I joked the other day that I was making, “throw everything I have in the fridge in the pot,” soup. Really though, it wasn’t exactly a joke.
My favorite part about soup is that once you have a base – you can’t really screw it up. Just keep tasting and seasoning. Add your favorite protein (beans, chicken, beef, turkey, tofu) and veggies- then go to town.
This was my chicken soup (that I made with stock from crock pot chicken- woo!) that fed me for 4 days straight- yum! It was definitely a soup kind of weekend with the 3 inches of snow that we received as a reminder that it is still winter here in the north east. Feel free to add/subtract any ingredients. This is more of an outline for a basic soup.
Soup for the Soul
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
2 medium celery stalks, chopped
1 cup of sliced mushrooms (any kind)
1 cup of chopped broccoli
6 cups of chicken broth
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 cooked chicken breasts, shredded (set aside)
Directions
In 4-quart saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until tender and lightly browned, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add carrots, celery, mushrooms, broccoli, chicken broth, and pepper; heat to boiling over high heat. Simmer for 20-25 minutes, until veggies are a bit soft. If the liquid boils down too quickly just add more.
Stir the shredded chicken into the soup and cook for 10 more minutes. Turn off the heat and let the soup sit before serving- I find this lets the flavors seep in a little.
Season with more salt/pepper and serve!
**Cook’s Note: Add in a can of diced tomatoes for great flavor, chopped sweet potatoes, butternut squash, zucchini, etc. Play around with spices too.
Looking for some adventure in the kitchen? Try making our savory peanut butter chicken empanadas.