Go-To Winter Soup - Warms you from the Inside Out

Fresh  Garden Vegs & Nice Spice

Chicken Sausage Soup

By Alison Rolen

This soup was created to be a low-carb soup for myself.  Everyone in the family liked it, so it has become a family favorite.  All ingredients are fresh, has a nice spice to it, and makes a beautiful presentation, especially when garnished with fresh, shredded Parmesan. Just as good the following day(s). To make gluten-free, check sausage and broth labels.

1 lb bulk sausage – Jimmy Dean has good flavor and acceptable fat

4 cloves garlic – minced

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp smoked paprika

¼+ tsp cayenne red pepper

1 large Vidalia or sweet onion – diced

1 c. diced sweet red/orange pepper**

3 stalks celery – diced

1 c. sliced carrots

2 c. shredded and chopped cabbage

2 – 14.5oz cans diced tomatoes (or 1 quart home-canned tomatoes)

1 - 32oz box chicken broth (or 1 quart home-made stock)

If you have any reserved juice/stock from cooking chicken, add that as well

4 c. pre-cooked, cubed chicken – I use mostly, or exclusively, dark meat*

1 bunch green onions – sliced, including greens

¼ c. chopped fresh Italian parsley

Additional salt and pepper to taste

In large stockpot:

1. Add minced garlic to pot.  Add and Brown the sausage, breaking up into small pieces as it cooks.
2. Drain off only excessive grease (some is needed to cook veggies).  Add spices to top of sausage: cumin, paprika, red pepper.  Stir, coating sausage well.
3. Add in: onion, celery, carrots, cabbage – stir to incorporate seasonings over all, cover and cook about 10 minutes to begin to soften the vegetables. 
4. Add in: all chicken broth, tomatoes including juice, any/all reserved juice from cooking chicken, add some water if more liquid is needed.
5. Cover and bring to a simmer.  Cook until raw vegetables are desired softness – about 1 hr. total.
6. Add in cubed chicken and green onions.  Simmer (do not boil) about 10 minutes to heat chicken through. 
7. Taste broth and adjust red pepper, salt, and pepper to taste.
8. Add in chopped parsley, simmer for 5 minutes more, serve.

 Garnish: fresh shredded Parmesan cheese to top bowl

Variation:  I have also added in greens (kale, chard, or spinach) - raw with vegetables, or with chicken if pre-cooked (unseasoned)

*I bake 2 chickens, serve for dinner 1^st night, then remaining white meat goes to chicken salad, dark meat here.  

**Sweet garden peppers are chopped and frozen in 1c portions ready to drop in this soup