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In the Kitchen
A creamy chicken gnocchi soup to warm you on a chilly fall night

Nothing beats curling up on a cool fall night with a bowl of hot soup. I’ve always had a liking for making soup — I was just never into eating it. But the more I experiment in my culinary adventures, the more I’ve learned to enjoy trying different soups.

in the kitchenBy definition, soup is a liquid food with added ingredients. Doesn’t sound so appealing, does it? But if you take this definition to another level, it really is just opening up a huge culinary opportunity, because this so called “liquid food” can be anything you desire.

I personally prefer hearty creamier soups over broths or purées. Soups filled with lots of veggies and different meats surrounded by a creamy broth are the kinds of soups I tend to go for.

When it comes to cooking soup, variations are endless. You can really get creative in the soup making department. I personally love the endless possibilities that come with creating different soups.

Below I’ve shared a recipe that can be varied a million different ways. This recipe happens to be one of my favorites. It incorporates a classic creamy chicken soup with gnocchi, a potato dumpling. I happened to have a package of gnocchi just lying around, go figure, but you can make gnocchi very easily at home just using a couple of potatoes, egg and flour. If you’re looking for the easy way out — no judging here — they do sell pre-made gnocchi in the store, perfect for soup making. I just happen to love gnocchi either way and find this soup recipe to be the perfect way to enjoy it!

Cream of Chicken Soup with Gnocchi
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup onion, chopped
  • 1/2 cup celery, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 lb chicken breast, cleaned and diced
  • 1/4 all purpose flour
  • 24 ounces chicken stock
  • 2 cups half and half
  • 1 cup shredded carrots
  • 2 cups potato gnocchi
  • Kosher Salt
  • Ground black pepper
  • Fresh chopped parsley

Directions:

  1. Heat the oil and butter on medium high heat in a large soup pot.
  2. Add the onion and celery, sauté until becomes translucent, about 3-5 minutes.
  3. Add the garlic and thyme sprigs, cook for 1 minute.
  4. Add in the chicken pieces and cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 6 minutes.
  5. Stir in the flour, cook for 1 minute.
  6. Add the broth and stir to incorporate all the ingredients. Lower heat to medium and bring to a simmer.
  7. Add in the half and half, shredded carrots and gnocchi. Cook until the gnocchi begins to float, about 5 minutes.
  8. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  9. Add in fresh chopped parsley to garnish. Serve immediately.

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baig kayleighKayleigh Van Vliet Baig was born and raised in Riverhead, where she lives with her husband Tahir and their two dogs.Kayleigh is in her third season as Sous Chef at a private kitchen in Southampton. Not only is she second in command but her main focus is on creating, preparing and executing cold dishes such as salads, hors d’œuvres, appetizers, canapés, pâtés and terrines. Kayleigh has been in the culinary industry for the last 15 years, working her way up in kitchens on the East End. She also is a personal chef.

Look for In the Kitchen with Kayleigh every Saturday on SoutholdLOCAL.com.

Got questions? Recipes? Ideas? [contact-form-7 id=”27493″ title=”Write to Kayleigh”]

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Kayleigh Van Vliet Baig
Kayleigh is a sous chef at the Meadow Club in Southampton. A Riverhead native, she is married and the mother of a daughter born in December 2016. Email Kayleigh