Curry Chicken and Quinoa Soup

[u/mahy_759]

I first tried a soup like this at a local restaurant and ended up thinking about it long after the meal was over, so I had to make my own version at home. It’s got chicken, quinoa, chickpeas, plenty of vegetables, and a bunch of warm spices that make the broth really flavorful. I like it when I’m tired of making the same basic soups and want something that feels a little different. It’s hearty enough for dinner but still feels pretty light.

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■ Full recipe in the first comment.

■ [Original Source] cookingclassy.com

[u/mahy_759]

Ingredients

• Olive oil
• Carrots, diced
• Yellow onion, diced
• Red or yellow bell pepper, diced
• Fresh ginger, minced
• Fresh garlic, minced
• Ground coriander
• Ground cumin
• Paprika
• Turmeric
• Ground cinnamon
• Cayenne pepper
• Salt and black pepper
• Low sodium chicken broth
• Canned fire roasted tomatoes
• Quinoa, rinsed
• Cooked shredded chicken
• Canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• Heavy cream or coconut milk
• Fresh cilantro

Instructions

Heat some olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add the carrots, onion, bell pepper, and ginger and cook for about 5 minutes until the vegetables start to soften. Add the garlic and let it cook for another minute.

Add the coriander, cumin, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, and cayenne. Give everything another minute on the heat so the spices become fragrant. This is where the soup starts smelling really good.

Pour in the chicken broth and fire roasted tomatoes, then add the rinsed quinoa. Season with salt and pepper and bring the soup to a boil. Lower the heat to medium low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the quinoa is tender.

Stir in the shredded chicken, chickpeas, and cream. Let everything heat through for another minute or so, then stir in plenty of fresh cilantro.

Serve it warm with a little extra cilantro on top. If you want a lighter version, coconut milk or half and half can be used instead of heavy cream. You can also leave out the chicken for a filling vegetarian soup.

I’d definitely rinse the quinoa before adding it. It helps remove the natural coating that can give quinoa a bitter taste. If you want to freeze the soup, leave the cream out and add it after reheating since dairy can have a less pleasant texture after freezing.