Best Paleo Chicken Soup... So Far

The original recipe came from a magazine that’s long gone.  I start the recipe the same way each time with the olive oil, onion, garlic, rosemary, chicken and sweet potatoes. Those ingredients give the basic flavor palette. I add other vegetables based on who's coming for dinner, what's in the fridge, the quantity I want, how much time I want to put into prep, and if I have a taste for something. Basically, it’s rarely the same twice, and it’s always good.  I always add a dark green leafy vegetable like spinach just before serving company, not only for the nutrients, but for the color contrast as well. It just looks more appetizing with bright green against the orange and browns. If you want this vegetarian, omit the chicken and chicken stock, vegetable broth or water instead.)

 

Ingredients: 

2 T olive oil

1 Large or 2 med onions

4 -6 Garlic cloves

2 T Rosemary -  Minced - fresh is best

2 chicken breasts or 4 thighs cut into bite size pieces – no knives needed

3 stalks of celery chopped into half inch pieces

2 large or 5 small Parsnips – peeled and chopped into half inch pieces (they are the vegetables that look like albino carrots)

1 large or 2 small Turnips - peeled, chopped into half inch pieces (its a round white snowball with purple icing)

2 Sweet Potatoes - 1 of them peeled and chopped into  1/2" pieces. The second Sweet potato peeled, chopped into 1 1/2" pieces  

1 Can White beans - Northern (black beans are good too) 

2 C Mushrooms

1 Zuchini - chopped into 1/2" pieces or green beans 

2 C Broccoli chopped bite size

2 C Spinach chopped

Salt and Pepper

32 ounces chicken broth (Strengthens the flavor)

2 Cups water 

 

Instructions

 

·      Saute the onions in the olive oil, once they are translucent,

·      Add the garlic, and rosemary, then add and brown the chicken.

·      Pour in a bit of the chicken broth into the pan to make sure you get all the onion, garlic and chicken. This will be transferred to a pot.

·      Pour the remaining liquid into the soup pot and add the sweet potatoes, celery, parsnips, turnips, then add in the ingredients from the sauté pan. The ingredients call for a generous amount of liquid. Start with the chicken broth and add some of the water here.

·      When the large sweet potato chunks are soft, mash them with a fork or a wand, they will blend and thicken the broth. Mashing the sweet potatoes thickens almost creams the soup. Leave the little sweet potato chunks for texture.

·      Toss in the mushrooms and beans– which basically soak up the flavor and stretch the soup, not really add much flavor. Good for if you want to make a large batch. Add more of the water if it seems to thick. This is not a clear broth soup, so don’t add much, but it will cook down. Let it simmer about 20 minutes.

·      Ten minutes out from serving add the broccoli.

·      Taste it (no double dips with same spoon.) Add salt or pepper. It often doesn’t need it.

·      Call people to the table (Someone always has to “wash their hands.”

·      Toss in the spinach, have someone pour the wine and serve the bowls. The spinach should look bright green contrasting against the orange.

·      WINE: If it’s lunch or warm out, I like serving a Portuguese Vino Verde – it’s crisp and just this side of sparkling – a great contrast to the potatoes. Or I serve a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.

·      SIDES: For texture and for contrast in flavors, I usually serve this with rustic bread, fruit bread or vegetable chips and sliced apples or small bunches of grapes.  I like that there is finger food along with using the spoon.