Well, it’s that time of year again when we dust off the coats and jackets and iron our long-sleeve shirts. With the cold weather comes a variety of foods (including the ever popular turkey we’ll all be eating for about 3 weeks straight). One of our family favorites is soups and stews. Who doesn’t like a warm bowl of soup and a crusty loaf of french bread for dipping? One of my all time favorites is creamy chicken and broccoli soup. I must warn you though, if you are a fan or the high sodium and preservative cans, this might not be for you. This is homemade and better than anything that you’ve probably had in the past. So buckle up and let’s get to it!
Ingredients:
3 celery stalks (diced)
3 carrots (diced)
1/2 and onion (diced)
2 cloves of garlic (diced)
4 strips of peppered bacon (I always use the low sodium)
1/4 cup of flour
1 jar of chicken bone broth (or any other broth you prefer)
2 cups of water
broccoli florets
shredded chicken
1 cup of milk (or cream, depending on your intolerances)
shredded cheese
green onions (diced)
salt and pepper to taste
Place a large pot on medium heat and render down the bacon until it is crispy. You can leave them in strips to do this or dice them up before you cook. I choose to dice them up. Remove the bacon when it is done cooking and set aside.
Add the celery, carrots, onion, and garlic to the pot and cook thoroughly. Once cooked, add in the flour and mix everything until it becomes a thick paste. If it looks pretty gnarly, you’re on the right track! You can now add in your chicken bone broth and water. Mix this around and bring it to a boil. It will thicken as it heats up.
Next, use a stick blender and pulverize your ingredients so that it resembles a soup/stew. If you don’t have a stick blender, carefully ladle it into a blender and blend up in batches. Bring this back up to a boil and add salt and pepper to taste.
Once it is boiling, add the shredded chicken, broccoli, and the milk/cream. Reduce the heat and simmer until the broccoli has cooked through. Continue tasting and adding salt and pepper to your liking.
Once the soup has reduced and the flavor is just right, you can turn off the heat. Serve this up in a deep bowl and top with the rendered bacon, shredded cheese, and green onions. I like to serve this up with a loaf of French bread so we can dip and eat.
Give this recipe a try. You will not be disappointed (unless you don’t eat dairy, pork, or chicken broccoli soup). Leave a comment and share this recipe with your friends, family, and PLN. Buen provecho!