Spring Vegetable Soup with Shredded Chicken & Parmesan Crisps
An array of nutritious vegetables are piled into this gorgeous soup topped with shredded chicken. Parmesan cheese is made into crispy crackers to use over top instead of croutons.
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Bring On The Crunch
These crackers are a creative way to get more calcium; one serving of Parmesan delivers nearly a third of your recommended intake.
Related: 5 Weeknight Dinners in One Grocery Bag
Ingredients
- 4 tsp olive oil, divided
- 1 8-oz boneless, skinless chicken breast
- ½ tsp each sea salt and ground black pepper, divided
- ½ cup water
- 1 leek, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
- 1 carrot, finely chopped
- 6 oz baby yellow potatoes, cut into ½-inch cubes
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large cast iron skillet on medium-high, heat one-half of oil. Sprinkle chicken with one-half of each salt and pepper. Add chicken to skillet and cook until lightly browned on bottom, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip and carefully add water and cover with a tight-fitting lid or foil. (TIP: If your skillet doesn’t come with a lid, fit a piece of foil around it. It helps to do this before your skillet is hot.) Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until chicken reaches 165°F on an instant-read thermometer and is no longer pink inside, 15 to 18 minutes. Transfer chicken to a board and wipe out skillet. When chicken is cool enough to handle, shred with 2 forks. Cover to keep warm.
3. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan on medium, heat remaining one-half of oil. Add leeks, carrots, remaining one-half of salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add potatoes and broth and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, 15 to 18 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, working with 1 tbsp at a time, place cheese in a mound on prepared baking sheet and pat down. Repeat with remaining cheese, forming 12 piles and spacing 2 inches apart using both sheets. Bake until golden and bubbly, 4 to 5 minutes. Let cool on sheets.
5. To saucepan, add spinach and peas and stir to combine. Divide soup and shredded chicken among bowls. Using a thin spatula, divide Parmesan crisps among bowls.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size 1/6 of soup with 2 crisps
- Calories 206
- Carbohydrate Content 16 g
- Cholesterol Content 31 mg
- Fat Content 8 g
- Fiber Content 3 g
- Protein Content 18 g
- Saturated Fat Content 3 g
- Sodium Content 477 mg
- Sugar Content 2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat Content 4 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat Content 1 g