I sat down at the computer and tried to write this post about 47 times in the last few days. Sorry to leave the icky chicken and sweet potato fiasco up for so long!
I made some yummy soup the other night that the kids adored and they each had THIRDS.
DID YOU HEAR ME?!
THIRDS!
I think my head may have exploded.
The Ingredients.
1 store-bought rotisserie chicken carcass, or 1 1/2 cups already cooked chicken meat
6 cups water
1 or 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and chunked
2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules (check for gluten, this was clearly labeled gluten free)
1 cup broccoli florets
1 small onion, diced
1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
kosher salt to taste (probably a good 1 teaspoon, since the base is water)
50-cent piece size, or so, handful of raw spaghetti noodles to add at the end (I used Trader Joe's brown rice)
1 large handful raw spinach leaves to add at the end
Parmesan and Asiago cheese, optional garnish
The Directions.
If you're going to use a chicken carcass, cook it on low overnight in the water. In the morning, unplug the crock and let it cool before digging in with CLEAN hands to pick out the bones. Strain through a colander (retaining liquid!) if desired.
Or, start with a slow cooker with 6 cups of water, and add chicken. Add all vegetables except for the spinach leaves. Stir in the bouillon and vinegar. Salt to taste. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours, or until sweet potatoes are tender and the onion is translucent.
15 minutes before serving, put in raw spaghetti noodles and a large handful of spinach. Cover and flip to high.
Garnish with parmesan and asiago cheeses, if desired.
The Verdict.
This is such a wonderful, comforting soup. The balsamic vinegar does two things: 1, it really darkens the broth which provides a nice color, and 2, it brings the chicken flavor out so nicely while providing a touch of a tang. The tang is nice, because it fools your tongue into thinking it's tasting salt----which is mostly what you taste in canned chicken noodle soups.
Absolutely delicious. This fed our family of four for dinner, with just a bit leftover (and the kids were able to have 3rds!)
other yummy soups:
chicken and rice
Albondigas soup
black eyed pea soup
borscht
butternut squash
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