This immune-boosting kids chicken meatball soup is served in a way that allows them to create their own adventure and to make their own soup meal from a selection of nourishing, healthy foods that support their wellbeing. It’s a clever way to get your children to voluntarily eat a little healthier. This recipe is by my friend naturopath Jessica Donovan, who else gave us a few tips for how to keep your kids immune system in tip-top shape.
As a naturopath, Jessica Donovan runs a lot of courses and programs on kids’ nutrition and we were discussing some of the best immune-boosting meals for families. A lot of fruit and vegetables for their vitamins and antioxidants content and gut health foods like probiotic-rich yoghurt and fermented veggies came up.
And of course, we talked about the good old chicken soup. Jessica has this great recipe for a ‘make-your-own’ soup with chicken meatballs (which kids love) and I loved the idea so I asked if she would allow me to share it on the blog.
Chicken Meatball Soup But Make It Your Own
This chicken meatball soup features nourishing broth and little bits and pieces like spinach, sweet corn, carrots, noodles or gluten-free alternatives, and you can have other things on the table like mushrooms, broccoli, herbs and more.
You can customise it based on what you have available and Jess has a handy immune-boosting food cheat sheet you can download on her site here.
I also asked Jess for some top tips for keeping the little ones (and grown-ups!) healthy during cold and flu seasons. To be honest, these are great all year round! Before we get into the recipe, here are Jessica’s top tips.
Top 5 Immune-Boosting Tips For Kids
- Serve a rainbow of fruits and vegetables. Colourful fruits and vegetables are rich in the nutrients that power our immune systems such as Vitamin C and Betacarotene. Make your children’s meals are as colourful as possible and include raw vegetables to maximise immune-boosting nutrition. Try my pumpkin cashew dip with raw veggie sticks here.
- Include plenty of zinc-rich foods. Zinc is a key mineral for immune function and zinc deficiency can lead to a higher susceptibility to infections. Zinc-rich foods include red meat, seafood, pumpkin seeds, legumes and nuts. I talk a lot about zinc in this in-depth post on immunity.
- Snub the sugar. Sugar depletes our immune function and makes us more susceptible to infections. Avoid high amounts of refined sugar in things like breakfast cereals, muesli bars and flavoured yoghurts. Choose wholefood breakfast and snacks instead. Or, make your own bars so you can control the sugar levels.
- Include bone broth. Bone broth is high in minerals and gelatin which benefit both our immune systems and gut health. Bone broth is easy to incorporate into our kids’ diets without them even noticing! Try adding broth to your soups, casseroles, sauces and even smoothies. I have a recipe for how to make bone broth here and 15 ways to include it in meals here.
- Outdoor play. Encourage your kids to play outside to maintain healthy Vitamin D levels which are crucial for a healthy immune system. Outdoor play also exposes kids to bacteria and other bugs that help develop a well-functioning immune system so let them get dirty!
With that in mind, let’s make our make-your-own, deconstructed chicken meatball soup!
Description
Immune-boosting, kids-approved chicken meatball soup that takes them on a make-your-own-meal adventure. This recipe uses nourishing ingredients like bone broth, chicken, spinach, and carrots.
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C/ 395 F.
- To make the meatballs, line a baking tray with baking paper. Combine the chicken, almond meal, cheese, olive oil, garlic, ginger, parsley, salt and egg in a large bowl and mix with your hands until well combined. With wet hands, roll into 2cm balls, and place them on the prepared tray. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, turning halfway
- Meanwhile, heat the chicken broth over medium-high heat until it boils. Turn the heat to low and maintain a gentle simmer while preparing the other ingredients.
- Steam the carrots and corn until just cooked. Set aside in separate bowls.
- To serve, place the noodles in the bottom of each bowl, add the vegetables, then the meatballs and pour over the broth. Or, serve some ingredients in the bowl and others on the table for your kids to construct their own chicken soups. Some kiddies might prefer to have meatballs and veggies with a cup of broth on the side. Very little ones might need some help to pour the hot broth into their bowls.
Notes
Broth: This recipe is best using a homemade chicken broth, that has been simmered with onions, carrots and celery – but you can also use store-bought chicken stock.
