The soup that started it all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I started making this soup fifteen years ago. I started sharing the recipe for this soup fifteen years ago too. Everyone has always loved it from it’s beginning to today’s healthy version. If I could collect all the recipes that have been handed out over the years I’d have a clear timeline of its evolution. Basically, it went like this… It began as a standard chicken soup recipe. I was inspired by my mom to add broccoli, cream of celery soup, and a little curry powder, as well as chopping the vegetables finely. Eventually, I found that I could save time by roasting the vegetables while I cooked the chicken. This added extra caramelization that added more flavor. I also found I could spend less time chopping by using my hand held emulsifier to blend the vegetables a little before adding the chicken. To make it healthier I stopped adding the cream soup and started adding butternut squash. I found that this thickened the soup just as well and added great flavor. At some point I also got sick of the broccoli and switched to kale. The one thing that always stayed the same is the orzo. Something about it goes great with this thick flavorful soup. Oddly, even with all the changes made, the essence of the soup has stayed the same and people will say, “I always love your chicken soup!”

A good time saver for this recipe is to use a rotisserie chicken. You can substitute rice for the pasta or even eliminate it altogether. One thing not to skip is the curry powder. This spice really adds a lot of depth to the flavor of the soup without making it taste like a curry because so little is used. Many people who say that they don’t like curry are surprised that there is curry in it. So trust me, DON’T SKIP IT! Check out the CUSTOMIZING section of my website to see how this soup can be turned into an awesome chicken pot pie and if you need a recipe for chicken stock check out the RECIPES section.

Chicken and Veggie Soup with Orzo

Makes 4½ quarts soup or 12 servings

• Whole Chicken or Select Bone-in Chicken Pieces (approx. 4 cups)
  (can substitute rotisserie)
• Salt and Pepper
• 1 large or 2 small Onions – diced (approx. 3 cups)
• 1 Leek – chopped (approx. 1/2 cup)
• 3 ribs Celery – diced (approx. 2 cups)
• 16 baby or 4 full Carrots – diced (approx. 2 cups)
• 1 large Red Pepper – diced (approx. 1-1/2 cups)
• ½ Butternut Squash – diced (approx. 3 cups)
• 5 – 7 Kale Leaves – chopped
• 3 cloves Garlic – crushed
• ¼ cup Olive Oil (or Canola)
• ½ lb Orzo Pasta (can substitute other pasta types or rice)
• 2 quarts homemade Chicken Stock (see recipes) (can substitute boxed)
• 1 TBS. Curry Powder (Even people that don’t like curry appreciate the flavor that a small amount adds, so don’t skip.)
• 1 tsp. Paprika
• 2 tsp. Salt
• 2 tsp. Pepper
• 2 tsp. Dried Italian or Poultry Seasoning
• 1 TBS. Fresh Dill
• 1 tsp. Tabasco (more or less to taste)

Set oven to 350 degrees. Place chicken on a cooking sheet or roasting pan. Salt and pepper the chicken, then roast it until cooked thru, approximately 45 to 60 minutes. • Meanwhile, dice and chop the veggies and garlic, toss with olive oil and then lightly salt and pepper. Spread on a another sheet or roasting pan and put in the oven and roast along with chicken, cooking approximately 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes, until they are fork tender, but not mushy. • While waiting for chicken and veggies to cook, boil the orzo in salted water. Drain and reserve the pasta when done. If using rice or other grain, prepare accordingly. • Check on the chicken and veggies. Remember not to overcook the veggies and to toss them occasionally so they cook evenly. Allow the chicken to cool a little when done so you can later remove it from bone. When the chicken is cool remove it from bone and chop into small pieces. Veggies will be ready to go. • Put the veggies and 1 quart of the chicken stock on the stove in a large soup pot or Dutch oven on low heat. Add the spices, herbs and seasoning. Let simmer for 10 minutes. • Partially emulsify with hand blender/emulsifier or food processor. Don’t puree too much, some small chunks are good. Add the rest of the stock and the chicken. Simmer for another 10 minutes. Add pasta. (You may not need all of it.) • Check and adjust seasoning. If soup is too thick, add a little more stock or water. Just remember to check seasoning and adjust if needed. If you want, add some Tabasco or hot sauce.

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