Savory + Simple + Nourishing + Soup = The best dang meal anyone could ask for.
I mean seriously. Who doesn’t love a hearty, soothing bowl of soup? I think I can speak for all the chefs, at home chefs, chef enthusiasts, working parents, busy life-styler of any kind, backpacker, skier, outdoorsy folk, Californian, North Dakotan, Canadian or anyone else who lives in 70 degree below winter weather. So, everyone, am I right? If you like to cook or even if you don’t like to cook, soup is your best friend. It’s the one pot wonder that you can pretty much put anything that inspires you together in one bowl. It’s incredibly quick to make. And it’s pretty impossible to mess up. Did I mention the magnificence of poaching meat? You can literally put meat in hot water and let it cook in the warm water bath to not only make your broth super duper flavorful, but it comes out tender and juicy every darn time! You can’t dry out meat in water. It just doesn’t make sense. Well, okay, you can. I have. I am clearly not a scientist. Leave it to me to do the impossible when it comes to making mistakes. But I will explain a few tips on how to avoid this phenomena in a second. For now, lets just relish in the awesomeness that is this soup.
The savory chicken gnocchi soup is comprised of, you guessed it 🙂 chicken and gnocchi! That’s it. Really that’s basically the gist of it and it’s so delicious… I think I need some new descriptors other than delicious. I use “delicious” in every post. But it’s just so perfect of a word, the word itself is delicious. I am at a loss for anything else. So I will stick with delicious for this one. I don’t want to even admit how many times I have eaten this soup since I created it, but I will anyway. My guess is probably 12 meals, give or take, in 3 weeks. So that’s means for breakfast too. I love soup for breakfast. The bone broth base in this one coats your tummy for ample nutrient absorption and happy digestion for the rest of the day. I am convinced, at this point in my bone broth journey, that bone broth is more awakening and satisfying than a cup of coffee. I know I know. All you coffee lovers are totally writing me off at this point and that’s fine! It sounds nuts. But at least make this soup for dinner and you can stick to your cup of coffee in the morning.
At this point in my blogging experience, most of the recipes are vegan as I choose to eat mostly vegan. This is my 20th recipe to date. I remember a little over 3 months ago, back in September when I started this blog, I think I had all of about 5 recipes ready to post. I follow countless foodies, most of whom have blogs themselves. Some of my favorite:
init4thelongrun
Pinch of Yum
Minimalist Baker
Cookie and Kate
Deliciously Ella
Cravings in Amsterdam
If you haven’t heard any of these blogs or gone to their websites, you should do so after this post. First, make the soup THEN while eating said soup, read blogs. Trust me, you will want something to munch on while browsing these sites. The photographs alone will make your tummy grumble.
Anyway, this is my 20th recipe. I feel like giving myself a little pat on the back. I remember thinking there is no possible way I can have as many creative and perfect recipes as ones I find on some of the blogs I mentioned above. And I am by no means comparing my recipes to these stars of food bloggers, not to mention their talented food photography skills, but 20 recipes feels like an accomplishment to me. Especially, when just a few months ago, reaching 7 almost felt impossible. You can almost call my website a food blog at this point.
There is something for everyone. For every shape and diet alike. I try to create recipes of every kind. I feel that each one of us is wired differently. We each have our own food sensitivities, how our body processes foods for energy, nutrient absorption, and emotional connection to food. I do strongly believe there is an environmental impact on how we choose to eat, but I think this decision can be made responsibly. So as most of my recipes tend to be vegan, I wanted to share a dish that is totally not vegan. And this is one of my favorites.
The base is a bone broth which can be substituted for vegetable (if vegetarian) or chicken broth, homemade or store bought. Bay leaf, black pepper, garlic, fresh ginger, and turmeric root are the main seasonings. Once the broth starts to heat, you can simply add chicken to the broth (or skip the meat altogether), bring temperature down to a light simmer and allow the meat to slowly and evenly cook in the broth. This poaching allows the meat to be succulent and rich as well as adding a nice depth of flavor to the broth.
*Note: to keep from doing a Hannah and totally drying out chicken in water – make sure the chicken has been removed from refrigerator and brined (placed in a cold water bath with sea salt for about 15 to 20 minutes beforehand). The broth should not be a ragging boil but nice and hot. Place the meat into hot soup base and allow it to simmer on low heat for anywhere from 2 hours to 4 hours depending on size of meat used and if you are using bones.
Once you have the chicken nice a cooked through and all the flavors have had time to meet each other and get comfortable, you can add your gnocchi. This is the best part. I make this recipe even easier on myself and purchase Cappello’s Gnocchi  from our local Whole Foods. It’s in the freezer section. They are dairy free, gluten free, paleo, and scrumptious. Just add the gnocchi in and keep stirring for a few minutes to allow the gnocchi to cook through. If you do not stir, they will literally shrivel and shrink and just disappear. This has happened so fair warning. If you use your own homemade gnocchi, double high five to you. Remove your soup from heat and add the leafy greens. You can add any kind you have on hand. I love simple kale.
There you have it. The actual physical labor of making this recipe will take you just about the same time as reading this post in it’s entirety.
Cheers.
hannah @homecooked.love
Yields 4 hearty servings
A savory and simple soup that's packed with buttery gnocchi, succulent chicken, and soothing spices like bay leaf, turmeric root, and ginger root. This one pot dish is hearty and nourishing down to the core.
20 minPrep Time
4 hrCook Time
4 hr, 20 Total Time
Save RecipeIngredients
- 4 cups of bone broth, chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 medium leek
- 2 Bay Leaf
- 1 Tablespoon teaspoons black pepper
- 3 Tablespoons garlic powder
- 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh turmeric root, chopped
- 1/2 Tablespoon chopped fresh ginger root, peeled and chopped
- Sea Salt to taste
- 2 pounds chicken (I used drumsticks and wings with bone)
- 2 cups kale chopped
Instructions
- Brine chicken in a bowl with cold water and sea salt. Let soak for 15-20 minutes while you prepare the broth.
- Saute leek in olive oil for 3 minutes or until fragrant. Add bay leaf, black pepper, garlic powder, turmeric, ginger, and sea salt.
- Continue to saute for 2 more minutes.
- Add the water and bone broth, chicken broth, or vegetable broth and bring to boil.
- Return broth to simmer on low heat and add your chicken.
- Let cook for 2 to 4 hours depending on size of meat used and if using bones. Bones will take longer to cook.
- Skim off the surface of broth every so often.
- Once chicken is cooked through, bring the broth back to a boil and add frozen gnocchi.
- Stir continuously for one minute to allow gnocchi to cook and not stick together or to sides of pot.
- After about two minutes or until gnocchi start to float, remove pot from heat and add leafy greens.
Notes
Keep refrigerated for up to 3 days.
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