Chicken and Quinoa Soup

by Collette White | April 27, 2016

Good Morning friends! I hope this finds you all well!

I am sure I have mentioned before how much I love Soup. I love Soup even more when we are coming out of Summer where we load up with Salads almost every night. I have to say though I think I also say the same thing about loving Salads as we are coming out of Winter – ha ha! I love soups because they are (generally) quick to cook, easy to prepare, you can make extra to freeze for a night ‘off’ cooking, they are filling, satisfying and (also, generally) jam packed full of nutritious goodness … just like this one!

This is a new favourite in our home and even my Master 5 who doesn’t like ‘soup’ (although funny enough eats it if it is called something else) loved and devoured it! I hope you love it as much as we do!

As always I have done both stovetop and thermie-machine methods. Please read all the way to the bottom for notes and tips!

Ingredients

2 cloves garlic

1 onion – roughly diced (approx. 90g)

2 long sticks celery – cut into 2cm pieces (approx. 110g)

2 tblspns oil of choice (20g)

½ heaped cup quinoa (120g) – washed well

1 piece sweet potato – diced roughly 2cm cubes (320g)

2 chicken breast fillets – diced roughly 1-2cm chunks (500g)

1 tblspn dried turmeric (5g)

2 cups chicken broth or stock (460g)

1 large zucchini – diced roughly 1cm chunks

salt and pepper – to taste

Method

TMX METHOD:

Place the garlic, onion and celery into the bowl and blitz for 4 seconds / speed 5. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Add the oil and cook for 4 minutes / varoma / reverse / speed 2.

Add the quinoa, sweet potato, chicken, turmeric and broth. Cook for 10 minutes / varoma / reverse / speed 1.

Add the zucchini and cook for 12 minutes / 100c / reverse / speed 2.

Allow to cool for 2 minutes before serving. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 2 adults and 2-3 children.

STOVETOP METHOD:

Grate the garlic and place it into a saucepan with the onion, celery and oil. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the onion and celery starts to soften and they become transparent. Do not burn.

Add the remaining ingredients, except for the zucchini, and simmer on medium -high for 10 minutes.

Add the zucchini and cook for a further 6-8 minutes on medium – high or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked.

Allow to cool for 2 minutes before serving. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Notes

the TMX version soup becomes finely shredded and therefore a thicker soup
the stovetop version will be slightly chunkier
I suggest cutting everything smaller for the stovetop version
Keep an eye on the liquid for the stovetop version and add more if you feel it is needed