enhance immune function and strengthen overall vitality. It’s especially helpful during seasonal transitions.

Together, these ingredients create a broth that doesn’t just feed you—it actively supports your immune system, clears sluggish winter energy, and welcomes spring with intention.

Ingredients

Base:

• 1 whole Silkie chicken (cleaned, skin on or off as desired)

• 8–10 cups of water

• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (to draw minerals from bones)

• 1 inch ginger root (sliced)

• 2 garlic cloves (crushed)

• 1 small onion (quartered)

• 1 tsp sea salt

Greens (added later):

• 1 cup chickweed (fresh, chopped)

• 1 cup young nettle leaves (use gloves to harvest and handle)

• 1/2 cup dandelion greens (tender leaves, chopped)

Optional Enhancements:

• 1 tbsp astragalus root (immune support)

• 1 bay leaf

• Dash of pepper or cayenne for warming effect

Instructions

1. Prepare the Base:

   • In a large stockpot, combine the Silkie chicken, water, vinegar, onion, garlic, and ginger.

   • Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer covered for 2–3 hours. Skim off any foam.

2. Add Greens:

   • Once the chicken is tender and broth is fragrant, add chickweed, nettle, and dandelion greens.

   • Simmer for another 10–15 minutes, just until greens are softened but still vibrant.

3. Finish:

   • Remove the chicken, shred the meat, and return it to the soup.

   • Adjust salt and seasoning to taste.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve warm with a slice of sourdough or millet flatbread.

• Store extra broth and greens in jars for up to 5 days in the fridge.

Notes:

• Harvest tips: Pick wild greens away from roads and areas sprayed with herbicides.

• Nettle safety: Cooking neutralizes the sting—handle with gloves before cooking.

• Postpartum variation: Add goji berries and astragalus for added blood-building support.

This soup is a perfect way to transition out of winter into spring with food that feeds, supports, and restores. Stay tuned for our next seasonal recipe: Cold Silkie Chicken Salad with Cucumber and Sesame.