Gentse waterzooi (creamy chicken stew)
A creamy chicken and vegetable soup-stew from Ghent.
Well-cooked hot dish
Ingredients
- chicken
- leek
- carrot
- celery
- potato
- chicken stock
- cream
- egg yolk
- butter
- salt
How it is prepared
Chicken is poached with vegetables in stock and finished with cream and egg yolk.
Food safety with low immunity
- Chicken and turkey must be fully cooked; keep raw poultry away from other foods and wash hands and boards after handling it.
- Eggs should be fully cooked, with firm whites and yolks.
- Use only pasteurised milk, yoghurt, cream and cheese.
How to prepare it during treatment
After adding the yolk heat the soup until steaming while stirring, or use pasteurised eggs. Use pasteurised cream.
Your diet during treatment is agreed with your doctor. Sample 7-day menu for the treatment period →
Storage
Cool quickly (within 2 hours), refrigerate in shallow containers and eat within 1–2 days; with low counts many teams advise 24 hours. You can freeze portions.
Reheating
Reheat only once — bring to the boil, stirring. It should be steaming hot, not just warm.
Symptoms it may suit
- Nausea. Mild and not too greasy; can be eaten in small portions, warm or at room temperature.
- Mouth sores. Soft and moist; easier to eat without spicy or sour additions.
- Low appetite. Gives a lot of energy and protein in a small portion — can help when appetite is low.
- Weight loss. Energy-dense and easy to enrich (oil, cheese, yoghurt) — can help with weight loss.
These are general observations: what suits you can change from day to day.
Treatment phases
- Before treatmentmay suit
- During a coursemay suit
- Low counts (neutropenia)Freshly cooked and hotmay suit
- Between coursesmay suit
- After treatmentmay suit
Phase notes are general. During low counts, follow only your care team’s food rules.
If you have other conditions
- Heart disease, Obesity, Liver disease, Stomach and gut. Can be fatty. With heart, liver or digestive disease, or excess weight, discuss fat content and portions with your team.
- Stomach and gut. Contains dairy. With lactose intolerance or bowel problems, discuss suitability with your team.
- High blood pressure, Heart disease, Kidney disease. Often salty (stock, salty cheese, sausage, pickles). With high blood pressure, heart or kidney disease, discuss salt limits with your team.
Nutrition (per 100 g)
Nutrition figures from a reliable source have not been added for this dish yet.
More from this cuisine
Related topics
Food safetyNeutropenic diet (low-microbial diet)PasteurisedCore cooking temperatureLeftoversCross-contamination
Sources
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Safer Food Choices for People With Weakened Immune Systems
- FoodSafety.gov (U.S. HHS). Cook to a Safe Minimum Internal Temperature
- USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. Leftovers and Food Safety
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Food Safety for Older Adults and People with Cancer, Diabetes, HIV/AIDS, Organ Transplants, and Autoimmune Diseases
- Food Standards Agency (UK). Chilling
- World Health Organization (WHO). Five keys to safer food manual
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Food Safety During Cancer Treatment
- National Cancer Institute (NCI). Eating Hints: Before, during, and after Cancer Treatment
- BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care, 2019. Neutropenic diets to prevent cancer infections: updated systematic review and meta-analysis
- U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). FoodData Central — Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies (FNDDS)