Chicken Tortellini Soup with Spinach

Chicken Tortellini Soup with Spinach

I bought a 4 lb package of split chicken and decided to have some fun. The breast was 99¢ per pound so I couldn't resist. First thing I did was to roast it off.  A simple salt and pepper was applied and then it was cook at 400° for 45 minutes.

Funny thing happened at the end of cooking though.

I went to pull the chicken from the oven and the heating element was glowing white in a spot - like a welder. I turned it off immediately, but that small, bright-as-the-sun spot kept burning and moving along the orange-glowing element. As it cooled the spot eventually went out. When it was all said and done (3 or 4 minutes) I realized I had just witnessed my oven fry! I didn't panic becuase it was inside the oven so it was contained. And, Im really glad the chicken was finished cooking before it totally blew.

My only real worry was how I was gonna finish the buffalo chicken spring rolls I was making later in the evening. Fer F**ks sake, I had been planning on those all week. (more on that in another post)

It was Friday evening at 4:30, there was no way I could get that fixed for the weekend — or so I thought.

I went to the building management and within an hour a maintenance guy was there with a new element. By 6:30 I was good to go. I was really impressed by how quick it was taken care of. That has been the case with almost everything here at my new place, when I ask for issues to be looked at, they really have been prompt with maintenance.

That said - Later that night I shredded and divided the chicken. Half for the spring rolls, and half for a yummy batch of soup.

I made this soup because of the cool weather that had rolled in, but also because I wanted to clear out some pantry and freezer space. That's why I choose the tortellini and spinach, it was time to get rid of them - and I must say, they did make for a yummy bowl of soup!

Eat well, cook often ...

CHICKEN TORTELLINI SOUP WITH SPINACH
45 minutes, serves 4
3 C chicken, roasted, shredded
1 C onion, diced
1 C green pepper, diced
1 C celery, diced
2 Tbs garlic, minced
2 tsp Italian seasonings
4 C chicken broth
1 8 oz pkg four cheese tri-color tortellini pasta
1 10 pkg frozen spinach, thawed, drained

In a soup pot over medium heat saute onion, green pepper and celery in a little olive oil until soft, 4 to 6 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Add garlic and Italian seasonings, cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes more. Add chicken, tortellini and spinach, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes. Portion into bowls and serve.

Chicken and Red Pepper Soup

Chicken and red pepper soup

This is the second dish I made from a 4 lb package of chicken thighs I had gotten for 88¢ per pound, the first was grilled thighs with potatoes and broccoli. I was planning on making three but just before adding the portion of roasted chicken I had set aside for the soup, I said to heck with it and threw all of it in. I'm glad I did because it made the soup extra chunky with lots of chicken.

This soup makes 4 big servings, add that with the two servings from the grilled thighs and that's 6 meals, making the chicken expense for all roughly 65¢ per serving. That is a great price point to start with and a good way to save a little extra money. Soup freezes well so if eating the left overs the next day doesn't appeal it can be made into a tasty ice cube and thawed for later.

This soup features the chicken but I also added two red peppers to the mirpiox. They were on sale at the grocery and I love their sweetness — hands down they are one of my favorite items to add to soup. If I would have had time I would have roasted the peppers before tossing them in but I needed my time for this soup dedicated to a long cook. Chicken thighs provided a buttery-rich flavor to the broth when given at least 45 minutes to simmer over low heat. As far as I'm concerned that long simmer makes this soup — or any chicken soup featuring the dark meat.

East well, cook often ...

Chicken and Red Pepper Soup

Chicken and red pepper soup

1 hour and 15 minutes
Serves 4
3 C chicken, thighs, roasted and shredded
2 red peppers, diced, seeded
3 stalks celery, diced
1 medium sized red onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs Italian seasoning
3/4 C white wine
1 Tbs rice vinegar
1 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
4 C chicken broth

In a little olive oil saute the onion, celery and red pepper over medium heat until soft, 4 to 6 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Add garlic and Italian seasonings cook until garlic becomes fragrant, 1 or 2 minutes. Add white wine, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce, increase heat, bring to a boil and let liquid reduce by 3/4ths, 5 to 7 minutes. Add broth and chicken, lower heat and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour. Adjust seasoning if necessary. Remove from heat and serve.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Printable version

I walked into Walmart recently and was assaulted by the aroma of juicy and succulent rotisserie chicken! I felt as though I had been sucker punched by the ghost of Colonel Sanders and an instant craving for chicken arouse from my belly. All the local super markets seem to strategically roast a flock of chickens just as the day shift is getting off work and are shopping for dinner with an empty stomach.

The rotisserie chicken is good to eat while it’s fresh but it’s also excellent after a night in the fridge, especial when the meat is removed and shredded.

For this recipe, I make a tortilla soup with leftover chicken, any roasted chicken will do, not just super market rotisserie chicken. Instead of adding soft corn tortillas to the soup as it cooks, in this version I crumble tortilla chips in as it is served, like I would saltines in chili, creating a little texture as it’s eaten. Also, it’s simmered for 40 minutes which renders the chicken even further and helps make the broth extra rich and flavorful.

BEHIND THIS BITE

Chicken Tortilla Soup

In the introduction I muse about the wonderful aroma of rotisserie chicken at the local super market, and I have used it many times for soup. The soup documented here features roasted chicken but not from the local super market. It features leftover chicken from my previous post. Had I not had it leftover in the fridge, I would have went to Walmart and bought a rotisserie, but I had roasted 5 pounds of quarters the night before and only ate one of the quarters. This is where most of those leftovers ended up – And I have to say the flavorful chicken was the perfect exclamation point in this delicious soup.

I have found that when using dark poultry meat in a soup, it’s best to let it simmer on low for around forty minutes before serving. I think it renders fat from the meat and creates a rich and tasty broth that is straight up out of this world, I did that with this soup as well as with a batch of white chili from a while back. I must say, the extra simmer time turns a good soup into a great one.

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Serves 4 to 6; 1 hour
1 C Red onion diced
1/2 C Jalapeño, seeded, diced
1 Tbs Garlic minced
2 Tbs Chili powder
1 Tbs Cumin
1 Tbs Mexican oregano
2 1/2 lbs Chicken, roasted, shredded
4 C Chicken broth
1 can Tomatoes diced (14.5 oz)
1/4 C Fresh cilantro, chopped
Crushed tortilla chips

Create base
In a soup pot over medium heat sauté onion and jalapeño in a little olive oil until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in garlic, chili powder, cumin and oregano, let cook 2 minutes more.

Make soup, serve
Add chicken, broth, tomatoes and cilantro, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 40 minutes. Spoon into a bowl and sprinkle with tortilla chips, then serve. As soup is eaten sprinkle more tortilla chips on as needed.