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 offers you all that traditional, 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 at all times make a complete chicken pot pie. It’s nonetheless fairly simple.

Quite a lot of recipes use potatoes for the “pie crust” component 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 concept 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 delicate, doughy “pie crust” goodness, and actually, it is perhaps 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 may sub in avocado oil or any impartial oil you’ve acquired readily available.
• Salted Butter: For those who solely have unsalted, that’ll work simply high-quality.
• White Onion: A medium onion is ideal right here. Yellow onion works too if that’s what you’ve acquired.
• Carrots: Use 4 medium carrots. You may cube or slice them, no matter texture you favor 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 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, nevertheless it received’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 known as a “loss chief” which means grocery shops promote it at a loss so it’s among the finest bargains yow will discover.

You’ll skip the browning step firstly. 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 thing 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.

For those who’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 delicate and pillowy.

You can too discover gluten-free gnocchi at many grocery shops. With gluten-free, you simply wish to prepare 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 on the subject of veggies. For those who’ve acquired extras readily 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 frivolously 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 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 steadiness 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 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 too cut back the broth by 1 cup in the beginning 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 by earlier than serving.