Ok–soup and stew season is quickly coming to a close, I can feel it! With temperatures in the high 60’s yesterday and today bringing us back to reality with a cold 40 or so…I know the good weather is on its way! Possible wishful thinking…I know, but I have faith! Soup or stew is just not doable in the warm weather to me. Really, it just makes me hot thinking about it. I do love a hot bowl of soup on a cold day though. I found this recipe on a cooking blog that I frequent and decided to give it a spin. I want to warn you, it is VERY time consuming. Plan this on a day that you have a lot of time to spend in the kitchen (a glass of wine in hand, perhaps?) or when you can prep ingredients earlier in the day so you are not chopping pounds of vegetables with one child clamoring at your legs, and another melting down in the other room…oh wait, sorry, is that just my life?
Well, the stew is completely worth the work. Lots of great vegetables, a really flavorful broth and the nuttiness of the quinoa (can you say “keen-wa”?) make for a really great, wholesome, hearty dinner. My kids ate it up and my husband really liked it too. This recipe made so much too I was able to throw it in the freezer, for another time. I paired this dinner with some buttery cornbread and a fruit salad and we all left the table happy. Well, I was dead tired after making the soup, but indeed happy. 🙂
Chicken Vegetable Stew with Quinoa
2 tblsp olive oil
1 cup sweet onion, diced
2 cups red bell pepper, diced
1 cup zucchini, quartered and sliced
1 cup carrots, sliced
1 cup celery, sliced
1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes
64 oz chicken broth
4 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
1 tblsp Italian Seasoning
3 cups quinoa, cooked
4 chicken breasts, cooked, cubed
Salt, pepper, garlic salt to taste
2 tblsp dijon mustard
Heat olive oil in large stock pot. Add onion, pepper, zucchini, carrots and celery. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, broth, potatoes and Italian seasoning. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, cook an additional 10-15 minutes or until potatoes are cooked through. Add quinoa, chicken, seasonings and mustard. Heat through. Serve warm.
*Note: My hint is to cook the quinoa, cook and chop the chicken and cut all the veggies except for the potatoes ahead of time. Then, when it is time to assemble, the work is minimal.
*Note2: I know the dijon mustard ingredient sounds strange…do not skip it. It is really worth it! It gives the soup a rich, unique taste. I was wary at first so tested a little in a small bowl. Delicious! 🙂
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