Hen Pot Pie Soup

Hen pot pie at all times hits the spot for me, however let’s be actual, making the crust from scratch isn’t at all times within the playing cards. This soup model provides you all that basic, comfort-food taste with rather less work. It’s wealthy, creamy, full of tender rooster and veggies, and each chunk tastes like rooster soup for the soul.

If you’re up for it, you possibly can at all times make an entire chicken pot pie. It’s nonetheless fairly simple.

Why My Recipe

• All of the consolation meals flavors of rooster pot pie in soup kind!
• Gnocchi is used as a handy choice to mimic a pie crust, and it may be even higher.
• Made with on a regular basis elements and prepared in below 45 minutes.

A variety of recipes use potatoes for the “pie crust” factor or canned biscuit dough, however that’s simply not my fashion in any respect. I thought of including some home made biscuit dough to behave as dumplings, however a good higher thought got here to thoughts: Gnocchi! These little potato dumplings are bought dry within the pasta aisle in most grocery shops. You get that very same mushy, doughy “pie crust” goodness, and truthfully, it may be even higher.

Ingredient Notes

• Boneless Skinless Hen Breast: You’ll want about 1 1/2 kilos. Hen thighs work too in the event you want darkish meat. Simply trim off any extra fats.
• Olive Oil: Only a bit to brown the rooster. You possibly can sub in avocado oil or any impartial oil you’ve obtained available.
• Salted Butter: In the event you solely have unsalted, that’ll work simply fantastic.
• White Onion: A medium onion is ideal right here. Yellow onion works too if that’s what you’ve obtained.
• Carrots: Use 4 medium carrots. You possibly can cube or slice them, no matter texture you like in your soup.
• Celery Ribs: Go for 4 ribs, sliced.
• All-Goal Flour: This thickens the soup and provides it that creamy pot pie texture. Don’t skip the cooking time, it removes the uncooked flour style.
• Minced Garlic: About 2 tablespoons, which is roughly 6 cloves. Use recent if doable, however jarred garlic works too. It simply has a barely extra bitter taste.
• Hen Broth: Go together with low sodium if you need extra management over the salt. Retailer-bought or home made each work nice. I additionally love Higher Than Boullioun.
• Dried Thyme: Only a contact goes a good distance so as to add that signature pot pie taste.
• Heavy Cream: This makes the soup wealthy and silky. You can swap in half-and-half, however it gained’t be fairly as thick.
• Frozen Peas: Toss them in straight from the freezer. No have to thaw. Canned peas will work too, however they’re a lot softer.
• Gnocchi: That is your pie crust stand-in! Search for it within the pasta aisle, usually vacuum-packed.

Rotisserie Hen Shortcut

Rotisserie rooster makes this soup even faster to get on the desk, plus it’s what’s often called a “loss chief” which means grocery shops promote it at a loss so it’s among the best bargains yow will discover.

You’ll skip the browning step at the start. As a substitute, go forward and begin by sautéing the veggies in butter, then proceed on with the recipe. Stir in about 3 cups of shredded rotisserie rooster when the recipe requires including the cooked rooster again in.

Because the rooster’s already achieved, you’ll simply wish to simmer the soup lengthy sufficient to warmth every little thing via and let the flavors come collectively.

Gnocchi Choices

Gnocchi is the key ingredient that offers this soup that “pie crust” vibe with none baking. You’ll normally discover gnocchi in vacuum-sealed packages within the pasta aisle, however refrigerated or frozen gnocchi works too. Shelf-stable gnocchi is tremendous handy and cooks proper within the soup in about 5 minutes.

In the event you’re utilizing frozen gnocchi, there’s no have to thaw it. Simply toss it into the simmering soup and provides it a few additional minutes. You’ll comprehend it’s prepared when the gnocchi float to the highest and are mushy and pillowy.

You may as well discover gluten-free gnocchi at many grocery shops. With gluten-free, you simply wish to cook dinner it in accordance with the bundle instructions earlier than including it in on the very finish.

Vegetable Add-Ins

This soup is tremendous versatile in terms of veggies. In the event you’ve obtained extras available or simply wish to enhance the diet, listed below are some simple add-in choices:

Mushrooms: Add 1 cup of sliced mushrooms with the carrots and celery. Sauté till softened and flippantly browned, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Corn: Stir in 1 cup of frozen or canned corn while you add the peas and gnocchi. No additional cook dinner time wanted.

Child Spinach: Add 2 cups of recent child spinach on the very finish, proper earlier than serving. It’ll wilt in only a minute or two.

Diced Potatoes: Peel and cube 1 medium russet or Yukon gold potato into small cubes. Add it in with the broth so it has time to melt, about quarter-hour of simmering ought to do it.

Inexperienced Beans: Use 1 cup of chopped recent or frozen inexperienced beans. Add them with the carrots and celery so that they cook dinner via and keep tender-crisp.

Simply watch out to not overload the pot. About 2 cups of additional veggies complete is an effective rule of thumb to maintain the stability proper.

Adjusting Thickness

This soup is designed to be creamy and hearty, however you possibly can completely tweak the feel primarily based on the way you prefer it:

To Make It Thicker: If you would like a thicker soup, whisk collectively 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of chilly water. Stir it into the soup after including the cream and gnocchi, and simmer for an additional 2 to three minutes till thickened. You may as well scale back the broth by 1 cup initially for a naturally thicker end result.

To Make It Thinner: In case your soup seems thicker than you’d like (particularly if it sat for a bit), simply stir in an additional 1 to 2 cups of rooster broth or water. Add slightly at a time till it’s the consistency you need, then heat it via earlier than serving.