Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Chicken Pot Pie - the king of comfort foods. Bite size tender chicken pieces mixed with hearty vegetable soup covered with flaky pie crust and baked golden brown - just what you want to have on a cold wintery night.  This soup takes its inspiration from the pot pie itself.  Traditionally, a ROUX is the base to the soup - butter mixed with flour to make the base or gravy if you want to call it.  But, the modern woman of today like me, relies on Campbell to make all the creams - that of chicken/broccoli/asparagus etc.  Note that this soups are pretty high in sodium so either buy a low sodium choice or skip the salt or enjoy it all as is and skip the sodium on other things you eat during the day. I have used chicken broth here but you can substitute it with water to reduce the sodium intake.  For a vegetarian option, use cream of (any vegetable) and veggie broths. I did not have cream of chicken today so I used cream of asparagus and the dish turned out fine!

Ingredients and Method:

4 tbsp cream of asparagus (or cream of chicken or broccoli or asparagus will do)
1 and 1/2 cup of chicken broth or water
1/2 medium onion
1/2 green pepper
2/3 cup mixed vegetables (corn/beans/carrots/corn)
Cooked chicken pieces (2 chicken tenderloins)
1 small potato (small bite size pieces, cooked)
Salt and Black Pepper
Italian seasonings
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

1. Heat oil in a stockpot.  Add chopped onions and green pepper. Sautee for 4 to 5 minutes.
2. Add the mixed vegetables, mix well, and continue sauteeing for another 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Add some water and cover and cook until the veggies are tender. Water should evaporate by now.
4. Now, take the cream of chicken in a small bowl and beat with a fork until no lumps are seen.
5. Add the beaten cream of chicken to the stockpot and stir well. 
6. Add very little salt, black pepper, and dash of Italian seasonings and cayenne pepper . Add the chicken pieces.  The mixture should appear quite thick at this time. Let cook for 2 to 3 minutes while constantly sauteeing it. 
7. Now add half of the chicken broth or water and stir. If you want a thinner consistency, add more of the broth or water.  Add the cooked potatoes. Cover and let the soup come to a boil on low flame.
Adjust seasonings as per your taste.

Serve hot.

Note:
1. I always used frozen mixed vegetables. Thaw them ahead of time.
2. Cook the potatoes either on the stove or in a microwave. Potatoes should not be overcooked. They will continue to cook in the soup. Alternatively you can cook the potatoes with the mixed veggies.
3. To cook chicken: Boil water in a stock pot.  Add the chicken tenderloins. Cook only for 2 to 4 minutes. Remove and cut into pieces. They will continue to cook in the soup.


For a slow cooker option:
1. Heat oil. Add the onions and green peppers and sautee for few minutes. Add mixed veggies and potatoes (uncooked) and the soup with water.  Sautee for 2 to 3 minutes. Add all the seasonings. Mix well. Add the chicken broth.
2. Add the contents to the slow cooker. Cook until veggies are tender.