Chicken and Potato Soup
Ready When You Are
Chicken and Potato Soup | Dara O’Brien
By Dara O’Brien
Creative Director, Lake Isle Press
What do these four things have in common: defrosted chicken thighs, most of a yellow onion, a few odd potatoes, and a little leftover parsley?
A. They all went bad in my fridge today
B. They are user names from a Reddit food community
C. They are the main ingredients for an easy homemade soup
Since this a recipe blog, I’m guessing you answered C. If so, you are correct.
Isn’t it a pain when you defrost something you plan to cook and then you don’t do it? That was the case with the above-mentioned chicken. I defrosted it then realized I didn’t have much else on hand to make a meal with, so I had leftover spaghetti for dinner. I opened the fridge the next day and there was the chicken, perched defiantly on the middle shelf. I had to use it or lose it.
Since I chose to say no to food waste some time ago, tossing it wasn’t an option. And yet, it was a grey day and I didn’t feel like running to the store. What chicken dish could I make, I wondered, with what was in my pantry? That’s where the yellow onion, potatoes, and parsley came in.
I remembered seeing a recipe for Chicken and Potato Soup in “The Bread and Salt Between Us” by Mayada Anjari with Jennifer Sit, published by Lake Isle Press. I looked it up. Bingo. I had all the ingredients ready and waiting.
I only had a pound of bone-in chicken thighs, so I cut the recipe in half but otherwise followed it pretty closely, including the note to remove the chicken skin. I added a little chicken bouillon to the water to deepen the flavor, and threw in some carrots with the potatoes. I chose to shred the meat off the bone and return it to the pot before serving.
It’s a simple, satisfying meal that checked a lot of boxes: good to eat, pantry-based, comforting, and accommodating. And another plus, there were leftovers.
If you ask me, a great home cook is somebody who can look at a pile of ingredients and not only envision a meal, but put it together—and mighty tastily, too—without a recipe. That’s not me. Most of the time I don’t wing it in the kitchen; I rely on cookbooks and apps and tested recipes when I cook.
But though I may need a little expert guidance, dashing a meal together out of what I have in my pantry is a highly satisfying endeavor. Kind of like having a minor superpower. I may not be a champion improviser in the kitchen, but I give myself points for seeing the possibilities.
Chicken and Potato Soup Recipe
Click here for printable recipe.
Serves 4-6
INGREDIENTS
2 pounds skinless, bone-in chicken thighs
¼ small onion, thinly sliced
3 dried bay leaves
3 cardamom pods, crushed open
2½ pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into large cubes
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Chopped parsley, for garnish (optional)
PREPARATION
Place the chicken, onion, bay leaves, and cardamom in a large pot. Add enough cold water to cover the chicken by 2 inches. Bring to a boil on high, then reduce the heat to medium. Simmer, covered, for 30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and tender. Remove and discard the bay leaves and cardamom pods.
While the chicken is simmering, rinse the potatoes under cold water and drain. In a pot over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the potatoes and stir to coat. Cover and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until the potatoes begin to turn translucent. Add the potatoes to the pot with the chicken. Pour 1 cup water into the empty pot, stir so it picks up any butter left behind, then add to the chicken.
Add the salt and pepper. Cover and simmer on medium for 25 to 30 minutes, until the potatoes are cooked through. Serve immediately, topped with the parsley (if using).
Notes: Use any chicken part, as long as it includes the bones (if using chicken breast, cut into smaller pieces before serving); remove the skin to make the soup less greasy. Serve the soup with the chicken left on the bone, or remove the bones and shred the chicken meat before adding it back to the broth. Serve with a scoop of any grain, such as rice or bulgar, to make it more filling.
Recipe from “The Bread and Salt Between Us,” by Mayada Anjari with Jennifer Sit, Lake Isle Press, 2018
Chicken and Potato Soup Recipe
from “The Bread and Salt Between Us”
by Mayada Anjari with Jennifer Sit, Lake Isle Press, 2018
“A quietly powerful reflection on how food can bring families together.”
–Marcus Samuelsson, Head Chef, Red Rooster, Harlem
Organized by everyday fare, celebrations, and sweets, The Bread and Salt Between Us offers over forty recipes that recall the flavor and comforts of Mayada's home in Syria. From the fresh tabbouleh she learned to prepare alongside her mother and sisters to Baklava or the rice pudding that won over her future husband, these easy-to-approach dishes, like Chicken Kabsa, Green Fassoulia or White Fassoulia, or Rice Pilaf with Vermicelli tell the story of a family whose culinary traditions have sustained them as they build a new life in the United States.
ALSO FROM THE BREAD AND SALT BETWEEN US:
Baklava
Chicken Kabsa
Chicken in the Oven With Potatoes
Ma'amoul (Date-filled Cookies)
Rice Pilaf with Vermicelli
Stewed White Beans with Beef (White Fassoulia)
Stewed Green Beans, Tomatoes, and Garlic