Go Back
–+ servings

Homesick Soup

ChickenDiner-StyleStove-Top
Time :35 minutes
Yield :8 servings
Print
Share :
Add as Preferred Source on Google

The Scoop

Some soups warm you up, and some feel like they were made specifically to welcome you home.
This Homesick Soup is firmly in the second category: tender chicken, sweet carrots, earthy leeks and greens, fluffy rice, and a creamy, savory broth that feels like a comforting blanket in a bowl. It’s hearty without being heavy and exactly what you want when dinner needs to do a little more than simply fill you up.
Hack it:
No rotisserie chicken? Use leftover roasted chicken, turkey, or even shredded pork. It’s an especially good way to give holiday leftovers a second life.
Swap the collard greens for kale, Swiss chard, spinach, or whatever sturdy greens are hiding in your fridge.
For an even silkier broth, replace half the heavy cream with evaporated milk. You’ll get plenty of creaminess without making the soup quite as rich.
Brown rice, wild rice, or orzo can replace white rice. Just keep the rice separate until the end so it doesn’t turn the broth overly starchy.
Leftovers:
Creamy Chicken Pot Pie Filling: Reduce the leftover soup over low heat until thick, spoon it into ramekins, and top with puff pastry before baking until golden.
Chicken & Rice Fritters: Mix the thickened leftovers with an egg and breadcrumbs, shape into patties, and pan-fry until crisp.
Cozy Pasta Soup: Add cooked pasta to the reheated soup and loosen with a splash of broth or milk.
Creamy Chicken Bake: Stir the leftovers with extra cooked rice, top with breadcrumbs and Parmesan, and bake until bubbling and golden.

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 4 cups leeks, thoroughly washed, thinly sliced, white and light green parts only
  • 1 cup carrots, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 8 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
  • 3 cups rotisserie chicken, shredded
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped, plus more, to taste, for garnish
  • 4 cups collard greens, chopped
  • 2 cups white rice, cooked
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

  • In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, melt the butter.
  • Add the leeks, the carrots, the celery, and the garlic to the melted butter and cook, while stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes.
  • Add the flour to the vegetable mixture and cook, while stirring constantly, until the raw flour smell disappears, about 1 minute.
  • Increase the heat to medium-high.
  • Add the chicken broth, the rotisserie chicken, and 1 tablespoon of the thyme to the vegetable mixture and bring it to a boil.
  • Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer the soup mixture until the flavors meld together and it thickens a little, about 10 minutes.
  • Add the collard greens to the soup mixture and cook, while stirring frequently, until just tender, about 5 minutes.
  • Transfer the soup mixture from the stovetop to a wire rack.
  • Add the cooked rice, the heavy cream, the salt, and the black pepper to the soup mixture and stir until well-combined.
  • Serve garnished with the extra thyme.
×