It gives me a lot of joy and contentment to find pleasure in something simple.
Just before sitting down to write, I decided to spend a few moments sitting in a chair in the back yard in utter silence just listening to the world around me, soaking up the milder rays of the warming sun (and some much needed vitamin D).
And just from those few, precious moments that I gave myself for refreshment, my spirit feels calmed and quieted; it feels lifted up.
I feel at peace, and full of gratitude and awareness for the gift of a simple pleasure, and what it can do for me.
Autumn awakens my sentimental side; it seems far more melancholy (the good kind) than summer ever would be, and I guess I kinda like that about it.
It coaxes me into daydreams, and sets my imagination ablaze with images of how I’d like to spend my quiet moments, whether curled up on my couch in the evening in my robe with my Kindle, reading; or in the kitchen preparing some fall-inspired fare for the people in my life that I love and cherish.
For me, there’s a simple pleasure in the reddish-golden sunset of the fall, and in the plethora of orange and yellow butterflies that I see touch the petals of the fall flowers.
There’s a simple pleasure in the way that the water in a small pond reflects the light, making it look like little particles of stars that have fallen to earth; or in nature, this complex magnificence that surrounds us that God has provided us with, where we can search out our Creator’s hidden qualities as to better understand and experience Him.
Simple pleasures are found in the very food that this season provides us with in the golden-orange, green and red offerings that it births.
The flavors are familiar and perfect for what a soul in the autumn longs for.
Each bite of a hearty Italian chicken and autumn veggie soup contains little bursts of fall; it contains little tastes of the very best elements that it produces.
And the simple pleasure found in a bowl of this earthy soup feeds not only the physical part of us, but the inner, quieter part that longs for a connection to that which is greater than we are—to the One who’s hands gave shape to what we ingest and use as sustenance.
A few moments of peace and quiet in the autumn afternoon sun can do wonders for one’s spirit, just as a bowl of colorful and savory autumn soup can.
And there’s nothing complicated about these things; they’re just a pair of simple pleasures that make everyday living that much more delicious.
And for those simple little things, I hope to remain forever hungry, and forever in gratitude.
Taste what’s good and pass it on.
Ingrid
Hearty Italian Chicken and Autumn Veggie Soup with Roasted Garlic and Tomato Broth over Gnocchi
by Ingrid Beer
Print RecipeYield: Serves about 4 as a hearty entree, or about 6 smaller bowls
Ingredients:
• 2 skin-on and bone-in split chicken breasts
• Canola oil
• Salt
• Black pepper
• 3 heads garlic
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 2 carrots, peeled and finely diced
• 2 parsnips, peeled and finely diced
• 2 ribs celery, finely diced
• 2 cups butternut squash, peeled and diced into small, bite-size cubes
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 4 – 4 ½ cups hot chicken stock
• Small piece of parmesan rind, optional (*see note below)
• 2 cups Tuscan kale, chopped into small pieces
• ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, julienned
• 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
• Gnocchi, cooked according to package instructions, and held warm with a bit of oil drizzled in
• Grated fresh parmesan, for garnish
• Warm rustic bread, on the side
(*The parmesan rind gives the soup some extra flavor as it simmers; however, if you don’t have a piece of rind, you can omit it without a problem.)
Preparation:
-Preheat oven to 400°, and line a baking sheet with foil.
-Place the split chicken breasts on the baking sheet, and drizzle them with a little oil, and a couple of good pinches of salt and pepper.
-Cut the tops off of the heads of garlic, drizzle each head with a little oil, plus a pinch of salt and pepper, and wrap each head in a small piece of foil; place on the baking sheet next to the chicken.
-Roast the chicken, along with the garlic, for 45 minutes; then allow both to cool until they can be handled.
-Once they are cooled, shred the chicken, and set it aside; then, squeeze the roasted garlic from the papers, and using your knife or a fork, make the cloves into a paste; set the paste aside for a moment.
-Place a medium-large pot over medium to medium-high heat, and drizzle in about 2-3 tablespoons of the oil, plus add in the tablespoon of butter; once melted together, add in the onion and allow it sweat for about 3-4 minutes, until translucent and softened.
-To the onion add the roasted garlic “paste”, and stir it in to combine.
-Next, add in the diced carrots, parsnips, celery and butternut squash and stir to combine; add in the Italian seasoning, plus a pinch or two of salt and black pepper, and the red pepper flakes, and stir to incorporate.
-Add in the tomato paste and stir, and allow it to cook with the vegetables for about 2-3 minutes, or until the “raw” flavor of it is cooked out of it.
-Next, add in the chicken stock and stir, followed by the piece of parmesan rind, if using; cover with a lid and simmer very gently on low for about 20-22 minutes, stirring occasionally (especially if you add the parmesan rind so that it doesn’t stick to the bottom), or until the veggies are tender.
