Chicken Pot Pie Soup

When Ryan and I first starting dating, we used to have those “get to know you” long distance phone calls. Our relationship was mostly long distance at that point, so we had a lot of these phone calls. I was in culinary school at the time, so naturally one of the questions was, “what is your favorite food.” Undoubtedly, one of Ryan’s all time favorites is Chicken Pot Pie. I decided to lighten up the traditional calorie packer by making this hearty soup for winter weather. I decided to post this recipe today because we keep hearing about the terrible snow storm coming to New England. There’s nothing better in a big storm than a big pot of soup to warm you up from all that shoveling!

Makes: 8 servings
Prep Time: 40 minutes    Cooking Time: 1 hour       Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes

4 baked russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 large chicken breasts
48 oz chicken stock
1 vidallia onion, small dice
4 cloves garlic, small dice
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 bag mixed frozen vegetables, thawed
3 tbs flour
2 tbs butter
1/3 cup white wine
salt and pepper to taste

• Heat the chicken stock in a large soup pot until it is just simmering. Add the chicken breasts to the pot, reduce the heat just a bit, and poach until cooked through. After about 30 minutes, check the chicken for doneness and remove from the pot. Set aside until the chicken is cool enough to shred. 
• Skim any fat and residue from the top of the chicken stock with a straining spoon. Pour the chicken stock into a large bowl and reserve for later.
• Heat the pot back onto medium heat. Add a drizzle of oil, the onions, garlic, and paprika, thyme, and rosemary into the pot. Cook for 5 minutes, or until they are soft and translucent.
• Add the butter and flour into the pan. Stir to make a roux and cook for about 2 minutes, or until it just starts to brown. Add the wine to the pot and whisk until absorbed and smooth. Add 1 cup of chicken stock to the pot. Whisk until smooth. Add the potatoes and remaining chicken stock back into the pot. Continue to cook on medium heat.
• Shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Add the chicken into the soup pot. Cover and cook on low heat for 20 minutes.
• Add the thawed vegetables to the pot. Cook another 5 minutes before serving.

Other Soups and Stews to Keep You Warm: