Tis the season to boost that immune system! Garlic is a powerhouse of immune boosting power. I love blending garlic into the slow cooked soup hen broth to make a creamy garlicy soup, perfect for this time of year. Soup Hens are an economical way to use up laying hens that aren’t able to lay eggs anymore. Ferme Rêveuse sells these and they’ve been making the best soup for my clients.
Roasted Garlic Chicken Soup
serves 4-6
1 Ferme Rêveuse Soup Hen, thawed
2 large carrot, peeled, left whole
1 small onion, peeled and cut in half
1 stalk celery, whole, washed
1 bay leaf
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
Add-Ins
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup long grain white rice
2 cups peas
4 stalks celery, chopped
3 tbsp all purpose flour or gluten free flour (optional)
lemon juice to taste
Roasted Garlic
10 cloves garlic or 1 head garlic, cut in half across the equator
1/4 cup olive oil
To a 4 L pot add soup hen, 2 carrots, onion, 1 stalk celery, bay leaf, thyme and oregano. Cover with water. Bring up to a simmer and simmer for 2 hours, covered partially.
Meanwhile, make roasted garlic by preheating the oven to 350F. Pour olive oil into a small heat safe dish. Place garlic cloves or garlic bulb in the oil, cut side down if using a whole bulb. Seal the top tight with aluminum foil. Roast for 40 minutes or until garlic is golden brown. Remove from the oven allow to cool.
When chicken is done cooking, remove chicken to a heat safe bowl. Set aside.
Remove bay leaf and carrots, set aside.
Strain out roasted garlic cloves and add garlic cloves to the broth left in the pot. Blend with an immersion blender along with the onion and celery that’s been left in the pot. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring up to a simmer. Add in rice and cook, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, remove the meat off of the chicken’s bones. Chop the chicken meat and put it into the soup along with the chopped celery and peas. Chop the cooked set aside carrots. Add to the soup.
If you’d like a thicker soup, make a roux with flour and the roasted garlic oil. In a small saucepan, head up the roasted garlic oil, add in the flour and cook the flour over medium low heat until slightly fragrant. Stir into the simmering soup and simmer until thickened.
