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, full of tender rooster and veggies, and each chunk tastes like rooster soup for the soul.

In case you are up for it, you’ll be able to all the time make a complete chicken pot pie. It’s nonetheless fairly simple.

Why My Recipe

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

A whole lot of recipes use potatoes for the “pie crust” aspect or canned biscuit dough, however that’s simply not my model in any respect. I considered including some selfmade biscuit dough to behave as dumplings, however an excellent 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 comfortable, doughy “pie crust” goodness, and truthfully, it is likely to be even higher.

Ingredient Notes

• Boneless Skinless Hen Breast: You’ll want about 1 1/2 kilos. Hen thighs work too when you favor 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: Should you solely have unsalted, that’ll work simply superb.
• 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 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 potential, however jarred garlic works too. It simply has a barely extra bitter taste.
• Hen Broth: Go along with low sodium if you’d like extra management over the salt. Retailer-bought or selfmade 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 may swap in half-and-half, but it surely 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, sometimes vacuum-packed.

Rotisserie Hen Shortcut

Rotisserie rooster makes this soup even faster to get on the desk, plus it’s what’s referred to as a “loss chief” that means grocery shops promote it at a loss so it’s the most effective bargains you’ll find.

You’ll skip the browning step initially. 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 all the things by 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 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.

Should you’re utilizing frozen gnocchi, there’s no must thaw it. Simply toss it into the simmering soup and provides it a few further minutes. You’ll realize it’s prepared when the gnocchi float to the highest and are comfortable and pillowy.

You can even discover gluten-free gnocchi at many grocery shops. With gluten-free, you simply need to cook dinner it in line with the package deal instructions earlier than including it in on the very finish.

Vegetable Add-Ins

This soup is tremendous versatile relating to veggies. Should you’ve obtained extras available or simply need to enhance the diet, listed here are some simple add-in choices:

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

Corn: Stir in 1 cup of frozen or canned corn if you add the peas and gnocchi. No further 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 in order that they cook dinner by and keep tender-crisp.

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

Adjusting Thickness

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

To Make It Thicker: If you need 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 can even scale back the broth by 1 cup at the beginning for a naturally thicker outcome.

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