Chicken Vegetable Soup – Recipe!

A pot of Chicken Vegetable Soup simmering on the stove top surely says, summer is over, and provides us with a deligthful meal that’s chock full of hardy vegetables, and chunks of leftover chicken from another meal, or rotisserie chicken from the grocers.

Soup is good food just like the commercial says, and I encourage each of you to make a big pot this week.  A good stainless steel pot or Dutch oven is the right vessel for sauteing vegetables and to get the meal going.  Diced onions and sliced celery always seem to kick-start a good soup.  In this recipe, I added chunks of potatoes, along with leftover chicken from another recipe.  I made a double batch of braised chicken and lentils, so I shredded some of the extra chicken and added it to my pot.  A box of broth is a quick solution to homemade chicken stock, but if you have some in the freezer, I highly recommend using it.

Seasoning the soup is important and requires spices that highlight chicken and vegetables.  I used a bit of poultry seasoning, which has ground sage, thyme, marjoram, onion powder and other seasonings, along with salt and pepper to add flavor.  I think a big bowl at the end of the day, or at lunchtime sounds so good when it’s fall-like outside.  Sprinkle the top of each bowl with fresh parsley for a clean finish and some crusty bread for dipping isn’t bad either.

Ingredients

1/2 white oinion, diced

2 stalks celery, sliced

2 large carrots, peeled and sliced

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons poultry seasoning

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

6 white new potatoes, cut in half moons

2 cups shredded cooked chicken

3 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 1/2 cups cauliflower, cut into small florets

1/4 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped

olive oil for cooking

salt & pepper

(Serves 4)

To Prepare:

1. In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil.  Add onion and celery and cook for 4 minutes.  Add carrots, salt, poultry seasoning, pepper and stir.
2. Cook for 3 minutes, then add potatoes.  Add chicken and chicken broth and stir.  Turn heat to simmer and cover with lid.  Cook for 20 minutes.
3. Remove lid and add cauliflower, stir.  Cover and cook for 8 minutes.  Remove lid and taste soup for salt and pepper, add more if necessary.
4. Ladle into bowls and top with parsley.  Enjoy!