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Chicken and Harvest Vegetable Soup

Source of Recipe

From "The Loving Kitchen" by LeeAnn Rice


Recipe Introduction

"I make this soup whenever I feel like I've been eating too much junk. It's filled with yummy root vegetables, making it very hearty and filling without adding noodles or rice. You can adjust this recipe to suit your own taste. Add your favorite veggies and leave out the ones you don't like. It's your pot! Fill it with the flavors that make you happy."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 1 chicken, cut into pieces
â—¦ Water
â—¦ 2 leeks, cut in half and then sliced
â—¦ 2 to 4 carrots, cut into ½-inch pieces
â—¦ 2 to 3 stalks celery (including leaves), cut into ½-inch pieces
â—¦ 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-size cubes
â—¦ 1 rutabaga, peeled and cut into bite-size cubes
â—¦ 2 to 3 parsnips, peeled, cut in half, and sliced into ½-inch pieces
â—¦ 1 ½ cups cubed butternut squash
â—¦ 1 (8-ounce) package sliced fresh mushrooms
â—¦ 1 (5-ounce) bag spinach leaves
â—¦ ½ cup fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley
â—¦ 1 ½ teaspoons dried thyme
â—¦ 1 teaspoon salt
â—¦ 1 teaspoon black pepper
â—¦ Grated Parmesan cheese for serving


Recipe

Place the chicken in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and then reduce heat to medium or medium-low until you have a gentle simmer. Simmer for 45 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

Remove the chicken and set aside to cool. Cover the pot and turn off the heat.

When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and bones. Place the bones back in the pot and bring to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat. (This extra step will help flavor the stock and give you a good base for your soup.) Cover and simmer on low for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and continue simmering for another 30 minutes.

Shred the chicken while the stock is simmering. Remove the bones from the stock and discard. Add the leeks, carrots, celery, sweet potatoes, rutabaga, parsnips, butternut squash, and mushrooms to the stock. Continue to simmer for 20 to 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

Add the shredded chicken, spinach, parsley, thyme, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 20 minutes. Taste and add more seasoning if desired. Serve with a little grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Makes 6 to 8 servings