Healthy cooking doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact? Often the simpler it is, the better it tastes. In Good for You, Test Kitchen editor Rebecca Firkser shares nourishing, craveable recipes that you can pull off in 10 ingredients or fewer.
At the start of this year, seemingly every other post on social media was a lookback on 2016. A time of bomber jackets, top-knot buns, and “athleisure.” But also: a lot of bone broth. Steaming in hand-thrown mugs, this brew was touted not as an ingredient for cooking, but as a drink in its own right. Or, more upsettingly, a meal replacement. Like a magic potion in a fairy tale, these liquid cleanses promised clear skin, strong nails, shiny hair, and gut health.
As with most wellness trends, bone broth is nothing new. Similar concoctions have been used as remedies dating back thousands of years, from traditional Chinese medicine to 19th century British medical texts. (You’ve probably heard about chicken soup’s moniker “Jewish penicillin.” It’s likely the result of a 12th century holistic health practitioner’s recommendation of broth for curing respiratory illness and “rectifying corrupted humors.”)
Really, who wouldn’t want a cup of cozy broth on a cold day or when you’re under the weather? It’s hydrating and rich in vitamins and minerals. But that doesn’t make bone broth a cure-all. Nor is it even remotely filling. That’s why I like to turn broth into a meal, one that provides some longer-lasting sustenance as well as the benefits of the bones. Sure, it takes a little more effort than microwaving a mug, but only a little.
This bone broth soup comes together in 10 minutes for a one-pot breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Drawing inspiration from Italian stracciatella and Chinese egg drop soups, two of my all-time favorites, the broth is lightly seasoned, then bolstered with leafy greens and gingery egg ribbons. With a slice of garlic-rubbed toast for dunking, it’s a truly nourishing—and actually filling—meal.
You could make your own bone broth or venture to a from-scratch shop. (Here in NYC, Brodo has been slinging on-the-go cups of broth since 2014.) Thanks to its ongoing popularity, though, there are plenty of boxed options at grocery stores these days. Just resist the temptation to swap in products labeled as stock or broth. They’re not quite the same!
Ironically enough, bone broth is more similar to stock, which is, technically speaking, simmered bones and water. Broth is typically made from meat, aromatics like vegetables, herbs, and seasoning. Most commercially sold bone broth is something of a hybrid—made from bones, aromatics, and sometimes meat and salt—yielding a rich potency. It’s usually more expensive and sold in smaller containers. But this isn’t just marketing: It’s a more concentrated, flavorful product.
That’s why this recipe is one of the only instances where I don’t recommend swapping in a bouillon paste or cube (as I often do when stock is called for), which only offer highly concentrated flavor, none of the nutrients. My go-to bone broth is Boneafide Provisions—their chicken and beef varieties are great, and are widely accessible at supermarkets.
I always have a few boxes in the pantry. Not a meal on their own, but certainly a good start.
With a gingery egg drop, lots of kale, and toast on the side.
Bonafide Provisions Organic Chicken Bone Broth
