Who can resist a warm bowl of chicken soup, steam rising from the surface of the golden broth? I make mine chicken tortilla soup, give it color with cilantro, depth with homemade stock (store bought is fine-and easier), and inexpensive by using chicken thighs rather than breast meat.

Think your kids won’t eat split pea soup? Think again. Add crème fraiche for sweetness; ask your kids to chop chives for garnish, and see how quickly they gobble it up with a piece of crusty French bread.

How about picking up one of those deep green or copper-colored squashes on display at the supermarket? They’re not jut for Thanksgiving cornucopias. Acorn squash soup is silky, rich and creamy. To add protein to the soup, pick up a rotisserie chicken in the deli section of the market and add torn pieces of the chicken to the finished soup. This makes the soup a more filling meal and saves you time (there’s a ball game on, after all).

Get your ladles and tureens ready, soup’s on! 

Split Pea Soup

i32 oz. carton low sodium, preferably free range, organic chicken broth
16 oz. dry split peas, rinsed well
1 onion, diced fine
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
4 stalks celery, diced
2 carrots, diced
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. coarse grain salt
Pepper to taste
1 pint heavy whipping cream (even half & half will do)
1 bay leaf
1/8 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
1 dollop crème fraiche per serving (optional)
Garnish: herbs, dried or fresh (chives, thyme, parsley or oregano)
 
Dice up vegetables - onion, carrots, celery, and the garlic cloves. Set aside.
Heat saucepan or stockpot and over medium-high heat, add olive oil.
Add onion, carrots and celery, to pot, and “sweat” veggies until they soften and begin to brown.
Add garlic, give it a few stirs around the pan and incorporate into the vegetables.
Add chicken broth, bring to a boil.
When broth is boiling, add the peas.
Reduce to simmer, cook for half an hour, or until peas soften into liquid (you’ll see what I mean).
Take a hand blender and puree soup, or puree in batches in a food processor or blender (be careful, this stuff gets hot!)
After the soup is pureed, add heavy cream, salt and pepper to taste.
Stir well over medium heat.
Optional: add a dollop of store-bought crème fraiche to each bowl of soup, then herbs atop the crème fraiche (it looks pretty).
 
Chicken Tortilla Soup

3 tbsp. canola oil, divided use
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ sweet onion, diced fine
(2) 14.5 oz. cans of diced tomatoes, Mexican style (undrained)
32 oz. carton low sodium, preferably free range, organic chicken broth
2 tbsp. ground cumin, divided use
2 tbsp. ground coriander, divided use
2 tsp. chili powder, divided use
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp. tomato paste
2 tsp. cayenne pepper, divided use
Coarse grain salt to taste
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 pkg. tortilla strips (southwestern or Santa Fe style)
1 cup Mexican blend shredded cheese
1 bunch cilantro, washed and cut up
1 avocado, diced
Sour cream for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 350º.
2. Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a large sauce pan or stock pot over medium heat.
3. Add onion and sauté for one minute, or until onion begins to soften.
4. Add canned tomatoes, chicken broth, 1 tbsp. ground cumin, 1 tbsp. ground coriander, 1 tsp. chili powder, bay leaves, tomato paste, 1 tsp. cayenne pepper, and salt to pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
5. When soup reaches boil, reduce to simmer for 30 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, season both sides of the chicken thighs with remaining 1 tbsp. ground coriander, 1 tbsp. ground cumin, 1 tsp. cayenne pepper and salt.
7. Add 1 tbsp. oil to a separate pan, and cook chicken thighs over medium-high heat, about 5 minutes per side.
8. When thighs are browned on each side, put into pre-heated oven and cook until internal temperature reaches at least 170º, about 20 minutes.
9. When chicken thighs are fully cooked, transfer to plate and let chicken rest.
10. Scoop a ladle full of soup into the pan used to cook the chicken, and use soup to deglaze the pan-scooping up the browned bits off the bottom of the pan.
11. Pour this deglazed pan mixture into the pot of soup.
12. Dice the chicken thighs when cool.
13. Now, puree the soup with a hand blender, or in batches in a food processor or blender (use caution).
14. Strain the soup into a large soup tureen or bowl.
15. Add diced chicken.
16. Garnish with tortilla strips, cilantro, shredded cheese, avocado, and sour cream.

Acorn Squash Soup

¼ cup butter
1 large acorn squash, peeled, seeded, diced
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup 100% apple juice or apple cider
1 cup heavy whipping cream
½ tsp. curry powder
Coarse grain salt and pepper to taste
Fresh parsley, washed and cut up (dried parsley can be substituted)
Meat from 1 store-bought, cooked rotisserie chicken-torn, or diced

1. Melt butter in large sauce pan or stock pot over medium-high heat.
2. Add onion and sauté for one minute, or until onion begins to soften.
3. Add squash, chicken broth, and apple juice and bring to a boil.
4. When soup begins to boil, simmer, covered until squash is tender, about 15-20 minutes.
5. Puree the soup with a hand blender, or in batches in a food processor or blender (it will be very hot).
6. Strain the soup into another large pot and place over medium heat.
7. Add heavy whipping cream, curry powder, salt and pepper, and stir until blended and heated through, about 5 minutes.
8. Top with chicken and parsley, serve.