Mmmmmmm. I make this in a Dutch oven cause I like saying it, but any old pot will work. And I make this with easy drop biscuits but a can of biscuits works too if you'd rather.
Use:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can low sodium chicken broth
2 bags frozen vegetable blend*
1 half onion (minced)
1 cup water
1 cup butter
3/4 cup all purpose flour
3 cups milk (or cream)
(Dried spices)
Thyme
Oregano
Parsley
Garlic powder
Basil
Salt
Pepper
So there are no quantities next to the spices because I honestly don't know. I'd say a minimum of a teaspoon each and salt and pepper to taste, but feel free to play! I like things SEASONED, so I go heavy and never have complaints.
Do:
1. Place the raw chicken breasts and minced onion in a pot with the chicken broth. Add about a teaspoon each of the thyme, basil, parsley, garlic powder and oregano, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook on medium heat till the chicken is done. Shred the chicken with two forks when it's good and tender.
2. Add two bags of frozen vegetable blends (I go for the blend of carrots, broccoli and cauliflower), and one cup of water. Stir together and cover. Let it simmer.
3. In a medium sized saucepan melt the butter on medium heat. Slowly add in the flour, whisking the roux to keep it smooth. Add in the milk half a cup at a time, again whisking to keep it smooth. Every couple half cups use a rubber spatula to mix it, scraping the bottom to be sure you're incorporating everything. Add more of your spices into the rue if so desired (I usually do so desire, I add lots of pepper) (LOTS).
4. Add the roux mixture to the pot of chicken and veggies and mix it up. Let it simmer for a while longer (the longer it simmers the better it tastes!!). Serve with warm biscuits! Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
To make this flour/gluten/dairy free scratch the whole roux and use coconut milk to thicken the soup into a creamy consistency.
I have made this with basically any scrap veggies I have laying around, corn, mushrooms, celery, zucchini, anything. If my vegetable recommendations don't tickle your fancy then pick your own!
Oh, about the vegetables...you'll notice I asterisked them, here's why: *I have done EXTENSIVE looking into fresh/flash frozen veggies. There is a pervasive thought that fresh is best, and while that is true to an extent, the reality is that a lot of times flash frozen veggies are just as good, if not better than "fresh". You know how a car starts losing value the second you drive it off the lot? Vegetables are the same way with nutrients. The second a veggie is cut from the plant it starts losing nutritional value. The longer it's separated before being consumed the more nutritional value it loses. Flash frozen veggies are usually harvested, chopped and frozen in a matter of hours, meaning they retain a lot more nutrients than a "fresh veggie" that is harvested, loaded into a truck, and shipped into your local grocery store over the course of a couple days. This is ESPECIALLY the case out of season. So yes, if you have a garden or live on a farm and can go from field to table that day, fresh is best. Or if you have a recipe that requires a whole product, or something specific to "fresh produce", then yes, fresh is best. But for the sake of this recipe, where I need chopped, mixed veggies on a budget, flash frozen is just as good. And as I'm in Illinois in the middle of January it's better. No trucked in, nutrient deficient veggies for this girl!! (Side note: be sure and read packaging and avoid any frozen veggies with added salt)
Alright kids, there's the recipe, it's delicious, and this quantity feeds me and my husband and toddler for dinner and a couple lunches!
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