This is not your Grandma's chicken soup and if hers is good for the soul, this one's guaranteed to take care of that and rest of you too. Now those of you who are JBug followers with superlative recall will remember we enjoyed this soup on our last vacation in Oregon. Well bite me because here it is again in all it's fabulous glory. It is definitely worth repeating.
Loaded with onions, celery, carrots and lots of chicken of course, this one's spiced up with...hold on to your hats...curry and made creamy with lite coconut milk. Sweetened with a Granny Smith apple and tarted up with a touch of lemon zest, it is without a doubt the best bowl of yummy comfort in my book, I promise you.
If you're a curry lover, this is the one for you and if you're not...well, you don't know what you're missing, darn it. Make it soon and then hide it in the freezer to dole out on the rainy spring days that need a boost of golden sunshine. It's gonna' make your tastebuds say howdy and your tummy happy ...real happy.
Chicken and Rice Soup with Zip (adapted from Jackson Hole Cooks)
This warm and wonderful soup is also known as Mulligatawny and is a perfect après ski or rainy day bowl of warm comfort. It freezes very well and like most soups, the flavors improve with time.
2 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
1-1/2 pounds chicken thighs, skinned, boned and cut into half inch pieces
3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon Garam Masala
1 bay leaf
4 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup uncooked basmati rice
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and cut into quarter inch dice
1 teaspoon salt
Coarse ground black pepper to taste
Grated rind of 1 lemon
1/2 cup coconut milk (lite unsweetened)
Melt butter in large stock pot. Add onion, carrot and celery and sauté until onion is soft. Move vegetables over to one side of pot and add chicken. Cook until chicken is no longer pink. Add flour, curry and Garam Masala. Cook stirring for 3 minutes. Add chicken stock, bring to a boil stirring constantly then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Add rice, apple, salt and pepper. Simmer for another 15 minutes, covered – stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Add lemon rind. Remove pot from heat and add coconut milk. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes before serving. Serves 4 to 6. Download Chicken and Rice Soup with Zip
OK June... I'll have to talk Tim into moving to the Southwest part of the country! Looks fabulous. I only recently started to use garam masala spice from Penzeys. I'll have to try this soup and soon! - Mary
Posted by: Mary from Apron Strings & Wedding Rings | 04/12/2011 at 02:00 PM
Mary - I'd love to be able to say "howdy neighbor". We love garam masala and any kind of curry really. There's a recipe on this site for roasted manchurian cauliflower (indexed under vegetables or see archives January 2010) that is absolutely incredible!
Posted by: June | 04/12/2011 at 02:51 PM
Yep - I think that is definitely a bowl of love and goodness right there! Gonna have to make a curry soon!
Posted by: Nanan | 04/12/2011 at 06:23 PM
It's some kinda' good too Lea.
Posted by: June | 04/12/2011 at 07:27 PM