Dietary modifications: For a grain-free version, replace the pasta with zucchini noodles or konjac noodles. For gluten-free, use soba noodles. For dairy-free, replace grated parmesan cheese with 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes for that slightly cheesy flavour or leave out.
Prep in advance: This can be made several days in advance. Keep the meatballs separate from the broth when storing.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 cups broth with 3 meatballs, 1/2 cup spaghetti and veggies
- Calories: 425
- Sugar: 5.2 g
- Sodium: 1940.3 mg
- Fat: 19.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 31.4 g
- Protein: 32.1 g
- Cholesterol: 132.4 mg
About the recipe author: Jessica Donovan helps busy mums raise super kids with healthy food and natural medicine. She is a naturopath with an intricate understanding of how the body works and natural therapies that can help support optimum health in our children (many of which are already in your kitchen ). In her clinical work, she has helped hundreds of parents to transform their children’s health, covering minor issues like getting picky kids to eat a more varied diet to helping clients to navigate chronic issues like cystic fibrosis and everything in between from eczema to tummy issues.
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Spicy Paprika & Lime Chicken Tenderloins
These Spicy Paprika and Lime Grilled Chicken Tenderloins are a great addition to your BBQ repertoire. Take your taste buds to the Caribbean, Mexico or Spain on a little holiday! Can be cooked outdoors or on a stove. Paleo, Whole30, Keto, gluten-free.
Paprika & Lime Grilled Chicken Tenderloins
Whether you’re heating up the BBQ on a warm summer’s day or you need to give your skillet a bit of a workout, this is a fabulous chicken recipe that I know you will love.
My paprika lime chicken tenderloins are tender and juicy. The spices and citrus used in the marinade will take your taste buds on a little holiday to the Caribbean, Mexico or Spain – your pick!
I used chicken tenderloins because I find the meat more tender than the rest of the chicken breast and it’s easier to work with than the chicken thighs. You can use any chicken meat you like, just adjust the cooking time depending on the size of the pieces. This marinade will also work well with turkey, pork, quail, prawns and even beef.
What Are Chicken Tenderloins?
Still confused about what chicken tenderloins are? They are short, thin cuts taken from beneath the breast of the bird. You might find that some grocers will sell thinner slices of breast meat and call it chicken tenderloins or tender. They tend to be softer than chicken breast when cooked BUT should not be overcooked, they don’t need as long as the chicken breast.
Nutritionally speaking, they are the same as chicken breast meat – high in protein, minerals, low in calories and fat.
Make-Ahead Tip For Paprika Lime Chicken
The chicken tenderloins can be marinated ahead of time for an even more robust flavour; keep uncooked in the fridge for maximum of 3 days and freeze for up to 2 months and simply defrost overnight in the fridge before you want to use it.
More Delicious Chicken Recipes:
Description
Grilled paprika and lime grilled chicken tenderloins are great with any side dish and can be used in salads, tacos, and wraps. Can be cooked outdoors or on a stove.
- Mix the marinade ingredients in a large bowl. Rinse the chicken and cut larger pieces in half.
- Using your hands, rub the chicken with the marinade. Leave in the bowl, wrap with cling wrap and set aside in the fridge for at least one hour before grilling.
- If using a grill plate or a skillet on your stove, heat one teaspoon of coconut oil until sizzling hot. Fry the chicken pieces for 4 minutes on each side and then remove to a plate to rest. Make sure not to overcrowd the frying pan or you will end up with too much meat juice and stewed rather than grilled chicken.
- If using a BBQ, heat the plate to sizzling hot and either spray with olive oil or brush with coconut oil. Place chicken pieces on the plate with a little space in between and cook for 4 minutes on each side on medium/high heat with the lid on.
- Remove cooked chicken to a serving plate and drizzle with lime juice before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2-3 tenderloins
- Calories: 331
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 783.6 mg
- Fat: 16.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 4.4 g
- Fiber: 1.3 g
- Protein: 41.3 g
- Cholesterol: 131.4 mg
Keywords: Tenderloins, Chicken, Paprika, Lime, BBQ, Grilling, Low-Carb, Paleo, Whole30
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Hi, I'm Alex!
I love sharing easy, healthy, and family-friendly recipes that anyone can make at home.
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