Chicken & "Rice"Soup

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I am, slowly but surely, starting to figure out some tips and tricks for packing lunches and meal planning during the week.  Last week, I did something smart.  I used my giant roasting pan and baked two whole chickens on Sunday evening.  I took all the meat off that night, portioned some for the next day, and the rest went into a big bowl in the fridge.  Then the scraps went in the crockpot for the night to make some fresh chicken stock.  This should probably be a weekly routine for me.  It was really nice to be able to grab cooked chicken to throw on salads, squash eggs, etc for meals throughout the week.  It also saved me dishes throughout the week to have an already cooked meat to add to things.  And every parent, well, probably every human, knows less dishes to do is a wonderful thing.  

This led to a delicious soup recipe.  I needed to use the chicken stock and was craving hot soup since I was sick most of the week.  I wanted some comfort food that would actually leave my body feeling good.  I love adding leafy greens to soup.  First of all, because it’s colorful and makes the soup look beautiful.  But also because it’s a great way to get some good green veggies in your meal in a different way.  This soup is just as hearty and cozy as a traditional chicken and rice soup, but, for me, the cauliflower rice is much more satisfying and easier on my digestive system.  The whole family liked this one, yes even the littles.

Chicken & “Rice” Soup

35 min, serves 6

Ingredients:

1 T olive oil

1 red onion, diced

6 garlic cloves, minced

2 large carrots, chopped

6 c riced cauliflower

7 c chicken stock

2-3 c chopped cooked chicken

2 t salt (use less if using a salted broth)

1/4 t pepper

1 t oregano

1 bay leaf

4 c spinach

2 c chopped tomatoes

Directions:

  1. Heat olive oil in a large pot
  2. Add onion, garlic, and carrots and cook for several minutes until lightly browned, stirring frequently.
  3. Add the riced cauliflower and cook for several minutes, stirring frequently.
  4. Add the chicken stock, chicken, half the salt, pepper, oregano, and bay leaf and let simmer until the cauliflower has softened, about 20 min.
  5. Remove the bay leaf.
  6. Add the spinach and tomatoes and stir until the spinach has fully wilted into the soup.
  7. Add the rest of the salt slowly, to taste.