Servings: 6 • Serving Size: 1 bowl (1-1/2 cups)
- 2 cups water
- salt
- fresh ground pepper
- 1/4 cup flour (to make gluten-free use 2 tbsp cornstarch i
- 1 large celery stalk chopped
- 1/2 medium chopped onion
- 8 oz sliced baby portabella mushrooms
- pinch of thyme
- 10 oz frozen classic mixed vegetables (peas carrots, green beans, corn)
- 2 potatoes, peeled and cubed small
- 16 oz cooked chicken breast diced small
- 4 cups fat free milk
- 2 chicken bouillons
- Carbohydrate 51.1121975000188 g
- Cholesterol 403.47351416 mg
- Fat 18.0009535328478 g
- Fiber 2.2118550600082 g
- Protein 172.319434651914 g
- Saturated Fat 5.68893379779596 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Recipe (2454g)
- Sodium 874.358188267765 mg
- Sugar 48.9003424400106 g
- Trans Fat 2.60301387063371 g
- Calories 1097 calories
Step-by-step
- Create a slurry by combining 1/2 cup of the cold water with flour in a medium bowl and whisk until well blended. Set aside.
- Pour remaining water and milk into a large pot and slowly bring to a boil. Add celery, onion, mushrooms, chicken bullion, thyme, fresh pepper, frozen vegetables and return to a boil. Partially cover and simmer on low until vegetables are soft, about 20 minutes.
- Remove lid, add potatoes and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Add chicken, and slowly whisk in slurry, stirring well as you add.
- Cook another 2-3 minutes, until soup thickens, adjust salt and pepper to taste and serve.
Adding the starch slurry too late or boiling it too aggressively will leave the soup with a raw flour taste and a grainy texture. Creating a smooth suspension requires whisking cold water and flour thoroughly before it ever meets heat, then simmering the finished pot just long enough to gelatinize the starches without scorching the milk solids. Fat-free milk lacks the buffering fat of whole dairy, meaning high heat will easily curdle the base if the burner is set above a gentle simmer.
Soup versions of traditional baked pot pies emerged from mid-century American kitchens looking to stretch expensive poultry further by combining it with abundant garden vegetables and a thickened broth. Budget-friendly cooking relies on maximizing inexpensive base aromatics like celery, onions, and mushrooms to build deep savory profiles without needing expensive stocks. Slicing potatoes into uniform small cubes ensures they soften evenly in the five-minute window specified, preventing hard centers while the rest of the vegetables finish cooking.
Starch adjustments are simple when adapting for dietary needs, requiring a straightforward two-to-one swap where two tablespoons of cornstarch replace one quarter cup of wheat flour. Whisking the slurry gradually into the simmering pot while stirring constantly prevents lumps from forming instantly upon contact with hot liquid. Adjusting seasoning at the very end accounts for the concentration that occurs during the final two to three minutes of thickening.
