aromatic chicken soup with grounding vegetables
The close of winter brings about stirrings. The anticipation of spring is exciting, but it’s still cold outside and that can be confusing. This soup tastes like the warmth of blanket and the stir of a breeze carrying the promise of spring. The grounding vegetables provide depth, but the aromatic spices provide a top note of something airy and grassy….it’s the perfect late-winter meal to fulfill you on a cold night, but remind you that Spring IS coming!
You can substitute other spices and/or vegetables for a different flavor profile. As with all the recipes at The Helpful Plate, our aim it to give you a base for experimentation. The fresh herbs I used here are the cold-hearty ones I bought for outdoor planting in mid-February. These are actually not my favorite flavors, but I was itching to get my container garden started and sage and rosemary were what were available. I think cumin always goes well with root vegetables and chicken, so that would be my first recommendation for a substitute. This recipe also includes fennel seeds, which happen to be my go-to right now. But take this and run with it. And if you alter it to make something fabulous, drop a comment here or reach out to us on Social. We always like to here from you!
Ingredients:
4 organic, boneless chicken thighs or 2 breasts, cut into 2” cubes - I like to use dark meat; I think it’s more flavorful and the fat content is great for soup, but breast meat works fine too
1 Tbs coconut oil
1 large onion, diced
2 medium turnip roots, cubed
3 medium carrots, cut into coins
6-8 oz. frozen green peas
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
1 scoop collagen protein powder optional
4, 2” springs rosemary
8 sage leaves
2 tsp kosher salt
12-16 turns of a pepper grinder
1/2 Tbs fennel seeds
2 c. chicken or vegetable broth + 2 cups water
Instructions: In a soup pot, saute the onion over medium-high heat in the coconut oil 2-3 min until translucent. Add the carrots and turnips cooking until tender-crisp, about 5-7 minutes. Remove veggies from pan and add the chicken. Note: you may have to add a little oil (I’d suggest olive oil) if you are using chicken breast meat. Cook about 8 min until the chicken is no longer pink inside.
While the chicken is cooking, roll up the sage leaves around the rosemary sprigs and finely chop.
Once the chicken is cooked, add the peas and mushrooms. Allow the mushrooms to soften; they tend to make their own juice. Add the chopped sage and rosemary and the fennel seeds, and if desired, the collagen protein powder. Stir thoroughly, allowing the herbs to release their aroma and flavor.
Return the cooked root vegetables to the pot. Add the water and broth and bring to a simmer. Cook on medium low heat for 5-7 min, allowing the flavors to meld and everything to cook through. Add the salt and the pepper and mix thoroughly.