Harvest Chicken Quinoa Soup

I’ve had this recipe pinned for quite a while.

You see, I bought some quinoa for a recipe a while back and the only package available was this massive 2 pound bag of quinoa.  And I have to say I did like the quinoa, especially with all of the protein and other nutrients, but the texture got to me a bit (see oatmeal).

Since then, I’ve been looking for ways to add this protein powerhouse to other dishes instead of letting the quinoa stand alone.

Enter this soup!  It is packed full of all sorts of delicious vegetables plus boasts the quinoa.  I love that the quinoa takes the place of the pasta in this soup.  Plus, with of the other chunked up veggies and chicken – the quinoa texture doesn’t bother me in the least! 

Recipe Notes:

*To make the soup vegetarian use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock and omit the chicken!

Harvest Chicken Quinoa Soup

Adapted from Iowa Girls Eats

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 carrot, chopped

1 large rib celery, chopped

4 oz mushrooms, chopped

1 small onion, chopped, about ½ cup

Salt & pepper

1 garlic clove, minced

10 cups chicken stock

1 tsp dried parsley

½ tsp dried thyme

1 bay leaf

2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 1 lb

2 medium sweet potatoes, diced, about 2 cups

1 large red potato, diced, about 1 cup

2/3 cup quinoa, rinsed & drained

6 oz fresh baby spinach

1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

Heat the oil in a large stock pot over medium heat.  Add the carrot, celery, mushrooms, onion, and a bit of salt & pepper.  Cook until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for another minute.

Stir in the chicken stock, parsley, thyme, and bay leaf; bring to a boil.  Add the chicken and cook for 10 minutes (20 if using frozen chicken) or until the chicken is cooked through.  Remove the chicken and shred.

Add the sweet potatoes, potatoes, and quinoa and return the pot to a boil.  Cook for another 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and the quinoa is cooked.

Stir in the shredded chicken, parmesan cheese, and spinach.  Cook for 2 minutes or until the chicken is heated through and the spinach is wilted.  Add additional salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 8