When the weather's cold and the flu bug is flying around, chicken noodle soup appears to be the remedy of choice.

But spring is a long ways off, and the old chicken noodle standby might start to get boring, so why not try something new?

Chicken arroz caldo, translated as chicken rice soup, is a Filipino variation of chicken noodle soup. It is often served to the ill and elderly, and is favored by Pinoys (Filipinos) living abroad in cold climates because it is warm, soft and easily digested.

In some Asian cultures, arroz caldo is eaten primarily for breakfast or as a late-supper meal, while in others it's a substitute for rice or other meals.

The dish originated as a plain rice porridge, consisting of water, rice and salt. It helped stretch the rice supply to feed more people. But arroz caldo soon evolved into a food therapy for the unwell. That's how garlic, ginger, onions and chicken became part of the recipe.

Nowadays, people have spiced up the recipe by adding complementary ingredients such as saffron and, in the recipe below, hard-boiled eggs. You also can garnish arroz caldo with a sprinkle of lemon and chopped green onions.

Chicken arroz caldo is as simple as chicken noodle soup, but you'll find this recipe much more filling, comforting and flavorful. It's guaranteed to warm your bones and your soul.

Chicken arroz caldo(chicken rice soup)

1½ pounds chicken cut into tinypieces

3 tablespoon vegetable oil

3 large garlic cloves, minced finely

1 medium onion, chopped finely

2 tablespoons fresh ginger, finely sliced

1 cup white sticky rice

16-18 cups of water (add more if you want it more soupy; you may also substitute partial chicken broth)

6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon saffron (see note)

5 spring green onions, finely sliced for garnish

Chicken stock or bouillon to taste

Directions: In a large nonstick pot, sauté garlic in oil over medium heat until it's lightly brown. Add ginger and onion and stir for a minute.

Next, add chicken and cook for 3 minutes. Then add pepper and 1 or 2 chicken bouillon cubes. Cook until chicken is halfway cooked, and then add water. Cover the pot and let it boil.

Add rice and simmer in medium heat for about 40 minutes, or until it reaches the consistency of a light creamed soup. Stir occasionally while cooking. Correct seasonings to taste by adding more chicken stock and pepper if you need to. If rice soup gets too thick, add a little more water to thin it a bit.

In the last 5 minutes of cooking, add boiled eggs and saffron, and stir for 2 to 3 minutes.

Garnish individual serving bowls with sliced green onions just before serving.

Serving size: 6 to 8.

Prep time: 10 minutes.

Cook time: 50 minutes.

Tips: Sprinkle a little lemon juice in each serving to add a pleasant tartness to the dish.

Note: You don't need to get the fancy saffron; you can get a better deal at any grocery store in the Hispanic aisle or at Filipino stores.

• Lolita Cook can be reached at lolita.cook@juneauempire.com, and Mary Manalansan can be reached at mary.manalansan@juneauempire.com.