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Stewing Hen Chicken Vegetable Soup with Kale is so yummy, filling, and nutrient dense. The meat and broth from the stewing hen adds a richness you won’t find with regular chicken meat. Check out How to cook a stewing hen (full tutorial) for everything you need to know to prep a stewing hen to make a big batch of healthy and flavorful Stewing Hen Chicken Vegetable Soup with Kale. No one would ever know that this soup is Low FODMAP and soy free! Substitute the potatoes with sweet potato or other root vegies for an AIP variation. Winner, winner, chicken (soup) dinner! 😉
If you’ve been following along with my health journey of late, you will know that I have now removed grains from my diet-in addition to everything I was already avoiding (Soy, coconut, gluten, dairy, tomatoes, apples, peppers, high FODMAP foods, anything raw, legumes, eggs, nuts+). As I have been obsessed with gluten free toast with almond butter and my Anti-inflammatory Fall Spice Blend for breakfast, this left me with a big dilemma. What to eat for breakfast?
This may sound strange, but soup is awesome for breakfast! Its warm, comforting, a good portion of vegies and protein, and quick to reheat. Needless to say, I’ve been making TONS of soup, then freezing it in individual portions. This Stewing Hen Chicken Vegetable Soup with Kale is one of my favorites. The recipe is definitely similar to my Low FODMAP Chicken Vegetable Soup (why reinvent the wheel, right?!?) but has it’s own flavor from the stewing hen and the Kale.
Stewing Hen Chicken Vegetable Soup with Kale Ingredients and Substitutions
As with most soup recipes, you can really change up the flavors by adding/subtracting different ingredients. Really, you can change up the vegetables, herbs, and spices to your heart’s content and still have great soup. Have a different green on hand instead of Kale, use that instead. Parsnips not available, use more carrots, turnips, or a rutabaga. Add in some green beans, corn, or tomatoes for some extra nutrition, flavor, and fiber.
Want to give your Stewing Hen Chicken Vegetable Soup with Kale an Italian flare? Consider adding a can of stewed tomatoes with the broth, then replacing some of the carrots, celery, and parsnips with some zucchini and summer squash. Try using less Rosemary and Thyme and add Oregano and Basil. You could totally make your soup with a Mexican flare (think Chicken Tortilla Soup style).
If you follow an AIP Paleo diet, you could substitute the potatoes for sweet potatoes, taro, or some type of squash. Likewise, if you do not follow a Low FODMAP diet, then by all means, add some garlic and onion.
Speaking of potatoes, pretty much any type of potato will work in Stewing Hen Chicken Vegetable Soup with Kale. I tend to prefer yukon golds for soups as they hold their shape well when cooking, but russets, reds, purples, or fingerlings would all be tasty. One rule I always follow with potatoes, is to soak the chopped potatoes in cold water and rinse very well before cooking. Soaking and rinsing helps to remove the extra starch which can seem “gritty” in your finished soup. It also helps to slightly reduce the carbs which helps this diabetic gal manage her blood sugar.
This entire bunch of kale is going into the soup! It will fit-promise! 😉
Stewing Hen Chicken Vegetable Soup with Kale Notes and Tips
For the rest of this post, we’re going to assume you already read and made your stewing hen by following How to cook stewing hen (full tutorial). You can certainly make this soup with regular chicken and chicken broth if you don’t have access or don’t want to bother with stewing hens. In this case, you want to start off with some cooked chicken (roasted, saute, or poached chicken would all work well).
- This recipe makes a big batch of soup. I use an 8 quart stainless steel stock pot like this one. The one I have is no longer available ( I got it for a steal at the Goodwill 🙂 ).
- Always start with clean vegetables by scrubbing well with a vegetable brush then using Produce Wash to make sure your vegies are clean and ready to use. Of course, organic vegetables are best, but if you cannot afford organic, make sure to check out the EWG’s Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen to see which vegies you should prioritize buying organic.
- Measurements for herbs, spices, and salt are very subjective to your own tastes, so I usually include a range. We like our food well seasoned, but others might find it too salty, too much rosemary, etc. Please, season to (your) taste. I usually season as I go, so each time I add new vegies, I add enough salt just for those vegies. Basically, I’m just adding a little bit with each new layer, which helps me to get the proportions correct in the end.
- If you prepped your vegies ahead of time when preparing your stewing hen, then this soup will come together in a snap. I like to have everything chopped and ready to just drop in the pot when it is time. That way, most of the cooking time is passive. I don’t count walking by and giving the pot a stir, or dumping in chopped potatoes as “active” cooking, LOL! 😉
Stewing Hen Chicken Vegetable Soup with Kale
Ingredients
- 1-2 teaspoon Garlic infused Oil
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 each carrots cut into 1/2" disks or 3/4" dice
- 8 ribs celery cut into 3/4" dice
- 1-2 each parsnips cut into 3/4" pieces
- salt (Himilayan Sea Salt or Coarse Salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme crushed
- 2 teaspoons dried rosemary crushed
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano crushed
- 2 each Bay Leaves, dried
- 12 cups Chicken Broth
- 6-8 each yukon gold potatoes cut into 1" cubes
- 1-1 1/2 pound stewing hen meat, chopped or cooked chicken
- 1 bunch Kale stem removed and chopped
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 3-4 each green onions, minced fine green tops only for Low FODMAP
Instructions
- In a large 8 quart stock pot, heat oil over medium to medium high heat. Add carrots and stir. Cook carrots for about two minutes, then add celery. Season with salt and cook for a few more minutes.
- Add in the parsnips, then season with salt, some of the rosemary, thyme, and oregano. Stir well to coat all the vegies and cook one to two more minutes.
- Add the chicken broth to the pan. Add in the bay leaves and remaining herbs. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook covered for about 15-20 minutes.
- Add the potatoes, season with salt. Add the stewing hen meat or cooked chicken. You may need to add additional broth/water to the pot to make sure everything is covered. Return the soup to a simmer. Cook the potatoes for about 10 minutes.
- Remove the bay leaves from the soup. You may have to fish around a bit to find them.
- Add the chopped Kale to the pot. Season with salt. Using a spoon or ladle, push the kale down into the soup. Return to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.
- Turn off the soup, stir in the freshly chopped parsley and allow the soup to rest for about 5 minutes.
- Ladle into bowls, garnish with green onion and enjoy!
Notes
Stewing Hen Chicken Vegetable Soup with Kale
Stewing Hen Chicken Vegetable Soup with Kale is a wonderful soup to get you started with using your newfound skill of cooking Stewing Hens. I hope you enjoy this flavorful soup!
If you try this recipe, please snap a pic and share on Instagram #naturallyliz
~Naturally yours~
Liz
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