Chicken Pot Pie Soup

This is a very low fat, easy to throw together soup that is very satisfying.

You can use leftover chicken from another dish or start from scratch. I like to brine my chicken when using it for soups as it tends to have a much greater depth of flavor than just boiling it. This is an optional step, but I think it makes a world of difference in the finished product.

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

(from here)

Brine:

16 oz boneless chicken breast

2 Tbs Kosher salt

2 Tbs sugar

1 1/2 cups of water

Soup:

1/4 cup flour

2 cups fat free chicken broth (divided)

4 cups milk

1 large celery stalk, chopped

1/2 medium chopped onion
10 oz frozen mixed vegetables

1 tsp salt (to taste)

1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper

1/4 tsp dried thyme

2 potatoes, peeled and cubed small

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The brine couldn't be simpler. I like to do this same procedure for a number of different meats, just to give them a boost. If you're watching your salt intake then obviously, skip this step.

Get your meat into a ziplock bag and add 2 tablespoons each or Kosher salt and sugar.

Add enough water to cover and defrost for 3 minutes if you want to speed up the brine time and your chicken is frozen.

Store in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours, up to overnight.

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First thing you want to do is make a slurry with 1/2 cup of cold chicken broth and 1/4 cup of flour.



Mix until well combined and not lumpy.

Set aside for now.



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Drain the chicken from the brine and pat dry on paper towels.

Cook in a large pot over med/high heat.

Remove when done. About 3 minutes per side, depending on your cut of chicken. Do not overcook the chicken at this point. Pull it early if you are in doubt.

Let the chicken cool and dice it. 

Cover and stash in the fridge.

Deglaze your pot with the chicken broth and milk. Scrape up the brown bits on the bottom.

Bring to a slow boil.



Prep the celery and onion. You can use any kind of onion, I just had half a red onion on hand.

Portion out the frozen veggies, too.

When you reach a boil, add all of the veggies. 

Stir well and add 1 tsp salt (to taste), 1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper, and 1/4 tsp dried thyme.

Bring back to a boil.

When it reaches a boil, drop the heat to low and partially cover.

Simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the chicken and potatoes. 

Stir well and add the broth/flour slurry.

Continue to simmer for another 5-10 minutes, partially covered.

Serve when the potatoes are soft and the soup is thickened to your liking.

This was a really simple soup. Without the extra fat it was a bit lighter than expected, but still very satisfying.

The flavors were very classic - chicken, veggies, thyme and black pepper. It was also surprisingly filling and was a big hit with my daughter.

It's a great weeknight soup that will satisfy the family.

Enjoy!