Creamy Chicken Soup with a bit of Curry

   
I wanted to make some soup.  It has been rainish and overcast and that sounds like a soup day to me.  I had some Chicken Broth in the pantry and bought a big slab of chicken breast at the deli.  I had some fresh and canned items that I thought would work.  I made cornbread to go with it.  It was pretty good, for a quick and dirty, and by that I don't mean dirty, soup.  But not a top of the shelf stellar soup.  Pretty good though.  And different, which is what I was going for.

Chicken Soup with a bit of curry

EVOO
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped carrots,
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 teaspoon curry I used this to make a different flavor.  If you don't like it, leave it out.  This is YOUR soup!
3 (or so) red potatoes or one large Idaho potato, peeled and diced
1 Tablespoon green chile, chopped
1/2 to 3/4 pound chopped chicken breast.  I just got a big slice form the deli
1 small can (8 3/4) corn kernels
3 cans chicken broth  Actually I could have stopped at 2 cans, but we had company and you have to have left overs.
1/2 cup milk
1 Tablespoon flour
cilantro unless you don't like cilantro and then, no cilantro

As usual when making soup I didn't really measure.  I grabbed a handful of carrots and about 3 stalks celery and chopped until it looked like about 1/2 cup or so.  Cut up the onion and saute everything in some Olive Oil in a large Dutch oven type pan.  Or just a large sauce pan.

   

Add the curry and cook for about 1 minute.  Then add the diced potatoes.  If you use the Idaho kind they will get a bit mushy and thicken the soup.  I had some red potatoes, so later I had to add a bit of flour to thicken it a bit.  I didn't want a real thick soup.

   

I was making some of my cornbread and I use diced green chiles for that.  I kept out a Tablespoon and added it to the soup.

   

I like to get the chicken breast from the deli.  It saves a lot of work and mess.  But I do insist on cutting the brown outer layer off.  I don't insist YOU do it.  Just that I do it.  It also appeases the pets watching my every move.  Don't worry.  I take the bits and put them in the pet dishes.  They didn't lick my fingers or anything gross, like that.

   

Dice up the chicken breast and add this to the fragrant mixture.  Then pour in 2 or 3 cans of broth and the drained can of corn and you are mostly done.  Bring it up to a boil and then lower it to a simmer.  Cover the pan and check it once or twice in the next hour.  Get out your book and hide from your husband so he doesn't realize how easy it is to make homemade soup.  If you hear him coming feign a look of exhaustion.  See if you can look sweaty.

   

Take about 1/2 to 1 cup of milk.  Remember my method of not measuring most of the things in my soup. Pour the milk in a glass and add 1 Tablespoon of flour.  Mix it with a spoon until it is smooth and add it to the soup.  Bring it back up to a boil and then you can lower it to a simmer.  If it thickens enough to suit you, great.  If you want it thicker (and I didn't) add some more milk/flour mixture.  If after the second time you brought it to a boil and it didn't get thick enough for you, give up and decide you like it like that.  Too much flour will make it taste , well, floury.

Chop up some cilantro and put it in a bowl to serve on top of the soup.  I really like the fresh taste you get with cilantro, but some people think it tastes like soap.  Either that or they have convinced people it does so you won't make them eat it.  Let them decide.

Add any salt and pepper you like after tasting.  I didn't and it was a wee bit too salty for me.  Fortunately, Lee likes too salty.