-Turn off the heat, and remove the parmesan rind, if using; add in the kale and stir to incorporate it, and allow it wilt into the soup for a few minutes; then, finish the soup by adding in the shredded chicken, the basil and the parsley (also, check your seasoning at this point to see if any additional salt/pepper is needed).
-To serve, add about ¼ cup or so of cooked gnocchi to your bowl, and ladle some of the stew over top; garnish with some grated parmesan, if desired, and serve with warm bread.
I’ve been following a long time but haven’t commented til now. WHAT A SOUP.
I appreciate your comment, Kiara—thank you! And thanks for following!
This post is one of the most beautiful I have ever read on any blog. Simply delightful and filled with my own sentiments and deep gratitude ! Plus an exquisite recipe 🙂
Thank you!
-Rebekah
Rebekah, how kind of you! Thank you for that…
Hi Ingrid! Looks like another wonderful recipe I can’t wait to try! I have a question though, when you say 2 bone-in, skin-on split chicken breasts, does that mean 2 whole breasts (4 individual total) or 2 half breasts (2 total)?
Thanks! 🙂
Hi Alisha! Great question, and I’m glad to have a chance to clear that up in case anyone else will wonder; it’s 2 half breasts, or 2 total. I really do hope you try this soup out, and thank you for stopping by!
Thanks Ingrid! I’ll be shopping for the ingredients today. And I also have your Apricot-Pineapple Sticky Chicken over Toasted Rice on the menu for next week too – it’s my second time cooking that and it is just delicious!!!
Love all your recipes! Keep ’em coming! 🙂
Alisha, yay!!! I’m so excited. Please enjoy this, and also the sticky chicken. And thanks for taking a moment to comment; I always appreciate knowing that the folks are enjoying the recipes! Happy cooking! 🙂
First time visitor and just had to make this soup when I saw the pictures. So glad I did, it was fabulous. I just had to add 2 more cups of stock since I had two large bone-in split chicken breasts. I served with garlic bread. Family loved it. I will be making again throughout the winter.
Lorrie, that’s fantastic—I’m thrilled that you and your family enjoyed this soup, and that you plan on making this again to keep you all cozy-comfy during the winter! Thanks so much for stopping by; and I hope you can find a few more soups/stews or other warming recipes to try out, as well!
hi, this soup looks delicious- but unfortunately is not vegetarian- any suggestions as to what I can replace the chicken with?
Thanks and looking fwd to your reply 🙂
Saumya
Hi there! Great question—you can substitute vegetable stock for the chicken; and as far as the chicken meat is concerned, you can just leave it out; or, substitute some ground soy (it looks like ground beef, and can be found at Whole Foods Market or Trader Joes) if you’d like a little texture. Also, you could substitute seitan, which is meat-like, as well. Hope you enjoy!
Thank you for the lovely soup recipe.
Liz, my pleasure! 🙂
Made this soup today utterly fantastic! !! Thank you
Thanks so much! So glad you enjoyed this…
I am so pleased that I came across this recipe! My whole family loved it! It also made quite the impression with all of its lovely colors and aroma. It sure involved a lot of chopping but I found it to be the best soup I have ever made by far!
Ana, I’m so very happy to read that! Yes; there’s a bit of extra elbow grease involved, but as you can taste, it’s so very worth it in the end! Thank you for your comments.
Made this soup this weekend for dinner guests and it was a huge hit! The bonus was that my house smelled great from it simmering on the stove. This recipe is definitely going in the “keep” file 🙂
Sarah, I’m so thrilled to read that—awesome! Glad you all enjoyed, and that this one’s a “keeper”! 🙂
The best soup I have ever made.
Donna, that warms my heart just reading that! Thanks so much for sharing with me!
3 *heads* of garlic? I’m going to assume she meant 3 cloves because 3 heads of garlic is a ridiculous amount of garlic…
EDIT: Sorry, I just noticed that they are to be roasted. Still…that’s a lot of garlic. But not as bad as putting fresh garlic in.
Hi there, yes it sure can seem like a lot of garlic! But I appreciate that you mentioned that you noticed that it was roasted, and not fresh; that makes a really big difference! It is much sweeter and mellower. So if you’re thinking about giving this soup a try, I would really love to urge you to try it out exactly as it is—I don’t believe you’ll regret it! 🙂
I generally think the more the merrier when it comes to garlic! So excited to try this soup, I’m making it for everyone tonight. It looks so yummy!
Yes!! 🙂 I really think you’ll enjoy this, and I’d love to know how it turns out for you, Andrea!
