Quinoa Chicken Soup for the Soul

Its been really gloomy and rainy this week. Cold, cloudy, grey days make me think of soup. A nice steaming bowl of chicken quinoa soup with a piece of honey wheat bread fresh from the bakery. Doesn’t that warm you up just thinking about it?

Soup is one of my all time favorite comfort foods. Its also really healthy. Typically, foods aren’t described as both, so this is a definite plus.

For the record, my other favorite savory comfort foods include mac and cheese, my Dad’s bbq ribs, Mom’s chicken casserole, spaghetti with meatballs and Italian sausage, and pierogies smothered in sautéed onions and butter. And my mouth is now watering. Okay, back to the healthy comforting chicken quinoa soup made with homemade chicken stock.

Whenever my mom makes soup, she always makes the noodles or rice on the side. It started when we couldn’t decide between the two. (Why not have a cup of each! Hello!) However, I kept cooking the starches on the side, because I love when pasta and rice is al dente. I also love leftover soup. Unless you keep the starch on the side, your leftovers will be filled with soggy, mushy noodles and rice. Gross!

Today, I’m using quinoa because its delicious, healthy, and currently in my pantry. But seriously, use what you have! Any kind of pasta or rice works beautifully in this recipe… or be like my mom and make both.

Ingredients:

Olive oil

8 cups homemade chicken stock

3 cups of chicken, roughly chopped

1 bag of baby carrots, chiopped

4 stalks of celery, chopped

1 very large onion, or 2 small ones, chopped

4 cloves of garlic, minced or microplaned

2 bay leaves

1 parmesan cheese rind, about 2 inches worth

salt

pepper

cooked quinoa (or pasta or rice)

flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped

parmesan cheese! grated

Directions:

Heat a large soup pot to medium heat and add a swirl of olive oil. Add the onions, carrots, and celery. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook about 5 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook for a minute more.

Add the bay leaves, chicken, cheese rind, and cover with stock.

Bring the soup up to a boil, cover, and reduce to a simmer until the veggies are tender.

While the soup is simmering away, cook your quinoa.

Garnish with parmesan and parsley.

Enjoy!

xo Ali