Posted this elsewhere in past, but.. Better to 'codify', Here, as it's Much easier to flip thru this 'Digital Cookbook' for ideas, than try and remember something you saw / liked on Page 1193, Post #34,563, from 'What'dja Have For Dinner' on 06/2017..
Disclaimer: this is the 'McSoup' version.. It's pretty much just a Turbo Upgrade to a 'Commercially Made' (ie: Campbells, et al) Cream of Chicken-base, but.. Man, is it Yummy! and Simple.
Backstory: This was my 'Reverse Guessgineering' from the memory of Olive Garden's version of it, eaten on a Roadtrip with #1 Daughter, thus was born the following (Updated in recent-Rev) :
- 1x 26 oz Cansof Campbells (or, other..) 'Condensed' Cream of Chicken Soup (ya'll 'Purists', simply forget I said that, and Start with equivalent amount of Your Fav DIY Cream of Chicken Soup Base..
- 3-4 med-size (~3/4-1" thick x 5-6" long x 3" wide) Chicken Thighs
- 1x 17.5 oz Package of yer Fav-Brand Gnocchi (we used 'Di Cecco')
- Chicken Bouillon
- Coarse Ground Black Pepper
- 2x Fresh Green Onions
- 1x Med-size Carrot, Grated into 'slivers'
- 3x small/med size (~8-10") stalks Celery (nice n tender ones..) Sliced thinly
- Cilantro, Fresh (or 'flakes', if yer life is Sad, and you no-have..
- 1 Large Clove Garlic
- Two Large (1x 6 qt; 1x 10.5 qt, I guess?) Stock Pots..
- Options: Fresh or Canned Corn Kernels and/or Spinach
In 6 qt pot, thaw Chicken Thighs in ~7 Cups (~52 oz) hot water, add 1 Tbsp Cilantro (or flakes) crushed Garlic Clove; Bring to a boil over Med-high heat, but Just before water is boiling, add ~1 Tbsp of Chicken Bouillon (or 'equivalent' in cubes..) Enough to 'season' the water / Chicken. Par-boil until just Barely 'done' (Safely past pink, but Don't turn into sneaker sole! ~8-10 mins, usually. Remove pot from heat, and let Chicken / Broth cool a bit. Meantime, dice up / prep all yer Veg's..
In the 10 qt, add Cream of Chicken Soup 'concentrate', and 1x can of the Broth (Not just 'plain' water) from the Thighs-boil. Stir, etc and add generous amounts of Black Pepper (to-taste..) and diced Green Onion. Remove and quickly 'cube' the Chicken Thighs from 'Broth pot', and add to this Soon-to-be-Soup pot. Stir, etc (no heat, yet - key is to Not let the Chicken sit in air / get 'dried out'..)
Back to the 'Broth pot', put back on Heat, and bring to a Boil again.. Once boiling, add Gnocchi - following directions Carefully (as Soon as they 'float', get 'em Outta there / Add into the 'Soup pot', since they will cook a bit more, there..) Add Carrot-slivers and diced Celery to Broth, and boil a bit longer (until they are softened, ~5 mins) and using small strainer, pour 1/2 the Broth into the empty Soup-can (or Other container) and Add All Vegs and 1/2 the remaining (in Broth pot) to the Soup pot (with Chicken / Gnocchi / Green Onions, etc) Stir well.
Now you can start the 'Final Soup' up on Low-Med heat, and add 1/2-1 can (~12-26 more Oz.) of the Broth, you poured out of the 'Broth pot'. Cover (best to use a 'vented' cover, to prevent boil-overs) let simmer for 5-7 mins, Tops. If desired, add a few chopped Spinach-leaves, to-taste, and/or Corn. Or, just a bit more Green Onion (but we like Spinach best..)
To make a bit more 'chowdery', you can add a bit of Cornstarch / thickening Flour to the 'canned Broth' (from the 'Broth pot') simmer on low a bit, then let Sit before you add to the 'Final Soup' / Stir-in. (If using the 'Campbells as Base' (vs DIY) just letting it Sit will also accomplish this fairly-well and is less work..) But even 'as-is', this is a Marvelous Recipe.
