Simple Chicken Caldo Verde

Soup

Contributed by: Laura Johnston

chicken

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This recipe is a lower sodium and lower fat take on a staple Portuguese soup bu using chicken instead of sausage and lowering the amount of added oil. Practice some basic cooking skills like using a knife and simmering a soup. The ingredients are obtainable all year long and have a good shelf life.  Most ingredients can be acquired from a food pantry or local grocery store. The recipe serves 6, which is good for both larger families or those who enjoy leftovers or freezing some for later. 
 

Serves:
6 servings
Total Time:
60 minutes
Prep Time:
15 minutes
Cook Time:
45 minutes

Ingredients


Kale - 2 cups Russet_potato - 1 large Onion - 1 cup (1 medium onion) Chicken - 12 oz breast Olive_oil - 2 Tablespoons Vegetable_broth - 2 cups, low sodium Water - 2 cups Bay_leaf - 2-3 leaves Salt - 1 teaspoon Pepper - 1 teaspoon or more to taste Lemon_juice - 1 lemon juiced Garlic - 3 cloves or ½ teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

Step 1
Wash your hands for 20 seconds with warm water and soap.
Step 2
Dice 1 large potato into ¾ inch pieces or medium bite size pieces and place in bowl.
Step 3
Dice 1 cup yellow onion (~ 1 medium onion) and place in bowl.
Step 4
Mince 3 cloves of garlic (skip this step if using garlic powder or minced garlic).
Step 5
Rinse kale leaves and cut off the thicker part of the stem with a knife. Stack 2-3 kale leaves and cut into thin strips and place in bowl.
Step 6
Place a large pot over medium heat and add 2 Tablespoon of olive oil and minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Step 7
Add the potatoes, chicken, onion, chicken, bay leaf, 1 teaspoon of salt, 2 cups of low sodium vegetable broth and 2 cups of water and bring to a boil.
Step 8
Once boiling reduce heat to low and simmer partially covered with lid for ~20-25 minutes and until the potatoes are tender enough to be poked clean with a fork.
Step 9
Turn off the heat. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside on a cutting board. Remove and discard the bay leaves
Step 10
Use a potato masher or a whisk to begin mashing the potatoes in the soup until it becomes slightly creamy.
Step 11
Add sliced kale to soup and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer, cooking uncovered until kale is tender ~ 10-15 minutes.
Step 12
Shred the now cooled chicken with a fork.
Step 13
Add the shredded chicken, pepper, and optional no salt added seasoning to the soup and bring to simmer ~ 5 minutes.
Step 14
Serve immediately or cool and store in the refrigerator or freezer for later.

Notes

Low sodium vegetable broth can be substituted for low sodium chicken broth if that is preferred. 

3 cloves of minced garlic can be substituted for 1/2 tsp garlic powder or 1/2 tsp of minced jarred garlic. 

Leave the skin on the potato to increase the fiber in the soup.

Remove bay leaves before consuming. 

Optional seasoning with a no salt mix like "Mrs. Dash" 

Safety tip: When using a knife, cut away from your hand and keep fingers away from the blade. 

Nutrition Information

Serving Size:
6 serving
Calories:
196 Calories
Fat:
6.7 g
Saturated Fat:
1 g
Carbohydrates:
Net Carb: 16.4 g
Dietary Fiber:
3 g
Protein:
18.4 g
Sodium:
433