Cold-busting butternut squash and chicken soup with ginger and turmeric

After my amazing trip to Mexico I was very unfortunate to catch a stinking cold on the plane. The kind of horrid one which makes you feel like crawling into bed and hiding until you're snot free. But before that induces too many nasty images, I wanted to share this yummy soup recipe I knocked up to try and fight it!

It's packed with spices that will give you a fiery boost - fresh ginger, turmeric and lots of chilli. Butternut squash and red onions give you some added vits and minerals, and the protein-packed chicken will help your body repair and keep you strong.

It's a pretty filling soup and you could easily have this as a replacement meal. It's gluten free, wheat free, dairy free, egg free and nut free - so pretty much good for everyone except vegetarians! Here's how to make it...

Butternut squash and chicken soup with ginger and turmeric

600g butternut squash

one red onion

3 garlic cloves

half red chilli (very finely chopped)

four large chicken thighs

½ tsp chilli flakes

½ tsp chilli powder

1 tsp tumeric

2-inch piece of fresh ginger

pinch pink Himalayan salt

1 Knorr chicken stock cube

½ tablespoon coconut oil

1. Turn the oven on to 180'C. Place the chicken thighs in a baking dish and coat with half the tumeric, chilli flakes and chilli powder. Peel and quarter each garlic clove and chuck in the tray as well.
2. Cover with tin foil and bake for 25 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, peel and chop the butternut squash to about 1-inch cubes. Roughly chop the red onion. Peel and grate the ginger.
4. Heat the coconut oil in a pan then add the squash, chopped red chilli, red onion, ginger, salt, and the rest of the tumeric. Fry on a low heat for about five minutes.
5. Dissolve the stock cube in 500ml boiling water. Add the stock mix to the pan, bring to the boil, turn down to a simmer and cover.
6. Cook for around 10 minutes. When the chicken is cooked, remove from the oven, roughly chop and add to the soup mix. Cook for a further 10 minutes.
7. Leave to cool and then blend using either a liquidiser or hand-blender. Serve hot with some fresh gluten free bread or enjoy as a hearty lunch!