I really enjoy creamy soups and I create a lot of them.
I use some of them, like this one, to make a large batch of homemade chicken broth for other recipes.
I just double the chicken and/or water for the broth, then remove half of the liquid, strain it, and store the liquid in the freezer while placing the veggies back in the pot to continue with the soup.
I have also made this soup AIP elimination stage compliant by exchanging the gnocchi/pasta with white sweet potatoes, omitting the pepper, and using non-dairy liquids. [White sweet potatoes are less “sweet” and are easier to make savory.]
I’ve also eliminated the onions and garlic for low-FODMAP compliance. Celery and Carrots work wonders when you don’t have, or can’t use, onions and garlic.
Ingredients:
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts [cooked and diced, or whole uncooked breasts]
1 stalk celery [optional, but worth it if you have them]
1/4 to 1/2 med white onion
2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1 tbsp olive oil [or butter, coconut oil, avocado oil, etc]
4 cups chicken broth [or water if making extra broth]
Dash salt and pepper, to taste
1 tsp thyme
16 ounces potato gnocchi [or small pasta of your choice, or quinoa, or oatmeal, large cut white sweet potatoes, etc]
2 cups half and half [or coconut cream/milk] (for creamy soup, can also be omitted for non-creamy soup)
1 cup fresh spinach, roughly chopped [or kale, or beet leaves]
Directions:
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add celery, onions, garlic, and carrots. Sauce for 2-3 minutes until onions are translucent.
For cooked chicken: Add chicken, broth, salt, pepper, and thyme. Bring to boil, then gently stir in gnocchi [pasta, quinoa, oatmeal, white sweet potatoes, etc]. [If using beet leaves, add them now.] Boil for 3-4 minutes longer before reducing heat to simmer and cooking for 10 minutes.
- For uncooked chicken, making extra broth: Add water, whole chicken pieces [with or without bones], salt, and pepper. [Double the amount of water and/or chicken to make additional shredded/diced chicken and/or chicken broth for other meals.]
- Cook for 45 minutes.
- Remove chicken and place on cutting board. Chop with a knife or shred with two forks, depending on how you want to use chicken now and later.
- Add amount of chicken you want back to pot, store rest of chicken.
- Pour half of the liquid through a strainer into another pot or heat-resistant bowl. Return veggies in strainer back to original pot. [Store broth in the refrigerator for up to a week, or freeze it in 1-2 cup batches for 3-4 months.]
- Add thyme. [If using beet leaves, add them now]
- Bring back to boil and gently stir in gnocchi [pasta, quinoa, oatmeal, white sweet potatoes, etc.]
- Boil for 3-4 minutes longer before reducing heat to simmer and cooking for 10 minutes.
Stir in half and half, slowly and with constant stirring to prevent curdling [or a dairy alternative such as coconut cream; creams are better than milk but milk will work.]
Add spinach [or kale or any thicker leaves like beet leaves, though adding beet leaves earlier with the gnocchi/pasta is better].
Cook another 1-2 minutes until leaves are tender.
Add salt and pepper if needed.
Serve.
Note: If you’re making the soup to freeze or for left-overs, cooking the gnocchi/pasta separately and adding to the soup bowls when serving is best to keep them firm and prevent sogginess. Spinach, kale, and beet leaves won’t overcook.