Onion Chicken Soup with Sauteed Mushrooms

 Onion Chicken Soup with Sauteed Mushrooms

This was the most onion-y soup ever.  So much so that the shirt I was wearing when I made it was, well, stinky!  It smelled very strongly of onions and soup. But, wow oh wow, what a tasty soup, one of my all time favorites for sure.  If you like a flavorful soup or if you  like French Onion soup you will love this recipe. The soup is filled, I mean absolutely brimming with veggies, chicken, mushrooms, and of course onions.  cooking a whole chicken in water for several hours with fresh herbs lends the sou pa depth of flavor.  Sauteing the mushrooms and onions seals their tastes and assures that they will not be overcooked.

Onion Chicken Soup with Sauteed Mushrooms

1 small, whole chicken
3 large onions, I used one red and two yellow, cut onion in half and then slice into long strips
1 pound of mushrooms, quartered
4 carrots, chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
3 russet potatoes, chopped
5 large leaves of chard, cut into small pieces
salt and pepper to taste (more pepper for more spice, yum)
4 bay leaves
4 sprigs of fresh thyme
Tamari or soy sauce served on the side as needed

Crusty bread (see below for suggestions)

I start with a 5 quart soup pan, filling it 2/3 with water.  Add a whole chicken and some salt, pepper, bay leaves, and thyme, bring to a boil.  The pan will be full of water once you add the chicken, but not so full that it overflows while it boils.  Once the soup is boiling reduce temperature until it cooks at a slow boil.  Continue to cook chicken for 2-3 hours.

After 2-3 hours, remove chicken from water, place on a plate and take all the meat off the bones, to add to the soup later.  I give the fat and gristle to my dogs.  Set meat aside to add when soup is almost done cooking.

Run a strainer through the soup to fish out any bones.  Also discard bay leaves and thyme stems.  Now you can add the chopped carrots, celery, and potatoes.  Cook until soft then you can add other ingredients, read on...

Meanwhile, you can saute the onions and mushrooms.  I cooked them separately, the onions in one pan and the mushrooms in another.  You can cut the onions into long, thin strips.  Cook them until they are browned and somewhat soft.  Quarter the mushrooms and cook them in olive oil until soft, but not mushy, as they will also cook in the pot of soup.  Set aside, and add once the veggies- the carrots, celery and potatoes- are soft in the big soup pan.

the organic mushrooms and sauteed onions pictured with chicken and chard

Once you have added the mushrooms and onions, add the chicken and chopped chard.  The chard will cook in the hot soup liquid.  Let chard sit in soup for 10 minutes or more and then serve the soup with a crusty bread like Essential Bakery's Potato bread or Parisian bread, toasted.  Essential Bakery is located in Seattle Washington, and offers delicious bread fresh every morning in many stores (including locally here in the Star Store and at Payless) and in their cafe. 

fresh chard

 

Essential Bakery's Potato Bread

This recipe will serve many people, a whole party in fact, or freeze some and have dinner and/or lunch made for several days.  

I am also considering making a spicy jalapeno version of this soup.  I just love spicy soups!

~~ Enjoy ~~

*Spicy* Chicken Tortilla Soup

Mmmm, one of my all-time favorite recipes.  Full disclosure: I love soup.  I love every type of soup.  I love the idea of soup.  All of it.  And there is something about a spicy tortilla soup that does it for me.  Mmmm.  To me,  what really makes an excellent tortilla soup is:

1. Tortillas, of course
2. Good chicken stock, preferably homemade
3. Lime, Avocado, and Cilantro
4. Tomatoes
5. Jalapeno

That is all you really need for a great tortilla soup, in my opinion.  I also like to add fresh chicken, celery, sauteed onions, fresh garlic, red peppers, and thyme.  The Jalapeno is optional, in that many kids and even adults cannot handle them, but if you like a bit or a lot of spicy, go for it! 

Spicy Chicken Tortilla Soup
serves 6-8

8 cups of chicken stock, preferably homemade*
5-8 chicken thighs, without skin
1 large can of fire roasted tomatoes (24 oz)
1.5 cups dry pinto beans (optional) or 1 can of pintos
4 large sticks of celery, chopped
1 red pepper, sliced
2 large onions
4 cloves of garlic
1 TBS fresh thyme
1 package of small corn tortillas (about 10 tortillas)
1/2 jalapeno
1-2 limes, cut into wedges, served as garnish
1/2 bunch of cilantro, diced, served as garnish
1 avocado, sliced, served as garnish

*Begin by making your chicken stock.  I like to use a whole chicken bone from a previous baking.  I freeze them with some meat on, for just this kind of soup.  Boil the chicken in 8 cups of water (enough to cover it by an inch or two) for 3-6 hours at a slow boil.  For extra flavor add 2 bay leaves, 2 sprigs of thyme, 2 carrots, and 2 celery.  After cooking all the ingredients for several hours strain the bones, vegetables and herbs out so that you have just the liquid.  Freeze for later use or, make this soup . . .

Heat up your chicken stock to a slow boil.  Add 1.5 cups of dry pinto beans and cook for 2-3 hours, until soft.  Always make sure you have enough water!  Do not over-stir as you will break up the beans.  You can use canned beans, in which case you will proceed immediately to next step without cooking for several hours.

Saute 2 large, chopped onions until browned.  Set aside.  Saute 1/2 jalapeno, careful to not hurt your lungs with the spiciness!  Some of you may want to seed them and only cook the green part as the seeds are very spicy.  Also, set aside.

Add chopped celery, red pepper, canned tomatoes, fresh thyme, and chicken thighs, to the soup.  Cook for 45-60 minutes, or until chicken is tender.  Take thighs out of soup and shred them.  The easiest way to shred is to use two forks and break them up.  Add them to the soup again. 

Now add the sauteed onions, minced garlic, and jalapenos.  You may want to make 2 pans of soup, one spicy, one "not spicy" (for the kids or the wimps).

Meanwhile, make your tortillas: Dry them out by cooking them on a baking sheet at 225 F for 10-15 minutes.  Chop into 1/4 inch slices and cook in high heat oil on the stove top.  They will be a lot like chips after cooking. 

dried tortillas

Serve soup on top of tortillas with a garnish of a wedge of  lime, diced cilantro, and avocado.  I also had a green salad with this special dressing:

Lime Vinaigrette
2 TBS olive oil
2 TBS seasoned rice vinegar
1 TBS fresh lime juice
1 tsp honey
1 clove of minced garlic

Sweet Artichoke Chicken Soup

For a sweetness that lingers in your mouth, try this recipe. It is nourishing and delicious!

4small artichokes
4 quarts of chicken stock (make by boiling 1-2 leftover whole chickens for 3-6 hours on low, strain out bones
2 cups soaked lentils
1 onion diced
2 small zucchinis, sliced small
4 carrots cut small
4 stalks celery cut small
4 or more cloves garlic (press through a garlic press of dice small)
several handfuls of diced kale
salt to taste
Add artichokes and lentils to lightly boiling chicken soup stock. In 10 minutes add carrots, celery, onion. When the artichokes are soft enough to easily stick a fork through the base, take them out and serve on the side. When carrots are softened add zucchinis and garlic. In five minutes add diced kale and salt to taste.
Artichokes are excellent with this dipping sauce:
1/4 cup vegetable oil mayonaise
2-3 tablespoons soy sauce, tamari or braggs liquid aminos

Serve soup with with polenta, feta, and a green salad.