Warm and comforting soup that's also budget and time friendly, enjoy!
We've all been there, trying to figure out what to do for dinner and drawing a blank. Lately that's how it has been for me. Not really have been craving much or really anything specific. Also I've been trying to be more budget friendly and working out of my pantry and freezers, but this week has truly surprised me by how flippin busy I've been with work, doctor's appointments, house projects, etc. So I decided to just keep it simple with a roasted chicken and broccolini for Friday night which leads us to this recipe.
KEEP IT SIMPLE.
Now, you can make this the way I did, or you can make your life a bit more easy by taking a few shortcuts which I'll explain in each step what you can swap out or what not. So, join me in making this warming soup that your whole family will love!
Make sure you get all your mise en place ready before you begin. Small dice your half an onion, mince your garlic and shred your rotisserie chicken. This is where you can be more budget friendly by making your own stock or you can use store bought stock or bouillon. I love doing a rotisserie chicken at least once a week because you really can get about 3 meals out of it. What I do is shred all the meat off the bone and throw the carcass into a medium to large pot. Now gather whatever vegetables you have that are most likely dying in your fridge because I mean come on, who's really always good at eating their veggies?! Today I had half an onion, some baby carrots and garlic. If you want to truly make a stock like a chef you should have your mirepoix which is 50% onions, 25% celery and 25% carrots. I just eyeball about how much I need, cover it with cold water, bring to a boil and then reduce to simmer for at least 2 hours. You might need to add water every so often, but I like for mine to go for at least two to four hours. Strain and set aside.
With the rice, I used these great microwavable packs that are pre-cooked. I love to keep these on hand for quick dinners or for my weekday lunches. Today I had some leftover chicken flavor, but you can use white or brown rice, whatever is your preference.
One part of the recipe that is optional is the avocado. Since i haven't been to the store this week I ran out of any sour cream or yogurt, but I do have an avocado. I blended it up with the juice of one lime and 1 tablespoon of water to create a creamy aspect. But, if you don't do dairy or are watching fat intake you can omit it, but I typically like a creamy part of a soup so feel free to top it with your choice. It is still great without it though! This is what my mise en place looks like, there is no need for fancy bowls, I have to wash those and I try my best to use the least amount of dishes! And yes, with 4 dogs, this is my constant battle...
Chicken Tomatillo Soup
Servings- 4 Time- 30 minutes or 3 hours
Mise en Place:
Onion, small dice 1/2 Medium
Garlic, minced 2 cloves
Oil 1 Tbsp
Chicken, shredded 8 ounces
Rice, cooked 1 Cup
Corn Kernels 1/2 Cup
Tomatillo, pureed 2 Cups (canned)
Chicken Stock 4 Cups (homemade or store bought)
Avocado (optional) 1 Small
Sour Cream or Yogurt (optional)
Plan of Action:
Heat oil in a medium soup pot over medium high heat. Add onions and cook about 3-5 minutes, until translucent. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Now add the remaining ingredients except for the avocado or sour cream/yogurt.
Cook soup over medium heat, it should be simmering. Let this go for at least 20 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Top with creamy mashed avocado or sour cream/yogurt, tortillas on side, enjoy!
Please let me know what you thought of this soup down below! If you are interested in learning how to be a more intuitive cook I would check out my cooking lessons that can be done virtually! Have a great day everyone.
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