For me, this soup is just about perfect. I developed it one night after an afternoon at the Beach that led straight into Jiujitsu for the boys. I knew they'd be really hungry but I wanted to pack them full of vitamins and recovery food. So I just added bacon and sausage to my go to chicken/veggie soup. It honestly turned out much better than expected!
This uses frozen chicken tenders, but you could easily sub in fresh or frozen chicken breasts or thighs. Or use your leftover Turkey carcass.
Often if there's a need to deliver food to someone... there's been some sort of health issue, trauma or other event that will draw on our bodies health reserves. For that reason, some years back I started taking soup with fresh bread. Bone broth based soups and stews pack a huge amount of micronutrients and protein, not to mention vitamins from all the vegetable you can hide in there! (I do usually also take a box of Mac n Cheee just in case little kiddos can't hang with soup)
In our group of friends here in Kona, Fostering children in need has become a regular occorance. My brother fostered into adoption two amazing kiddos, they're the best part of our family now! As I watched their journey I wondered and prayed, 'Should we too be fostering?!'. Feeling that it wasn't the right thing for us in this season, I shared with my brother that I felt bad about not opening my home in fostering- was I doing something wrong? Was I missing God?!
I'll never forget his response! Johnny said to me, ' Please don't! We need you to be OUR support system!'
And so Ive given myself to sleepovers, playdates, and delivering dinner. And I absolutely love it! We all play a part in the ending of the Foster-Care crisis in America, and I really do enjoy mine.
*To make this without an Instant Pot, follow the same steps, just allow longer cooking times in the chicken cooking phase.
Recipe:
1/2 red Onion - diced
3 cloves of Garlic - crushed
4 rashers of smoked Bacon - chopped into small pieces
2 Chicken-Apple Sausages - chopped into small pieces
1 TBSP Olive Oil
// Set the Instant Pot to Sauté. Add in the oil and cook the bacon in it until crisp, about 5-7 mins. Then add in the onions and garlic and sausages- cook another 3-5 minutes until the onions are soft and translucent in color. Stir occasionally.
6 frozen Chicken Tenders or 2 Chicken breasts.
8 cups Chicken Stock
// Add in the Chicken and Stock. Put the lid on the Insta Pot, set to high pressure for 10 mins. Allow to naturally release pressure for 5 mins then manually release the pressure. Remove the chicken and chop it up into bite sized cubes. Return the Chicken to the Instant Pot.
Add:
1 Can of Navy Beans, drained and rinsed
4 Carrots - peeled and cut in 1/4ers
a handful of Green Beans, roughly chopped
1 cup frozen Peas
2 cups Kale, washed and cut into ribbons
3 tbsp fresh Parsley - chopped
4 springs fresh Thyme
1 TBSP dried Oregano
Juice and Zest of 1 Lemon
1 tsp Sea Salt
1/4 tsp Black Pepper
// Now add in all the rest of these ingredients! Set the Instant Pot to High for 2 mins. Manually release the pressure when it's done.
Done!
Top with Creme Fraise or Greek Yoghurt and grated mature Cheddar Cheese if you're into that kind of thing!
