Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Cozy, healthy chicken pot pie soup made without any dairy!  Loaded with vegetables, it's the perfect comfort food for colder months.   The star ingredients here are the potatoes, cauliflower and thyme.  Potatoes are antiviral, antifungal, and antibacterial, and can help soothe the digestive lining.  Cauliflower has also been found to help protect the lining of the stomach which is vital for preventing bacterial overgrowth in the stomach. Thyme is known to kill off bacteria and viruses. 

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 1/2 pounds uncooked boneless skinless chicken breast, diced

1/2 tsp olive oil

1 white onion, chopped

2 large carrots, sliced

3 cups yukon gold potatoes, diced

3 cups  finely chopped cauliflower florets

1 Tbsp fresh thyme

2 cups of unsweetened almond milk

3 cups low sodium chicken broth

1 tsp reduced sodium chicken base (I use Better Than Bouillon)

sea salt

pepper

1 cup frozen peas (optional)

Directions:

1. Place a large pot over medium high heat.  Add in olive oil.  Once oil is hot, add in diced chicken and season with salt & pepper.  Cook chicken for about 5 minutes or until thoroughly cooked and no longer pink.  Remove chicken from pot and transfer to a large bowl for later.

2. In the same pot, add in 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, chopped onion.  Saute for one minute.  Add in carrots, potato, cauliflower and thyme.  Saute for a few minutes until onion begins to soften.  Then add milk, chicken broth, chicken base, salt and pepper.  Allow mixture to simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

3. Remove 3 cups of the veggie mixture from the pot and transfer to a blender.  Making sure to get mostly veggies with some liquid, in order to end up with a puree consistency. Blend until completely smooth (be careful while doing this). Then transfer puree back to the pot.  Stir in chicken and frozen peas, if desired.  Allow mixture to simmer for 15 more minutes to thicken up a bit.  Taste and add more salt & pepper, if necessary.  Garnish with extra pepper and thyme.  Great with crackers or biscuits!

Storing and Freezing Tips:

Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.  Once the soup is completely cooled, just place it in an airtight container without the additional toppings.  To reheat on the stovetop or use a microwave safe bowl.

Freeze, once completely cooled, place in an airtight container.  Place in the freezer for up to 3 months.  To reheat, thaw the soup overnight and reheat on the stovetop.