Raise your hand if you're ready for fall! I am usually ready for fall by the time the end of May rolls around, lol! I am not a heat seeker, but my town sees regular triple digits June - August. This hearty soup is perfect for the nights that are feeling a tiny chill on them, and will carry you right through winter.
The really great thing about this soup (besides the warm, steamy goodness) is that it really stretches, which is fantastic if your food budget is feeling a tad lean. Here at my house, all of my recent work with animal rescue has had me spending more money than we were bringing in, and we are playing a massive game of catch-up, lol! Lean budgets are really good for getting creative in the kitchen. Since I am gluten and pasteurized dairy allergic, budget mac and cheese is not an option here.
What I decided to work with were chicken thighs and veggies. I loooove chicken thighs. Bone in and skin on. They are the most budget friendly chicken and they are soooooo decadent. I seasoned 8 bone in/skin on chicken thighs with the Grill-Mates Montreal Chicken seasoning (whatever is your favorite seasoning works fine) and roasted at 375 degrees farenheit until the pieces plumped and the skin was crispy. I let the chicken rest while I sauteed green cabbage and riced cauliflower and made white rice. I used the pan drippings to make gravy. Gluten-free pro tip: make your roux using cornstarch instead of flour for gravy. It's yum!
So, next day, I used my thigh bones to make broth. Just add your bones to water and simmer for a couple of hours to make yummy broth for your soup. I sautee chopped celery and onion in some olive oil and add spices to the veggies. I think that pre-cooking the celery and onion this way adds depth to the flavor of the soup. I chopped the meat from the leftover thighs (there were three left), added sliced carrots, and the left over gravy from the night before to the soup. Also added were left over roasted country potatoes from the weekend and the leftover sauteed cabbage/cauliflower. Season the soup to taste with freshly ground salt and pepper and you're good to go. It was amazing!
Aaaaand, this morning, guess what? Breakfast! I heated up some soup and some leftover rice in a small saucepan. Once it began to boil, I dropped in two eggs and let it go for about three more minutes, gently stirring in order to keep the egg whites from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
While making food with a limited budget can at times be frustrating, I've found that it really forces me to release my creativity and I enjoy the challenge, and satisfaction, of coming up with tasty and healthy meals.
Here is a recipe for the soup. Disclaimer: I cook like my grandma did, just throwing together bits and pieces until I have what I want. These are approximate measurements.
If you are making your own broth, be sure to begin simmering the bones 2-24 hours before beginning the soup recipe. Or, just pick up some broth from the store ;). Sautee your chopped onion over medium to medium high heat with olive oil. Let the onion cook for 5 minutes, or so, then add garlic and celery. Cook for another 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until veggies are cooked to your liking. Add the dried spices and cook for another 3 minutes, or so. Add this mixture to your broth, along with the carrots, potatoes, canned corn, cornstarch mixture, and chicken. Bring soup to a light boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to simmer and cover. Let cook at least until carrots are tender. I like to let it simmer for an hour, or two, to let the flavors really come out. This recipe is better if you can start it earlier, but it also makes a fantastic quick meal, since most everything is already pre-cooked.
If you are vegetarian, simply trade out the chicken broth for veggie broth and omit the chicken. Tofu, lentils, or beans added in would be amazing. This will make a hearty and tasty vegetarian soup.
By the way, how freakin' CUTE is this Alice in Wonderland Cheshire Cat mug?? I may or may not have swiped it from my daughter. We've had it for several years, I think she may have brought it home from a trip to Disneyland.
The really great thing about this soup (besides the warm, steamy goodness) is that it really stretches, which is fantastic if your food budget is feeling a tad lean. Here at my house, all of my recent work with animal rescue has had me spending more money than we were bringing in, and we are playing a massive game of catch-up, lol! Lean budgets are really good for getting creative in the kitchen. Since I am gluten and pasteurized dairy allergic, budget mac and cheese is not an option here.
What I decided to work with were chicken thighs and veggies. I loooove chicken thighs. Bone in and skin on. They are the most budget friendly chicken and they are soooooo decadent. I seasoned 8 bone in/skin on chicken thighs with the Grill-Mates Montreal Chicken seasoning (whatever is your favorite seasoning works fine) and roasted at 375 degrees farenheit until the pieces plumped and the skin was crispy. I let the chicken rest while I sauteed green cabbage and riced cauliflower and made white rice. I used the pan drippings to make gravy. Gluten-free pro tip: make your roux using cornstarch instead of flour for gravy. It's yum!
So, next day, I used my thigh bones to make broth. Just add your bones to water and simmer for a couple of hours to make yummy broth for your soup. I sautee chopped celery and onion in some olive oil and add spices to the veggies. I think that pre-cooking the celery and onion this way adds depth to the flavor of the soup. I chopped the meat from the leftover thighs (there were three left), added sliced carrots, and the left over gravy from the night before to the soup. Also added were left over roasted country potatoes from the weekend and the leftover sauteed cabbage/cauliflower. Season the soup to taste with freshly ground salt and pepper and you're good to go. It was amazing!
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| Chicken and veggie soup |
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| Chicken and veggie soup |
Aaaaand, this morning, guess what? Breakfast! I heated up some soup and some leftover rice in a small saucepan. Once it began to boil, I dropped in two eggs and let it go for about three more minutes, gently stirring in order to keep the egg whites from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
While making food with a limited budget can at times be frustrating, I've found that it really forces me to release my creativity and I enjoy the challenge, and satisfaction, of coming up with tasty and healthy meals.
Here is a recipe for the soup. Disclaimer: I cook like my grandma did, just throwing together bits and pieces until I have what I want. These are approximate measurements.
Recipe
- Meat from 3-4 roasted chicken thighs, chopped
- 3 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 6 large carrots, peeled and sliced
- One can corn, drained
- 4 medium baking potatoes, roasted "country style"
- 1 teaspoon ground sage
- 1 teaspoon ground oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried, ground onion
- 2 cloves chopped or crushed garlic (I use pre-chopped from a jar)
- 1 to 1.5 quarts chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons corn starch mixed in with 1/4 cup cold water (optional if you want a thicker broth)
If you are making your own broth, be sure to begin simmering the bones 2-24 hours before beginning the soup recipe. Or, just pick up some broth from the store ;). Sautee your chopped onion over medium to medium high heat with olive oil. Let the onion cook for 5 minutes, or so, then add garlic and celery. Cook for another 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until veggies are cooked to your liking. Add the dried spices and cook for another 3 minutes, or so. Add this mixture to your broth, along with the carrots, potatoes, canned corn, cornstarch mixture, and chicken. Bring soup to a light boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to simmer and cover. Let cook at least until carrots are tender. I like to let it simmer for an hour, or two, to let the flavors really come out. This recipe is better if you can start it earlier, but it also makes a fantastic quick meal, since most everything is already pre-cooked.
If you are vegetarian, simply trade out the chicken broth for veggie broth and omit the chicken. Tofu, lentils, or beans added in would be amazing. This will make a hearty and tasty vegetarian soup.
By the way, how freakin' CUTE is this Alice in Wonderland Cheshire Cat mug?? I may or may not have swiped it from my daughter. We've had it for several years, I think she may have brought it home from a trip to Disneyland.
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