You’re horizontal on the couch. Your throat feels like it’s been lined with sandpaper, and the thought of another lukewarm mug of canned chicken broth makes you want to cry. Enter Molly Baz’s Golden Get Well Soup.
It’s not really a "soup" in the traditional, watery sense. Honestly, it’s more of a savory, turmeric-stained rice porridge that hugs you from the inside out. If you’ve spent any time on food-Instagram or flipped through Molly’s debut cookbook, Cook This Book, you’ve seen this neon-yellow bowl of goodness. It has become a cult favorite for a reason: it actually makes you feel like a human being again.
What is Molly Baz Golden Get Well Soup?
Most "get well" recipes are just salt and water. This one is different. It’s a thick, starchy, incredibly aromatic dish that sits somewhere between a classic chicken soup and a Filipino lugaw or Chinese congee.
The "golden" part comes from a heavy hand of ground turmeric. We aren't talking about a pinch for color here; we’re talking about a significant amount that stains your wooden spoons and provides a real anti-inflammatory punch. It’s paired with a mountain of fresh ginger and garlic—Molly’s signature move—to create a base that clears your sinuses before you even take the first bite.
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The Anatomy of the Recipe
The brilliance of this dish lies in its simplicity. You don't need to make a separate stock. You don't even need to chop that many vegetables. It’s a one-pot situation designed for someone who is too tired to stand over a stove for three hours.
- The Aromatics: A massive pile of thinly sliced green onions (scallions), smashed garlic cloves, and planks of fresh ginger.
- The Fat: Olive oil to bloom the spices and soften the aromatics.
- The Protein: Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. These are non-negotiable because the bones and skin provide the gelatin that makes the broth feel "silky."
- The Starch: Jasmine or Basmati rice. Crucial tip: Do not rinse the rice. You want every bit of that surface starch to help thicken the liquid into a porridge consistency.
- The Liquid: Just plain water. The chicken and aromatics do all the heavy lifting.
Why This Soup Is Better Than Your Grandma’s
Don't tell your grandma, but her chicken noodle soup is probably a bit thin. Molly’s version is satisfying because it’s unapologetically bold.
When you’re sick, your taste buds often go numb. You need aggressive flavors to cut through the congestion. By using ten green onions and ten cloves of garlic, this soup demands to be tasted. It’s spicy from the ginger and earthy from the turmeric.
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The texture is the other secret weapon. Because the rice is cooked directly in the pot with the chicken for about 40 to 50 minutes, it breaks down. The grains burst, releasing starch into the water, turning it into a thick, creamy "jook-style" porridge. It’s easy to swallow, easy to digest, and incredibly comforting on a sore throat.
How to Make It (And Not Mess It Up)
Making Molly Baz Golden Get Well Soup is mostly about patience and one specific technique: the "Garlic Smash."
- Sauté the aromatics: Heat your olive oil in a big Dutch oven. Toss in your green onions, ginger planks, and smashed garlic. Add your turmeric now—it needs to toast in the fat to release its flavor and color.
- Add the bulk: In go the chicken thighs (skin-on!), the unrinsed rice, a good amount of kosher salt, and about 9 cups of water.
- The long simmer: Bring it to a boil, then drop it to a whisper of a simmer. You’ll want to stir occasionally so the rice doesn't stick to the bottom and burn. This usually takes 45 minutes to an hour.
- The "Smash" Step: This is the best part. Once the rice is tender and the chicken is falling apart, pull the chicken out to shred it. While it cools, find those garlic cloves floating in the soup. They should be buttery soft. Use a wooden spoon to smash them against the side of the pot and stir them back into the liquid. It creates these little pockets of roasted garlic flavor.
- The Finish: Shred the meat, ditch the skin and bones, and throw the chicken back in. Squeeze in at least two whole limes. You need that acid to wake everything up.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
- Rinsing the rice: If you rinse it, you’ll end up with a watery soup instead of a thick porridge.
- Using chicken breasts: Just don’t. They’ll get dry and stringy. Thighs stay juicy even after an hour of simmering.
- Skimping on salt: Turmeric and rice both soak up salt like a sponge. Taste it at the end; if it tastes "flat," it just needs more salt and lime.
The Health Science (Sorta)
We aren't doctors, but there’s a reason these ingredients show up in traditional medicine across the globe. Turmeric contains curcumin, which is widely studied for its anti-inflammatory properties. However, curcumin isn't easily absorbed by the body unless it's paired with fat (the olive oil and chicken fat) and black pepper. So, make sure you crack a lot of fresh pepper over your bowl.
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Ginger is a classic remedy for nausea and digestion, while garlic contains allicin, which is thought to have immune-boosting properties. Even if the science is just "anecdotal," the placebo effect of a warm, bright yellow bowl of rice and chicken is very real. It’s "Jewish Penicillin" with a Technicolor upgrade.
Actionable Next Steps for the Sick (or Just Hungry)
If you’re feeling a scratch in your throat, get ahead of it now. This soup actually freezes remarkably well, though the rice will continue to absorb liquid as it sits.
- Prep a "Kit": Chop the ginger and garlic ahead of time and keep them in a freezer bag. When you’re too sick to cook, you can just dump them in the pot.
- Adjust the Thickness: If you have leftovers and they’ve turned into a solid block of rice in the fridge, just add a splash of water or chicken broth when reheating. It’ll come right back to life.
- Garnish Like a Pro: Don't skip the fresh cilantro and extra scallion greens at the end. The hit of fresh herbs makes a world of difference.
Go get your largest Dutch oven. Buy the 1.5 pounds of chicken thighs. Even if you aren't sick, this is the kind of low-effort, high-reward meal that defines why Molly Baz’s recipes have such a hold on modern home cooking. It’s simple, it’s loud, and it’s exactly what your body is asking for when the winter blues (or a nasty flu) hit.