A warming blend of African Heritage spices with quinoa and vegetables makes this chicken soup comforting and full of nutrients.
Chicken and Greens Soup
Ingredients
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1 boneless uncooked chicken thigh, cut to bite-sized pieces (about 4 ounces or ½ cup)
1 cup chopped onion
½ cup chopped carrot
3 cloves garlic, minced or ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
5 cups low-sodium broth (any type)
3 Tablespoons quinoa (rinse if not pre-rinsed)
¾ teaspoon turmeric
¾ to 1½ teaspoons cayenne pepper (see Notes)
2 cups chopped leafy greens (try kale, spinach or cabbage, or a mix of any)
2 teaspoons curry powder
¼ teaspoon allspice
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon salt or 2 pieces cooked and chopped turkey bacon
Directions
- Wash hands with soap and water. Wash hands, knife and cutting board after touching raw chicken.
- Rinse or scrub fresh vegetables under running water before preparing.
- In a large saucepan or soup pot, heat oil on medium.
- Add chicken and stir to brown, about 3 minutes.
- Stir in onion, carrot and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring as needed to keep chicken and vegetables from sticking. Add a few tablespoons water, if needed.
- Add broth, quinoa, turmeric and cayenne pepper. Bring mixture to a bowl, turn heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add greens, curry powder, ginger and paprika. Cook for 15 minutes. Add salt or bacon after 10 minutes, if desired.
- Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.
Notes
- No chicken thigh? Use about 4 ounces (½ cup) of any type of uncooked chicken or other protein.
- Use the amount of cayenne pepper that matches your taste for a mild or a spicy soup.
- Try frozen chopped greens instead of fresh. Add about ½ cup in step 5.
- No quinoa? Try a different quick-cooking whole grain such as bulgur or instant brown rice or about ¾ cup of any cooked whole grain.
Thanks to the African Heritage Work Group for this recipe.
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Comments
Chicken and Greens Soup is satisfying and delicious, especially when made during a winter storm. We thought the spices were right on as written; I picked an amount of cayenne in the middle of the suggested range. I did use frozen greens. We enjoyed it with master mix biscuits for a comforting and healthy meal. Leftovers were excellent for lunch the next day.