Hen Pot Pie Soup

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

If you’re up for it, you may all the time make a complete chicken pot pie. It’s nonetheless fairly simple.

Plenty of recipes use potatoes for the “pie crust” component or canned biscuit dough, however that’s simply not my fashion in any respect. I considered 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 gentle, doughy “pie crust” goodness, and actually, it may be even higher.

Ingredient Notes

• Boneless Skinless Hen Breast: You’ll want about 1 1/2 kilos. Hen thighs work too if you happen to want darkish meat. Simply trim off any extra fats.
• Olive Oil: Only a bit to brown the rooster. You’ll be able to sub in avocado oil or any impartial oil you’ve bought readily available.
• Salted Butter: In case 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 bought.
• Carrots: Use 4 medium carrots. You’ll be able to cube or slice them, no matter texture you favor in your soup.
• Celery Ribs: Go for 4 ribs, sliced.
• All-Function 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 attainable, however jarred garlic works too. It simply has a barely extra bitter taste.
• Hen Broth: Go together with low sodium in order for you 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 could possibly swap in half-and-half, however it received’t be fairly as thick.
• Frozen Peas: Toss them in straight from the freezer. No must 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” that means grocery shops promote it at a loss so it’s probably the greatest bargains you’ll find.

You’ll skip the browning step at first. 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.

For the reason that rooster’s already executed, you’ll simply need to simmer the soup lengthy sufficient to warmth the whole lot by way of and let the flavors come collectively.

Gnocchi Choices

Gnocchi is the key ingredient that provides this soup that “pie crust” vibe with none baking. You’ll often 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 case you’re utilizing frozen gnocchi, there’s no must thaw it. Simply toss it into the simmering soup and provides it a few additional minutes. You’ll understand it’s prepared when the gnocchi float to the highest and are gentle and pillowy.

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

Vegetable Add-Ins

This soup is tremendous versatile relating to veggies. In case you’ve bought extras readily available or simply need to enhance the vitamin, listed below are some simple add-in choices:

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

Corn: Stir in 1 cup of frozen or canned corn once you add the peas and gnocchi. No additional prepare 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 in order that they prepare dinner by way of 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 may completely tweak the feel based mostly 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 cut back the broth by 1 cup firstly for a naturally thicker consequence.

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 a little bit at a time till it’s the consistency you need, then heat it by way of earlier than serving.