Southwestern Chicken and Red Rice Soup

Since it's chilly at night,  I recently made this delightful soup recipe, adapted from a good friend's version of soup she had ordered at a local cafe.  Full of piquant peppers and onions, hearty red rice, corn and chicken, this soup was one of the best I've tasted in a long while.

Red rice you ask?  It was the first time I had used it, as I normally use brown rice.  I've since learned that red rice is even more nutritious than brown rice! Red rice gets it's color from an antioxidant called anthrocyanins, which are found in dark purple and red fruits and vegetables.  Anthrocyanins are believed to have properties that reduce inflammation and can prevent the risk of cancer.  The manganese found in both red and brown rice helps to strengthen metabolism, lower blood pressure as well as lower heart attack risk.  And, there is Magnesium in it that can strengthen bones and teeth (if taken along with calcium).  Red rice has a delightful nutty flavor.

With a side of tortilla chips, either crumbled or used as a 'spoon' for dipping into your soup, it will be hard to not go back for seconds.  Believe me, I did :)   The flavors in this soup are bright and flavorful enough to serve all year long and is only moderately spicy, not hot.

Garden and yard clean up is taking up a lot of time now that the snow has finally melted.  It's wonderful to see things sprouting and growing again!

We also had a all-family gathering recently where we celebrated three family birthdays.  It was a delicious event hosted by my daughter and son-in-law.  I'd love to share with you the new 'gallery' of artwork my daughter recently installed, all of which were created by my 6-year-old grandson, Dane. It makes me smile knowing that we may have a budding artist in the family :)

Southwestern Chicken and Red Rice Soup

Printable Recipe

1-2 tablespoons neutral-flavored oil, such as canola or grapeseed
1 large yellow onion, diced
4-5 large stalks of fresh celery, diced (about 1-1/2 cups)
1 scant tablespoon of garlic, minced
1 large or two small Poblano peppers, seeded and diced
1 28-oz can petite diced tomatoes in juice
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and diced (or use rotisserie chicken breast), about 2 cups
1 12-oz bag frozen white corn (use all or as much as you like)
1 cup uncooked red rice (Whole Foods), brown rice can be subbed if you can't find red rice
4 cups chicken stock (I like Costco's Organic Chicken Stock or Kitchen Basic Unsalted Chicken Stock)
2 cups water

Salt and Pepper to taste

Tortilla chips and chopped cilantro or parsley for garnish

In a soup or stock pot, saute the onions and celery in oil over medium heat until transparent.

Add the diced peppers and saute a few minutes more. Add the garlic and saute for another minute. Add the petite diced tomatoes, including juice and chicken stock. Bring to a boil and simmer on low for about 45 minutes.

Add the wild rice, bring to a boil and simmer on low for about 40 minutes until the rice is tender but not soft. It should be 'al dente'.

Add the cooked chicken and corn and simmer until heated through. Add salt and pepper to taste (I like lots of pepper) and serve.

Note: Red rice may be slightly more difficult to find than other kinds of rice.  You should be able to find it at Whole Foods or a very well-stocked grocery store. Lundberg is a very good brand and grown in California. If you are lucky enough to find it locally, I highly recommend it. 

You can find Lundberg red rice on Amazon by clicking here.  

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Hearty Chicken Stew

Here is a creamy, satisfying chicken stew/soup to warm your body and mind while the stubborn cold and snow remain. I first tasted this soup at a ski lodge many years ago and I worked on adapting the recipe over the years into one my family's best-loved soups.

The recipe is easily adapted using freshly poached chicken breast, rotisserie chicken or with a nice chunk of turkey breast in the freezer from Thanksgiving as I did this time.  Add whatever veggies you like or have on hand. 

The key ingredients that should not be altered are the herbs which gives this thickened soup (or stew) it's distinctive flavor. I have used dried herbs but this year I am still using the herbs that I harvested and froze last fall. 

This is our family's favorite - make it yours too!

Hearty Chicken Soup

~ A Savoring Time in the Kitchen Recipe
Printable Recipe

2-3 chicken breasts halves, poached and diced (use rotisserie chicken breast for convenience)
1 large onion, diced
4 medium carrots, peeled and diced
4 stalks celery, diced
8-10 small red potatoes, washed and cut into 1/2 inch chunks (russets may be substituted)
5 sprigs fresh thyme  (can substitute 1 tsp dried)

1 tablespoon fresh basil (can substitute 1 tsp dried)

¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp ground pepper

4 tablespoons butter
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 32-oz container unsalted chicken stock (I like Kitchen Basics brand or Kirkland's Organic - or homemade stock is always wonderful)
1 14-oz can of diced tomatoes, drained (I like Pomi brand)

1 cup frozen peas - thawed and drained

Water - as needed
1-2 teaspoons "Better than Bouillon" Chicken Soup Base, optional

Poach 3 chicken breasts in a large saute pan with a little water until done – about 15 minutes. I like to add 1 or 2 bay leaves to the poaching liquid.  Cool until safe to handle and cut into small squares. You may also use rotisserie chicken breasts or cooked turkey breast. 

In large stock pot, over medium heat, melt the butter.  Add the diced onion, carrots, celery and potatoes. Cook, stirring often, until vegetables (especially potatoes and carrots) are just barely tender when pierced with a fork. I place a cover loosely over the pot while cooking.

When the vegetables are just barely tender,  toss the flour over the vegetables and stir in. Add the chicken stock all at once and keep cooking and stirring occasionally until the broth is thickened.  Add more stock or water to make the broth thinner, if needed. 

Add all of the seasonings, drained tomatoes, peas and cut-up chicken. Add chicken soup base if a richer taste is desired. Cook until heated through and serve.

