inspire me -- chicken soup

[NYchowcook]

So I made some very good chicken stock, and I thought instead of freezing it all to use in braising, etc. or w/ matzoh balls, I'd like to cook up a healthy soup.

Ideas? Not too elaborate, please.

[mcel215]

I have been making my chicken soup like this for years.

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts, bone and skin left on
3 ribs of celery
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 bunch of broccoli rabe, stems removed, chopped
1/2 box orzo
kosher salt
black pepper
good parmesean cheese, grated
red pepper flakes

Roast two breasts of chicken (skin and bone on), at 400 degrees for 1/2 hour. Make sure to add a pinch of kosher salt & pepper. After 1/2hr remove from oven, and wrap in foil, set aside.

Saute carrots, celery, onion in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, in pan or dutch oven.

When onion is translucent, add 1/2 cup of white wine. Deglaze and stir. Add chicken stock, bring to a simmer, turn down stove to medium low. Cut up chicken into bite sized pieces, discard bone and skin, add to stock. Add a pinch of salt, black and red pepper flakes. Let simmer for about 15 minutes. Add broccoli rabe, cover tightly with lid. Shut off pan.

In a seperate pan, boil 4 quarts of salted water, cook orzo about 8 minutes.

To serve: Place a ladle full of orzo at bottom of bowl, add soup. Add a good sprinkle of parmesean to top of soup as a garnish.

[emilief]

Greek Avgolemono- egg lemon soup. Cook one cup opf rice in the chicken broth. Beat together two eggs and the juice of 3 lemons. Pour spoonfuls of hot chicken broth slowly into egg lemon mixture whisking all the time then pour back into broth,keep whisking so as not to make scrambled eggs. Salt and pepper. Yum.

[dubedo]

Avgolemono is my favorite meal! My variations - orzo instead of rice, and I beat the egg whites separately, then add the yolks and lemon (then temper with hot broth, as described by emilief). This makes a delicious lemony foam on top. I also add shredded cooked chicken if I have any.

[yamalam]

My family has an asian influenced get-well chicken soup that is pretty simple but delicious and a little different. It's just chicken(I usually throw in leftover roast chicken), minced ginger, minced garlic, napa or bok choy, carrots, long beans, and whatever else you might have in the veggie drawer. Add plenty of fresh lemon juice right before serving. Serve with rice and soy sauce, yum.

[Querencia]

African Soup: Saute some onions and peppers, add some cooked chicken meat and a can of tomatoes, and season with hot red pepper and peanut butter (the latter is what makes the difference). Add this to your chicken stock along with some cooked rice or serve the soup with a scoop of rice in every bowl. A little okra wouldn't hurt if you happen to have some lying around the freezer.

[Irish Foodie]

I love Tortilla Soup. It’s a chicken soup with Mexican ingredients to spice it up and deliver a delicious flavor combination. Ingredients and techniques differ but a basic version is to use your chicken stock as base. Add some cumin, onions, chopped tomatoes, and corn kernels. Simmer to blend flavors. Pour into bowls and garnish with your choice of fried tortilla strips, minced cilantro, minced onion, sour cream, grated cheese, and chopped green chilies. This is also great for fighting off a cold.

[hannaone]

A recipe for a Korean version of chicken soup is posted here:
http://www.chow.com/recipes/11318

[chicgail]

I love this Mexican Chicken Soup

2 tablespoons canola oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium rib celery, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
6 cups chicken broth, low-sodium canned
1/4 cup canned green chiles
1 (15 1/2-ounce) can posole, (hominy) drained or frozen corn kernels
4 canned whole peeled tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 cup cooked skinless shredded chicken breast (about 4 ounces)
Juice of 1 lime
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, garlic, chili powder, and cumin, and cook until the onion softens, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth, bring to a boil, reduce the heat slightly, and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Add the green chiles, posole, tomatoes, and oregano and cook for another 5 minutes.
Pull the saucepan from the heat and stir in the chicken, and lime juice. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

The recipe calls for cilantro, but I'm one of those people who think cilantro tastes like soap so I hold my nose, chop it up and make it available to others who want to add it to their soup.

4 servings

[HillJ]

a few slices of fresh ginger root adds a nice zing to chicken soup!

[susan1353]

I make a chicken and root vegetable soup from Jane Brody's Good Food Gourmet that's a winner. It's got carrots, turnips, parsnips, potatoes, leeks and chicken. It's hearty and delicious, and I've even thicken leftovers to use as the innards of chicken pot pie.