Chicken-Vegetable Soup

Celebrate soup season with this nourishing and comforting chicken-vegetable soup recipe. I sometimes cook quinoa, brown rice, faro or another whole grain separately and add it to the soup when re-heating to make this soup heartier. Preparing it separately keeps the grain from absorbing all the broth!

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Here’s a chef’s recipe, Kick Ass Chicken-Vegetable Soup, from Selene River Press

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 2-plus hours

Makes about 4 quarts

Ingredients:

• 1 whole small chicken (about 4 lbs.)

• Cold water, to cover

• Splash of cider vinegar (to help draw out the minerals)

• 2 tablespoons fat or oil (I try to find some fat inside the chicken cavity before simmering and use that, if possible)

• 1 onion, diced

• 6 stalks celery, chopped

• 4–6 carrots, peeled and sliced

• 2 large potatoes, peeled (if desired) and diced

• 1 clove garlic, minced (increase for extra ass-kick)

• 1 tablespoon dried thyme

• 2 teaspoons dried marjoram

• ½ teaspoon turmeric

• Large pinch crushed red pepper flakes (if you want a bit of a kick)

• Sea salt and pepper

• 1 handful parsley, chopped

Instructions:

1. Place chicken in a large pot and cover with water. Add cider vinegar and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until chicken is very tender, about 1 hour. Remove chicken with a slotted spoon and set aside in a large bowl to cool slightly. Strain broth. At this point you can continue making the soup, or you may shred the chicken (once cool enough to handle), then return carcass to broth and continue simmering for a few hours.

2. When ready to prepare soup, heat fat or oil in a large pot until shimmering. Add onion, celery, and carrot to pot. Sauté for about 3 minutes. Add potato and sauté for 3 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 2 minutes. Add herbs and spices, a good pinch of salt and pepper, and strained broth to pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until all the veggies are tender, about 45 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, shred chicken into pieces. When soup is almost ready, return shredded chicken to the pot. Simmer for 10 minutes or so. Add parsley and serve.

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Way too busy or out of time?

Here are some easy swaps:

• From your farm store often in the freezer.

• BPA Free Canned Examples:

  • PacificFoods (note, this does have corn starch as its one refined ingredient)

  • Amy’s Organics

  • True Primal

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Our Picks for Ingredients in this Recipe:

• Oil: Atlas Moroccan Olive Oil

• Salt:

  • Celtic Sea Salt Store

  • Frontier Co-op Finely Ground Himalayan Salt

  • Terrasoul Salt Store

• Vinegar: Eden

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We recommend you always use organic ingredients when available to reduce chemical exposure for your good health.