Classic and comforting, nothing is better than homemade chicken soup. It can be made in about an hour, even less if you use leftover roasted shredded chicken and precooked pasta. To make this gluten-free, use brown rice pasta.

 - Serves 3-4 people

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons oil
• 3 ribs celery, finely chopped
• 2−3 carrots, finely chopped
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, minced (or 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme)
• 1 bay leaf
• Kosher or sea salt and pepper to taste
• 2 quarts (64 ounces) low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 large bone-in chicken breast (or shredded cooked chicken)
• 1 cup whole wheat or brown rice elbow pasta
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

Here is how you do it

INGREDIENTS

1 pound chicken breasts, poached and cubed
½ cup diced celery
½ cup diced cored Fuji, Gala, or Pink Lady apple
¼ cup cashew pieces, toasted
¼ cup currants

DRESSING
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1½ tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon each sea salt and ground white pepper, plus more as needed
½ teaspoon ground ginger
12 whole butter lettuce leaves, for serving
1 tablespoon raw hemp hearts (optional)

DIRECTIONS
1) In a large bowl toss together the chicken, celery, apple, cashews, and currants.
2) MAKE THE DRESSING: In a small bowl, whisk together all the dressing ingredients until smooth.
3) Pour the dressing over the chicken mixture and toss until well coated. Adjust the seasoning as needed.
4) Serve scoops of the chicken salad in the butter lettuce leaves and top with a sprinkle of hemp hearts, if desired, for an added omega-3 boost and a nice little pop of texture.