Love soup season and this one is delicious and hearty. I am a big fan of homemade stock as I think it makes all the difference in the flavor base of the soup, To give this soup extra corn flavor, I use the corn on the cob to add the flavor. If you are in a hurry, you can use store bought stock and a rotisserie chicken, but it will not taste as good!! Happy cooking and welcome to soup season!

Ingredients:

for stock:

  • 1 3-4 lb whole chicken
  • 1 carrot
  • 1 stalk celery
  • 1 onion, quartered
  • 3 smashed garlic cloves
  • 2 tablespoons peppercorns
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 4 thyme sprigs
  • 2 dried bay leaves
  • 2 whole corn on the cob (husks removed)
  • 10-12 cups cold water

for soup:

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 large onion, diced 
  • 1 finely diced jalapeño
  • 1 diced red pepper
  • 3 ribs celery, diced 
  • 3 medium carrots, sliced 
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced 
  • 2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch chunks 
  • 4 cups frozen yellow corn 
  • 5 -6 cups prepared chicken stock (freeze extra stock for use later)
  • 4 cups shredded chicken from stock 
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 teaspoons garlic
  • 1 -2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1-2 teaspoons favorite poultry seasoning
  • 2 tablespoons of flour
  • 1 cup heavy cream or half and half
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • fresh chopped parsley for garnish, optional
  • Croutons for serving, optional

Directions:

for stock:

Place all ingredients for stock in a large pot. Fill with 10-12 cups of cold water or until the water reaches about 3/4 of the way full. Bring the water to a boil, reduce heat to low and cover simmered for about 1 hour, covered. Drain stock (it will be a beautiful golden color) through a colander reserving cooking liquid and chicken and discard the rest. Once chicken is cool enough to handle, remove chicken from bones and shred into bite size pieces, setting aside to use later. You can strain the stock one more time through a sieve to remove any other remaining particles.

for soup:

Melt butter in a 5 to 6 quart heavy-bottomed pot on medium high heat. Once the butter is melted, add the onions, carrots, the celery and peppers. Sauté for several minutes until tender and fragrant and add garlic. Cook for an additional 8 to 10 minutes, lowering heat to medium low, until the vegetables are softened and are beginning to brown. Season with salt and pepper. Next add corn and diced potatoes, stir to coat and add flour followed by 5 cups of reserved stock. Add cand seasonings and increase heat bringing to a simmer. Lower heat to maintain a simmer and cook for 8-10 minutes until the potatoes are just cooked through. Add shredded chicken to the pot along with cream. Garnish with fresh parsley and croutons and enjoy!