Options: 

• Add 1 or 2 chipotle chilis and crushed tortillas for a Southwest flavor
• Replace the potatoes with cannelini beans - add the beans at the end when adding the tomatoes (beans may be pureed and used as a thickener instead of flour also)
• Use turkey breast or a rotisserie chicken instead of poached chicken breast
• If you prefer it slightly 'thicker' add a 3/4 cup flour instead of 1/2 cup

Homemade Chicken Soup and Potato Dumplings

I don't know if chicken soup has any healing powers but it sure has comforting powers. Whenever I show the first signs of getting a cold, I make a big pot of this warm-the-soul soup.

My mother made this soup for as long as I can remember but she always made it with beef for my dad. 

If your body decides to accept some unwanted cold germs this season, try my favorite chicken soup and dumplings.

Chicken Soup
Printable Recipe

4 quarts water
1 large cut-up chicken or 3 lbs thighs, skin removed, some pieces cut through to expose the marrow
1 large boneless chicken breast, poached separately (because I hate overcooked white meat)
4 large onions – 2 chopped and 1 whole onion left unpeeled
4 stalks celery chopped and 1/2 cup chopped celery leaves
4 large carrots, peeled & diced
1/4 cup chopped dried or fresh parsley
1 tablespoon dried or fresh dill
2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon whole peppercorns
1 small bay leaf


Optional additions are parsnips, turnips or rutabagas.

1. Put the water and the chicken in a large pot and bring the water to a boil. Skim off the froth.

2. Add 2 chopped onions, the whole unpeeled onion, 2 stalks chopped celery, celery leaves, 2 of the chopped carrots, the parsley, dill, salt, pepper and bay leaf. Reduce heat and simmer for 2 1/2 hours, adjusting the seasonings to taste.

3. Remove the chicken and vegetables and strain the broth several times, discarding vegetables. (If possible, chill the stock overnight, so the hardened fat can be removed). Reheat the broth and add additional reserved vegetables (diced onion, carrot, celery, etc) and simmer until just fork tender – about 30 minutes. Shred the breast and any of the thigh meat you wish to use and add to the stock. 

4. Cook potato dumplings separately and add to finished soup or you can use egg noodles or rice.

Potato Dumplings

2 cups potatoes, preferably Russets, cooked and passed through a ricer or mashed.  Note: After draining water from potatoes, put them back on the hot stove and shake the potatoes in the pan over the heat until all of the excess water is removed.
1/3 cup butter, softened
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
¼ cup whole milk
3 cups flour

Blend ingredients one-at-a-time in the order given and drop by tablespoon-fulls into simmering water and cook for 30 minutes. Add to soup.

These dumplings would also taste wonderful with beef or other meat stews.

Chicken Soup - Good for What Ails You!

It’s that time of year again – stuffed up, sneezing, coughing, aching time of year, or, a time when I like to make homemade chicken soup when I get a cold! Over the years of collecting recipes from the 'net, I've come up with a pretty good compilation recipe. It is mainly adapted from Nancy’s Homemade Jewish Chicken Soup.

Instead of the Matzo Balls in Nancy's recipe, I like to add my mother’s old-fashioned potato dumplings. I think it’s a Scandinavian thing but I think many northern European countries have their own versions. I reminds me of home and that's comforting in itself :)

Chicken Soup with Potato Dumplings

Printable Recipe

5-6 bone in chicken thighs, remove skin
1 tablespoon of salt, more to taste
1-1/2 tablespoons whole peppercorns)
Several sprigs of parsley
1 tablespoon dried dill
6 stalks of celery with leaves and some of the celery heart, chopped, divided

1-1/2 pounds of carrots, peeled and chopped, divided

2 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped, divided

1 small yellow onion   (leave one small onion unpeeled)
1 small bay leaf

32 ounces chicken stock

water

Put cleaned chicken thighs in a large soup pot. Cover the chicken with stock and water, enough to cover by at least 3 inches, and add salt. 

Bring to a full boil over high heat, skimming off the foam. Add the pepper, parsley, celery and dill. Add half of the chopped carrots & onions

Slowly simmer for about three hours, with a lid partially covering the pot.  Add extra water as needed to keep the pot around two-thirds full. Skim the fat off the top occasionally.  Ideally, refrigerate overnight and removed solidified fat the next day.

Remove chicken pieces from the stock and strain the liquid.  Pull the chicken off the bones and cut or shred into pieces.

Place strained stock back in the soup pot and bring to a boil.  Add the remaining chopped celery, carrots and onions and cook for about 30 minutes.  Then add the chicken pieces and potato dumplings, recipe below.

Taste and add additional salt and pepper if needed.  Add more freshly chopped parsley for serving.

Potato Dumplings

3 cups mashed potatoes, cooked and riced (about 3 medium russet potatoes)
2 large, whole eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons butter
1/8 - 1/4 c. milk, depending on humidity (my mother would use chicken stock from the soup)
3 cups of flour, start with 2 cups and add more flour as needed
Salt to taste, about 1-1/2 teaspoons
White pepper to taste, about ½ teaspoon
Chopped parsley or chives, optional

After boiling the potatoes, drain. hen put potatoes back into the hot pan to remove excess water from potatoes. Rice them and measure.

To the still hot mashed potatoes, add the butter and allow to melt. Add salt, and milk, seasonings and combine. Set aside to cool. Add beaten eggs and 3 cups flour, one cup at a time. Mix and then knead until smooth and soft in texture. If dough is sticky, use a little more flour.

Bring a large stock pot of water to a low boil.

Scoop up dough with a spoon or in your floured hands and drop into boiling salted water gently and cook for 20 to 25 minutes.

Remove from water, drain and add to chicken soup above.