Recipe
Cream of Spinach & Chicken Soup
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 30 min
Serves: 8
Eat your greens! Canned evaporated milk, instead of cream, adds richness to this lovely spinach soup and helps save on fat and calories.
Contributed By: Developed for CFC by Nancy Guppy, RD, MHSc
Ingredients
1/2 lb (0.3 kg)
skinless chicken thighs
1 tbsp (15 mL)
butter
1 tbsp (15 mL)
olive oil
8
brown mushrooms, sliced
1 tsp (5 mL)
sweet paprika
1 tbsp (15 mL)
butter
2
garlic cloves, minced
1 cup (250 mL)
onions, diced
1
stalk celery, medium, sliced
10 oz (285 g)
frozen spinach, defrosted
2 tbsp (30 mL)
chickpea flour (besan)
2 tbsp (30 mL)
whole wheat flour
5 cups (1.25 L)
low-sodium chicken broth
1
can evaporated milk, partly skimmed, 2% MF
1 tsp (5 mL)
italian dried herb mix
1/2 tsp (2.5 mL)
salt
1/4 tsp (1.25 mL)
white pepper, ground
16
baby spinach, fresh
1 cup (250 mL)
old cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 tsp (2.5 mL)
sweet paprika, (optional garnish)
Instructions
1
Cut boneless skinless chicken thigh into smaller bite-size pieces.
2
Heat butter with olive oil over medium high heat in soup pot.
3
Add chicken and sliced mushrooms to pan. Sprinkle with paprika and sauté until chicken is cooked through. Stir occasionally. Remove from pan and keep warm.
4
Melt more butter in pan. Add minced garlic, diced onion and finely sliced celery. Sauté a few minutes. Sprinkle over flour and stir so it is combined and there are no lumps. Continue to sauté on medium heat.
5
Chop frozen defrosted spinach into smaller pieces using a sharp knife. Add spinach and any juices from the spinach to the soup pot. Continue to sauté on medium heat for 2-3 minutes.
6
Stir in chicken broth and the can of evaporated milk. Heat over medium heat until soup comes to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Puree the soup using a stick immersion blender.
7
Stir in cooked chicken, mushrooms and any juices. Season with Italian mixed herbs, salt and pepper. Heat on medium heat until very hot but do not bring to boil.
8
To serve, ladle into bowls and top with a few fresh baby spinach leaves and a sprinkle of shredded old cheddar cheese. Dust with a sprinkle of sweet paprika (optional garnish).