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Creamy Chicken and Kale Soup

Tonight, for the first time ever, one of my made-up recipes was good enough for both Axel and Jon to recommend I write it down.  What better way to record it than in a blog post that may remain at the top of my blog for the next two years (see previous blog post).


With no further ado, I give you Creamy Chicken and Kale Soup.  Unless you have been naughty in which case, "No soup for you!"


Creamy Chicken Kale Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 chicken breasts
3 – 4 cups shredded kale (they sell this conveniently pre-shredded nowadays)
32 ounces chicken stock
2 cups half and half or milk
1 stick of butter
½ cup flour
¼ cup vermouth (you could use white wine, too)
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 tablespoon white truffle oil (optional)

Salt and pepper chicken breasts on both sides.  In a large heavy bottomed soup pot, sauté the chicken in the olive oil over medium high heat.  Brown on both sides but leave uncooked in the middle.  Remove from pan and set aside.

Add stick of butter to the pan and melt over medium heat.  Add flour and cook for 3 minutes, stirring with a whisk.  Pour in all of the chicken stock and whisk until smooth.  Bring to a boil, mixture will start to thicken.  Reduce heat to low, add milk, vermouth, poultry seasoning, and onion powder and simmer for at least 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Steam shredded kale in a vegetable steamer for 7-10 minutes until just tender.

Chop the sautéed chicken into small pieces.

Add the steamed kale and chopped chicken into the soup liquid and let simmer over low heat until chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes.  Salt and pepper to taste.  It may require a good deal of salt if your stock and/or butter were unsalted.

Finish by stirring in some white truffle oil.  You could also plate it with a drizzle of oil depending on how much truffle flavor is desired.  No truffle oil?  You could probably use another flavorful oil instead (or none at all).  Mom gave me truffle oil for Christmas so maybe it is my new secret culinary weapon.  Keep it in the fridge to make it last longer.



Comments

Unknown said…
With a stick of butter how could you go wrong. I am always afraid to use the shredded kale as they chop up the heavy stem. Does that cook up okay?
Pooks said…
Oh I've gone wrong with sticks of butter before :) but since there was so much soup it was really only a couple teaspoons per bowl. As for the pre shredded kale- it looked to be all leaf and cooked up nicely.
Jenni and Rowan said…
Cousin,
It's good to see a post from you! especially about FOOD! It must be genetic that we have that food thing in common :o) Don't worry about the infrequent posts.....I am the same way on my blog these days. Life just gets in the way. I will make your soup. It sounds delicious. How can you go wrong with a whole stick of bloody butter!!! Yum!
I hope the family can get together for a hootenanny sometime soon. We need it! Hugs & Kisses, Jenni & Rowan
Mimi said…
That was me. Margaret Baker. Google was not recognizing me.
Pooks said…
Jenni and Rowan!! Hi :) The soup is rich for sure. The butter thing reminds me of a friend who worked at a French restaurant in SF. She started signing her correspondence, "in butter we trust." Great to hear from you two!