I love soups of all kinds. Fall Soups, should be hearty, and colorful, in my "crazy" mind anyway. I especially love creamy soups, most of all. I was born in New England, where chowder, is a way of life.
It's also a fairly quick soup to make. I love this particular combination too. This is a creamy soup, but not overly thick, although that... depends on how much cheese you use.
This Chowder is great for left overs too, because it contains no butter and as long as it's not brought to a hard boil, it will not separate like most cream sauces and soups do.
Prep time: 30 min Cook time: about 30 min. Servings: 5 - 6
Ingredients:
5 small to medium Potatoes, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces
5 nice, and not too thin, Chicken Breasts, or cutlets. (These are going to be cut up into bite sized pieces later too. So judge the thickness of your chicken)
3 large Carrots, peeled and diced
8 oz. package of fresh Mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1/2 medium onions
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 stalks Celery, split down the middle and sliced
3/4 Cup Locatelli Romano Cheese
1/4 cup Locatelli Romano Cheese to coat the chicken
Nutmeg (I shave nutmeg nuts, until I think it's right *LOL*. If I had to guess, it would be about an 1/8 tsp. to a 1/4 tsp. This is where taste as you go comes in,)
Salt and Pepper to taste
(a handful of fresh spinach if you have it. This is completely optional. I had a little left in the fridge and decided to throw it in there, after I wilted it first. Be careful here. Spinach can over power a soup, so if you do use, remember, only a handful.)
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup, undiluted
60 oz. Chicken stock or broth.
2 cups 1/2 + 1/2
1 Large Bay Leaf
4 tbsp. cooking oil of your choice.
2 tsp. green onions *green stem* optional for garnish
2 tsp. green onion bulbs *white bulb*
Directions:
- Salt and Pepper Chicken Breasts to taste,
- Dredge Chicken in 1/4 Romano Cheese (use more if needed)
- In a large fry pan, add the oil, and sauté Chicken Breasts, on medium heat, for about 4 - 5min on each side. This depends on how thick they are. More time if thicker, less time if on the thinner side. (Do not try to lift them before they are ready though, or the coating will stick to the pan.)
- Remove from heat onto a paper toweled plate, and allow to cool until able to handle. In the meantime
- Bring a Large pot of water to a boil, add salt to taste, potatoes, carrots and celery and cook until medium tender, 10 - 13 minutes. Or, until tenderness of your preference.
- Drain, and set aside.
- In the same fry pan used for the chicken, add 2 more tbsp. oil, and sauté mushrooms on medium heat, stirring often. You don't want them to start to burn, for about 5 min. Then, add onions and garlic, and cook until onions are translucent and a golden yellow color. Mixing frequently... you don't want the garlic to brown either. Once done, remove from heat and place on a paper toweled plate and set aside.
- Now, cut up your chicken into bite sized pieces.
- In a large soup pot, add your chicken stock or broth, cream of chicken soup, bay leaf, salt and pepper to taste, and bring to a slow boil.
- Add chicken and the white bulbs of the green onions to the pot, continue to simmer for 4 minutes.
- Now add the sautéed onion mixture, and vegetables to the stock, and simmer for 4 min. more. (If you are using wilted (steamed) spinach, add now.)
- Add 1/2 + 1/2. Stir well.
- Add the remaining 3/4 Cup Romano Cheese. Stirring well, until mixed in.
- Simmer for 4 more minutes.
- Taste for salt and pepper (If you want your soup thicker, add more cheese, thinner, add more 1/2 + 1/2, But... remember, you are not making a stew)
- Add nutmeg, stir well. Ladle into soup bowls, garnish with the sliced green stems of the green onions, and Serve.
~~Delicious~~
Serve with a light salad!!!
NOW ENJOY!
© 2013 Jayne's Crazy Kitchen
