Chicken Soup flavored with GInger and Coconut Milk

 

I love making chicken soup, but as you all know, there is basically one way to do it...celery, carrots, onion, chicken broth, chicken, rice or noodles, and you're done.   Me?  I can't be done there.  I wanted to bring in some other flavors.  By using some fresh ginger, coconut milk, and adding diced sweet potatoes, I think I came up with a keeper!  I hope you think so too...

  

I started out by cooking about two handfuls of small carrots, 2 ribs of celery, and a small sweet onion, all roughly chopped, with a little olive oil.  After about 10 minutes, add about ½ a box of chicken broth and simmer until the veggies are really tender.  Using your hand blender, puree this mixture.  Add the rest of the chicken broth.  Now it's time to add the ingredients for my "chicken soup!



Cut up more carrots, celery, and onion, add 2 cups of each,  2 sweet potatoes that are peeled and diced, along with about 2 tbs of fresh chopped ginger and garlic and cook in the newly created soup base.


Throw in a nice big sprig of fresh thyme and simmer until the veggies are tender.  At this point, add in the chopped kale, because it doesn't need that long to cook.

You're probably asking yourself where the chicken is at this point!  Well, here is where I cheat just a little, but honesty?  It is the best "cheat" there is.  Think about it.  How many times have you had chicken soup, and the chicken is overcooked, tough, and pretty much lacking flavor?  My solution?  Get a rotisserie chicken from the store.  Pull off all of the meat and shred.  Add all this moist, flavorful chicken just before you serve your soup.  Trust me.  The chicken in this soup will be the star!






Add a can of coconut milk, stirring until it has dissolved.  Also add a couple of sprinkles of crushed red pepper for a little heat.   Taste to see if it needs any more salt. Oh, and remove the sprig of thyme.   At this point you can be all done!  Because I blended the original carrot, celery and onion mixture, the soup comes out nice and thick.  If you like your soup on the thinner side, simply add more chicken broth.

 

What's nice about this soup is there is no dairy, so if anyone is lactose intolerant, this is a wonderful meal!