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Golden Full GAPS split pea soup with bite-size chicken thigh pieces in a cream bowl

Split Pea Soup With Chicken and Ginger for Full GAPS

Properly soaked split peas simmer with bone-in chicken thighs, fresh ginger, sea salt, and cloves for a thick Full GAPS soup.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Soaking Time 7 hours
Total Time 8 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Dish, Soup
Cuisine: American, GAPS
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb green or yellow split peas about 2 1/4 cups per pound
  • filtered water enough to cover split peas by at least 2 inches for soaking
  • 2 1/4 tablespoons homemade whey, lemon juice, or apple cider vinegar for the soak
  • 6 cups fresh filtered water for the soup
  • 3 lb chicken thighs bone-in and skin-on
  • 3 tablespoons fresh ginger grated or minced; or use 1 tablespoon dried ginger powder per 3 tablespoons fresh
  • 1 tablespoon sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Equipment

  • Large clear glass soaking bowl
  • Fine-mesh stainless strainer or colander
  • Le Creuset Classic stainless-steel stockpot, 10 quart
  • Long stainless or wooden spoon
  • Stainless tongs
  • Sturdy cutting board
  • Sharp chef's knife
  • Measuring cups and spoons

Method
 

  1. Pick through the split peas and place them in a large clear glass bowl. Pour in enough just-simmered filtered water to cover the peas by at least 2 inches, then stir in the homemade whey, lemon juice, or apple cider vinegar.
    Yellow split peas beneath two inches of clear acidulated water in a deep glass bowl
  2. Cover loosely and soak for 7 to 12 hours. For a long soak, replace the cooled water and the same measured neutralizer up to once. Drain, rinse well with fresh water 1 to 3 times, and drain again.
  3. Put the drained peas in the Le Creuset 10-quart stainless steel stockpot. Add 6 cups fresh filtered water, the chicken thighs, ginger, sea salt, and ground cloves.
  4. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, then lower the heat to the quietest steady simmer. Cook for 45 to 60 minutes, stirring along the bottom occasionally, until the peas mash without a dry center and the chicken releases from the bones without resistance.
  5. If the soup becomes too thick before the peas are completely soft, stir in a small amount of hot filtered water and continue the gentle simmer until the soup is thick but spoonable.
  6. Lift the chicken thighs onto a cutting board with stainless tongs. Cool just enough to handle, pull the meat from the bones, cut or tear it into bite-size pieces, and return all edible chicken, skin, and soft connective tissue to the soup. Stir gently until evenly distributed.
    Thick yellow split pea soup with bite-size chicken in a Le Creuset stainless stockpot on a trivet
  7. Heat the reunited soup over low heat for 1 minute. Taste for a warm ginger aroma, subtle clove, creamy peas, and moist chicken, then divide among 6 bowls and serve.

Notes

GAPS placement: Full GAPS only, after properly prepared split peas have been introduced and tolerated.
Mandatory preparation: Soak split peas 7 to 12 hours in just-simmered filtered water with 1 tablespoon homemade whey, lemon juice, or apple cider vinegar per cup of peas. Drain and rinse before cooking.
Cooking method: Simmer on the lowest heat for 45 to 60 minutes. Do not use a pressure cooker for this legume route.
Physical cues: Peas mash without a dry center, chicken releases from the bones, and the finished soup is thick but spoonable.
Timing: The card records the minimum 7-hour soak. A 12-hour soak makes the full elapsed time 13 hours 10 minutes.

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