Cream of Chicken Soup

I normally make this when I have leftovers from a roast chicken or a store-bought rotisserie chicken. It's one of Lovey's favorite leftover dishes. Especially when it is cold; like it is today.



Dice the onion, carrots and celery into 1/4" pieces.  It's a plus to use celery stalks with the leaves; the leaves add an enormous amount of flavor. Mince the clove of garlic and set all this aside.

 

 Cut or tear your left-over chicken into bite-size pieces 

Measure out chicken broth (store bought or homemade)




 and the flour

 

bundle the herbs and tie into a bouquet garni.  I usually wrap these up in a piece of cheese cloth but I just threw it in there bare today.

 

Now you are ready to create your soup.  Melt a stick of butter and sweat the vegetables.

Add the flour, mix well and allow to cook for a couple of minutes.

Add the broth and gently whisk until the broth and roux are combined. Bring to a boil



and throw in the bouquet garni. Reduce heat and allow to simmer for about 15 minutes.

Add the chicken and return to a boil.

 

 

Remove soup from the heat and add the cream and sherry (make sure the Sherry is Dry, not Cream).

NOTE:  Sometimes I like to add rice to my bowl. Steam up a little rice or use left-over rice.


Cream of Chicken Soup
Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion
2 stalks celery, with leaves is a bonus
3 medium carrots
1 clove garlic
1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
7 cups chicken stock, homemade or store-bought
3 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
3 cups chicken, leftover roast chicken or store-bought rotisserie chicken
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp. dry sherry

Kosher salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 Tbsp. chopped flat-leaf parsley for garnish
cooked rice (optional)

Mise en Place:

• chop onion, celery and carrot into 1/4" pieces and  set aside
• mince garlic and add to other vegetables
• Measure out flour
• measure out stock
• gather parsley, thyme, and bay leaf into a bundle and tie into a bouquet garni
• chop chicken into bite-size pieces
• if using garnish, roughly chop the 2 Tbsp. parsley
• cook rice if using

Method: 
Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add onion, celery, carrots and garlic. Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 12 minutes.  Add flour and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, for 2 more minutes.

Add the stock and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Add the bouquet garni. Lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Stir in the chicken and return to a boil.  Remove from heat.

Stir the cream and sherry into the soup. Add salt and pepper to taste

Garnish with chopped parsley if desired. Serves up nice with a side salad or sandwich. We like grilled cheese.

If using rice, place 1/4 cup cooked rice in bottom of bowl and ladel soup over rice.