Chicken Soup with Many Changes

 

Yesterday, I found a good chicken soup recipe, which I thought I'd share with you all. Rick's grandparents are visiting for a week or two, and she got sick yesterday with the cold from hell, so I thought I'd make chicken soup for dinner

Here's the thing, I don't like chicken soup very much, so I didn't have a recipe on hand.

I did, however, have a hearty stock of Southern Living Cookbooks and where better to turn to for comfort food than Southern Living?

 

I decided to make this soup and it was deeeeeelicious!   I did make a few changes. It calls for six tablespoons of butter and flour, which I thought was too much.
  I reduced it to about 2 T butter and flour and it came out fine.

  Also used portabello mushrooms which were on sale, and diced them, sauteed in a little butter and then added them to the creamy base mixture.  That came out GREAT!  I'd advice using baby portabellos if you can find them. 

I also made several other changes to the recipe:

1. It calls for one and a half pounds of chicken breast tenderloins to be baked and then chopped and added to the soup.
However I used a rotisserie chicken in "mojo criollo" flavor from Publix (our local grocery) and it was even better.

2. The recipe is designed to be served immediately after cooking.  However, I made the first part of the soup several hours in advance and let it simmer on low for several hours.  30 min before serving, I made the cream mixture and added it to the broth.  I think that allowed all the flavors to come together.

3. I increased some of the ingredients  It yields 10 and a half cups and we wanted at least 2 cups per person plus leftovers for lunch the next day.  there were 6 for dinner, so...

Instead of 6 cups of broth, I used two 32oz containers of Swanson's Organic Chicken Broth.
1 cup of rice instead of 1/2 cup.
I don't remember how many carrots, zucchini or celery I used, just use your own ratio to taste.
Fresh Parsley is a must.

I don't see the reason for the six tablespoons of butter and  flour called for in this recipe at all. Mine was very thick with a chock full of vegetables. This is a hearty soup and I really think you can get away with out using all that butter and flour.  I used all 2 c. of the half and half.
If your soup comes out watery, then increase the amount of flour/butter before you add to the soup.  Remember, I had a lot of vegetables and rice to absorb the liquid.
  The cream mixture really does make a difference and it was delicious!.
If the soup thickens somewhat as it cools, then add a little more cream or broth.
Serve with hearty bread!

  Here we go, this is the exact recipe without my changes:

Chicken Soup

1 1/2 pounds chicken breast tenderloins       6 T. butter
6 cups Chicken Broth                                  6 T. all purpose flour
1/2 cup uncooked rice                                 2 cups half and half
3 med carrots, thinly sliced                          1/2 tsp salt
2 celery ribs                                                1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
1/2 c thinly sliced green onions                     1/2 cup chopped fresh mushrooms
2 small zucchini, diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Place chicken on a lightly greased 15x 10 inch jelly roll pan in a single layer. Bake 375' for 8 min.  cool, coarsely chop and set aside.  Or just go buy a rotisserie chicken.

Bring chicken broth to a boil in a dutch oven, add rice.  Reduce heat, simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes.  Add carrot, celery and green onions, simmer 10 more minutes. Add zucchini and parsley, simmer 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
(note, I just added all ingredients, brought it up to a low boil, reduced the heat and let it say on low for a few hours).
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium high heat.  Whisk in flour until smooth. Cook one minute, whisking constantly.  Gradually add half and half and cook over med heat 5 minutes, stirring until thickened and bubbly.  Add one cup of soup, salt, pepper and mushroom mixture*

Add half and half mixture and reserved chopped chicken** to soup, stir well. Bring to boil, cook too minutes, stirring constantly.  Serve immediately.  Yield 10 1/2 cups

* see mushroom advice, above.
** I just threw all the chicken in after the vegetables had cooked slightly and let the chicken simmer along with the rest of the soup

Comments

[InterstellarLass]

Hmmm. I might give that a try...your way...minus the celery (gag me!) and zucchini (double gag me). Then it'll be...my way! :)

Hope mom feels better after your yummy chicken soup!

[Laura]

LOL Lass, be my guest! that's the way to do it! Actually, I think it's got a lot of options, such as working garlic into the flavoring, adding corn or potatoes, etc.

[Nils Ling]

Yummmm ... it sounded delicious yesterday and more so now that the ingredients are clear. But ... am I right in thinking that's a typo under "arrange" ... when you bake at 375 degrees for 3 minutes?

[Laura]

ack! I'll change it. The Recipe said for 8 minutes, helluva typo. I don't know why they said to "arrange" it.

[FloridaCracker]

This sounds good ... minus the zuchini.

Clever use of a rotisserie chick.

[CircusKelli]

*hesitantly raises hand*

Um, what's a jelly roll pan?

[kenju]

That looks very good! I applaud you for cutting out so much butter and flour! I have my mom's recipe for cornbread, which called for 1/3 cup of melted Crisco. I made it this week with olive oil instead, and it was great! The fact that it is healthier this way makes me happy! Of course, I slather it with butter and jam anyway......LOL

[sara sue]

Man, that soups sounds sooooo good!!

This link if for CircusKelli http://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=3736941

[threecollie]

You are making me hungry for chicken soup and it isn't even six AM! Sounds very good.

[FloridaCracker]

A jelly roll pan is a wide flat pan with about a half inch lip. Think cookie sheet with a short lip all around.

Why do I know stuff like this?

Must check testosterone level...

[sara sue]

Ms. Laura, are you ok? Haven't heard anything from you in a while now. Hope all is well and I miss ya!

[vicki]

In other words, missy, you didn't follow the recipe. Yours sounds better. Post again, please. Unless you are busy enjoying this glorious weather.

[Seamus]

Several of us here could use that right now! :)

Pssstttt! I'm done! You done? ;)

[idgie]

Yum!