Serve with a few Grinds of Black Pepper on top, and Cornbread. (oops, forgot to tell ya to start that an hour ago.. Sourdough-boule shards also complement well. Enjoy with Ginger Ale or a nice White Wine (ie: Fetzers' Gewurztraminer.
jd
Disclaimer: this is the 'McSoup' version.. It's pretty much just a Turbo Upgrade to a 'Commercially Made' (ie: Campbells, et al) Cream of Chicken-base, but.. Man, is it Yummy! and Simple.
Backstory: This was my 'Reverse Guessgineering' from the memory of Olive Garden's version of it, eaten on a Roadtrip with #1 Daughter, thus was born the following (Updated in recent-Rev) :
- 1x 26 oz Cansof Campbells (or, other..) 'Condensed' Cream of Chicken Soup (ya'll 'Purists', simply forget I said that, and Start with equivalent amount of Your Fav DIY Cream of Chicken Soup Base..
- 3-4 med-size (~3/4-1" thick x 5-6" long x 3" wide) Chicken Thighs
- 1x 17.5 oz Package of yer Fav-Brand Gnocchi (we used 'Di Cecco')
- Chicken Bouillon
- Coarse Ground Black Pepper
- 2x Fresh Green Onions
- 1x Med-size Carrot, Grated into 'slivers'
- 3x small/med size (~8-10") stalks Celery (nice n tender ones..) Sliced thinly
- Cilantro, Fresh (or 'flakes', if yer life is Sad, and you no-have..
- 1 Large Clove Garlic
- Two Large (1x 6 qt; 1x 10.5 qt, I guess?) Stock Pots..
- Options: Fresh or Canned Corn Kernels and/or Spinach
In 6 qt pot, thaw Chicken Thighs in ~7 Cups (~52 oz) hot water, add 1 Tbsp Cilantro (or flakes) crushed Garlic Clove; Bring to a boil over Med-high heat, but Just before water is boiling, add ~1 Tbsp of Chicken Bouillon (or 'equivalent' in cubes..) Enough to 'season' the water / Chicken. Par-boil until just Barely 'done' (Safely past pink, but Don't turn into sneaker sole! ~8-10 mins, usually. Remove pot from heat, and let Chicken / Broth cool a bit. Meantime, dice up / prep all yer Veg's..
In the 10 qt, add Cream of Chicken Soup 'concentrate', and 1x can of the Broth (Not just 'plain' water) from the Thighs-boil. Stir, etc and add generous amounts of Black Pepper (to-taste..) and diced Green Onion. Remove and quickly 'cube' the Chicken Thighs from 'Broth pot', and add to this Soon-to-be-Soup pot. Stir, etc (no heat, yet - key is to Not let the Chicken sit in air / get 'dried out'..)
Back to the 'Broth pot', put back on Heat, and bring to a Boil again.. Once boiling, add Gnocchi - following directions Carefully (as Soon as they 'float', get 'em Outta there / Add into the 'Soup pot', since they will cook a bit more, there..) Add Carrot-slivers and diced Celery to Broth, and boil a bit longer (until they are softened, ~5 mins) and using small strainer, pour 1/2 the Broth into the empty Soup-can (or Other container) and Add All Vegs and 1/2 the remaining (in Broth pot) to the Soup pot (with Chicken / Gnocchi / Green Onions, etc) Stir well.
Now you can start the 'Final Soup' up on Low-Med heat, and add 1/2-1 can (~12-26 more Oz.) of the Broth, you poured out of the 'Broth pot'. Cover (best to use a 'vented' cover, to prevent boil-overs) let simmer for 5-7 mins, Tops. If desired, add a few chopped Spinach-leaves, to-taste, and/or Corn. Or, just a bit more Green Onion (but we like Spinach best..)
To make a bit more 'chowdery', you can add a bit of Cornstarch / thickening Flour to the 'canned Broth' (from the 'Broth pot') simmer on low a bit, then let Sit before you add to the 'Final Soup' / Stir-in. (If using the 'Campbells as Base' (vs DIY) just letting it Sit will also accomplish this fairly-well and is less work..) But even 'as-is', this is a Marvelous Recipe.
Serve with a few Grinds of Black Pepper on top, and Cornbread. (oops, forgot to tell ya to start that an hour ago.. Sourdough-boule shards also complement well. Enjoy with Ginger Ale or a nice White Wine (ie: Fetzers' Gewurztraminer.
jd
Last edited: