Sometimes, the best recipes are created by just using what you have on hand when you want to clear out the refrigerator.
In this case, I had some extra mushrooms and leeks left from last week, and I certainly didn't want them to go bad. In addition, there were some chicken breasts halves I needed to cook.
At first, I had decided to bake the chicken, plain, then to pull the meat from the bones for use in other things. After the chicken came out of the oven, I remembered the mushrooms and leeks, and decided it sounded like the makings of a tasty soup.
I'll spare you the details of how I decided to add a couple of other things (you'll see them in the ingredient list), and just skip to the recipe.
This was superb, so now it has been written down to make sure I can make it again. In fact, there is still some more chicken left so, if more mushrooms are available right away, I'll be making a couple batches of this to freeze for later! YUM!
Creamy Chicken, Mushroom and Leek Soup with Mini Shells
(Makes about 4 quarts)
Ingredients:
In this case, I had some extra mushrooms and leeks left from last week, and I certainly didn't want them to go bad. In addition, there were some chicken breasts halves I needed to cook.
At first, I had decided to bake the chicken, plain, then to pull the meat from the bones for use in other things. After the chicken came out of the oven, I remembered the mushrooms and leeks, and decided it sounded like the makings of a tasty soup.
I'll spare you the details of how I decided to add a couple of other things (you'll see them in the ingredient list), and just skip to the recipe.
This was superb, so now it has been written down to make sure I can make it again. In fact, there is still some more chicken left so, if more mushrooms are available right away, I'll be making a couple batches of this to freeze for later! YUM!
Creamy Chicken, Mushroom and Leek Soup with Mini Shells
(Makes about 4 quarts)
Ingredients:
- 3 Quarts water
- 4 Tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 Leeks, white and light-green parts only, sliced
- 1 Pound Button mushrooms, sliced
- 3 Cubes of Chicken Bouillon
- 3 Cubes of Garlic Bouillon
- 2 Chicken-breast halves, cooked, and meat pulled from the bones
- 3 Chipotle chiles, canned, with some of their adobo sauce, very finely chopped (or ground in a mortar and pestle)
- 8 Ounces Mini-shell pasta
- 2 Cups Heavy cream
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Bring the water to a boil in a Dutch oven.
- While the water is heating, heat a sautée pan on medium heat, add and heat the oil, then add the leeks and cook for about 2 minutes.
- Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, until the leeks are soft and the mushrooms are tender.
- When the water comes to a boil, add the bouillon cubes and the chicken.
- When the mushrooms and leeks are done, add them to the soup in the pot.
- Add the chipotles, stir everything together well, reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
- Add the mini shells and continue to simmer for the amount of time specified on the pasta package or until al dente.
- Add the heavy cream and heat through.
- Adjust the seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
If blueberry muffins have blueberries in them, what do vegan muffins have?