How many times have you closed the refrigerator door to that half-eaten roasted chicken that you have been picking on all week?
Well, here's a soup that will have you waiting for that chook carcass in your fridge.
Just think rich stock flavored with fennel with the scent of anise, natural sweetness of sweet potatoes enhanced with the flavor of brown sugar and spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg? I hope that got you to sit up and take notice!
This is such a staple during the cooler months in our home and especially wonderful during busy days, cleaning days, 'I'm-bored-of-cooking-days' and 'I-am-soccer-mom-of-the-year' - days and of course my favorite 'leave-me-curled-up on-the-couch-with-a-book' days.
So for what ever ails you or for no reason what so ever, just simply because the air is crisp and the trees are barren, I hope you'll put this on your menu.
Gather the ingredients : leftover rotisserie/roasted chicken (bone-in) - not spicy or Asian spice flavored, olive oil, large fennel, garlic cloves, yellow onion, leek, carrots, large sweet potato, potatoes, cinnamon stick, ground nutmeg, light brown sugar, salt and pepper. Also chopped cilantro or parsley for garnish.
Prepare the ingredients :
Onion - Peel & discard ends. Dice into 1/4" pieces.
Fennel - Cut away the stalks and fronds from the bulb. Reserve some delicate fronds if you like the flavor. Halve the fennel bulb and slice into 1/4" thick slices.
All potatoes - Peel, have and cut into 1/4" thick cross-sections.
Carrots - Peel, discard ends and cut into 1/4" thick circles.
Leek - Cut away the dark green sections. Halve lengthwise and cut into 1/4" thick cross-sections.
Garlic - Peel, discard skin and finely chop.
Roasted/rotisserie chicken - Using poultry shears, cut up the chicken into 4-5 pieces, leaving the bones and skin intact. Discard any jellied chicken fat collected at the bottom of the container.
In a large stock pot, heat olive oil on medium-high. Add the cinnamon stick and garlic and saute for a couple of second till the garlic begins to sizzle.
Add the onions and saute for 5 minutes or so until the onions begin to soften without changing color.
Add the leeks and fennel and saute for another few minutes until the leeks turn translucent.
Add the carrots & potatoes and saute to combine stirring for another minute or so.
Add 10 cups of water, salt and pepper. Turn up the heat to high and bring to a simmer. Add the cut up chicken and return the soup to a simmer.
Cover with a tight fitting lid and on medium heat (gas mark 6) allow to simmer for about 20 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken pieces to a dish and allow to cool. Reduce the heat to low and leave the soup on a simmer.
Using 2 forks, shred up the chicken meat separating it from the bones and skin. Discard excess fat, skin and bones. Return the shredded chicken to the soup.
Add light brown sugar and ground nutmeg. Stir to combine and taste and adjust the salt and pepper.
Garnish with chopped cilantro or parsley and serve immediately.
The sweet potato disintegrates in this autumnal soup and does wonders thickening and enhancing the natural sweet flavors coupled with the hint of anise.
The hint of cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar works so well together like a warm hug on a cold day.
Delicious, hearty and comforting. What else could I want in a bowl of soup?
Recipe for
Chicken, Fennel & Sweet Potato Soup
Preparation time - 15 minutes
Cooking time - 25 minutes
Serves 4-6
Shopping list
1 leftover rotisserie/roasted chicken (bone-in) - not spicy or Asian spice flavored,
2 tbs olive oil
1 large fennel
4 garlic cloves
1 medium yellow onion
1 leek
2 carrots,
1 large sweet potato
3 medium potatoes
1"cinnamon stick
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tbs light brown sugar
10 cups water
3/4-1 tbs salt
3/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 tbs chopped cilantro or parsley for garnish.
Preparation -
Onion - Peel & discard ends. Dice into 1/4" pieces.
Fennel - Cut away the stalks and fronds from the bulb. Reserve some delicate fronds if you like the flavor. Halve the fennel bulb and slice into 1/4" thick slices.
All potatoes - Peel, have and cut into 1/4" thick cross-sections.
Carrots - Peel, discard ends and cut into 1/4" thick circles.
Leek - Cut away the dark green sections. Halve lengthwise and cut into 1/4" thick cross-sections.
Garlic - Peel, discard skin and finely chop.
Roasted/rotisserie chicken - Using poultry shears, cut up the chicken into 4-5 pieces, leaving the bones and skin intact. Discard any jellied chicken fat collected at the bottom of the container.
Method -
In a large stock pot, heat olive oil on medium-high. Add the cinnamon stick and garlic and saute for a couple of second till the garlic begins to sizzle.
Add the onions and saute for 5 minutes or so until the onions begin to soften without changing color.
Add the leeks and fennel and saute for another few minutes until the leeks turn translucent.
Add the carrots & potatoes and saute to combine stirring for another minute or so.
Add 10 cups of water, salt and pepper. Turn up the heat to high and bring to a simmer. Add the cut up chicken and return the soup to a simmer.
Cover with a tight fitting lid and on medium heat (gas mark 6) allow to simmer for about 20 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken pieces to a dish and allow to cool. Reduce the heat to low and leave the soup on a simmer.
Using 2 forks, shred up the chicken meat separating it from the bones and skin. Discard excess fat, skin and bones. Return the shredded chicken to the soup.
Add light brown sugar and ground nutmeg. Stir to combine and taste and adjust the salt and pepper.
Garnish with chopped cilantro or parsley and serve immediately. Wonderful with warm bread slathered with butter.
Enjoy!