This soup is sooooo awesome. I made a vegetarian version with kidney beans and chickpeas. I also added chopped up mushrooms that I sautéed for a long time with the onion. It is really really good, thanks for the recipe 🙂
Thanks, Karen! Glad you made this recipe in your own unique way! 🙂
This looks delicious but I’m not a huge fan of gnocchi. Can that simply be left out or would you recommend a substitute?
Thanks!
Hi Katie, they can totally be left out. I would suggest that you use a favorite type of pasta as a substitute—perhaps little ditalini, macaroni or even orzo would be good! Hope you enjoy!
This soup looks fantastic! Do you think it will freeze well? Thx!
Hi Emily, I think it would freeze just fine! I would skip freezing the gnocchi, though, as their texture may become gummy and strange; just prepare those at the time you plan on serving the soup, as they’re super quick to cook, anyway! Hope you enjoy.
The soup was what I came to see, but your words about autumn and taking a moment to appreciate what God has given us was the true treasure here. Thank you for that.
Aislinn
p.s. I am looking forward to trying the soup too. 😀
Aislinn, I really appreciate your comments. Thanks for that. And I truly do hope that you enjoy this warming and hearty soup, as well!
Wow! What a terrific recipe! So beautiful, hearty and healthy. The roasted garlic makes it. I am especially in love with your chicken breast method. You get so much more flavor out of them cooking them that way, not to mention it’s cheaper. It was so tasty I had to stop myself from eating all it. Thank you so much! This will definitely be making its way into the rotation.
Jill, thanks so much! Yes, the chicken keeps a lot more of its flavor; and when a method is more cost effective, that’s always a plus, right? So glad you enjoyed this recipe, and thanks for sharing your experience with me!
I just made this soup for dinner… and it was AMAZING!!! It tasted like comfort 😀 It ended up being more of a stew than a soup… maybe I would add some broth to make it more into a soup… maybe I had too many veggies in it… anyhow… it was wonderful. My house still smells like it and I’m in love… The BF loved it too… he’s in love! Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe! 😀
Hi Melina, so glad you both enjoyed the soup! My pleasure to share it, and thank you for taking a moment to let me know how your experience with it was!
Your blog was spiritually lifting for me.
I’m making this soup this week. It sounds wonderful.
Autumn is my favorite time of year and makes me want soup!!!
Robin, your words mean so very much! Thank you for stopping by to share you thoughts, and I’m so honored that you were uplifted. I hope that you will enjoy this recipe, and feel comforted by it!
I’m making this soup right now, it smells so delicious. Can’t wait to taste it when it’s all done. I’ll hope to be making this frequently. Thank you, its a wonderful recipe.
Hi Suzanne, I certainly hope you enjoy the recipe! And thank you for your kind comments!
I must admit when I read 3 heads of garlic I also thought WHAT! So glad I trusted you! This soup is fantastic! I substituted spinach because I didn’t get out to the garden before dark, tasted great but will definitely use kale next time! This soup is so healthy that I couldn’t bear to add the gnocchi. I may cook up some farro or quinoa next time, but felt it was hearty enough without.
Hi Vanessa, glad you trusted me, lol!! 😉 I’m thrilled that you enjoyed the soup, and the farro or quinoa would be a great substitute.
The best soup…ever! I make soup all the time, but this one was started in my cast iron skillet; and I believe that made a huge difference. Love it.. who knew cheese rind was part of a soup. Thank you ..my family will enjoy this for a long time.
Nadine, that is awesome! So glad you and your family enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for taking a moment to share your experience with me.
Omg this sounds so delicious, can’t wait to make it for my family tonight! I discovered your blog through this recipe so I’m excited to test out some more from your collection! Thank you for such a great post!
Jessica, I’m excited for you! 🙂 So glad you’re making this, and I’m looking forward to you trying some of my other tasty recipes. Thank you for stopping by!
I’ve been making this soup for a year now. My family LOVES it. It is seriously so good! Thank you so much for sharing the recipe!
Lindsey, it’s my pleasure! Thanks for sharing that with me—I’m honored that you all are enjoying it so much! 🙂
First time visiting your site! I’m going to make this tonight and I’m super excited. Been searching for a go-to veggie soup and everything i find just looks boring and bland. Can’t wait to try your recipe out!
Hi Jessica, what a wonderful compliment! I’m so excited that you’re trying out this recipe, and I hope you come back to let me know how it went for you, and what you thought of it. Thanks so much for stopping by… please enjoy! 🙂
I made this today, I used olive oil instead and I also added a SWEET POTATO, I like to add sweet potatoes to my soup. Normally I would of used my own Bone broth but did not have any made, I will do it with that also. This is a keeper my husband said. Thank You for a wonderful recipe. I also used your recipe on my page and gave your name The Cozy Apron.
Hi Aletha, I love your addition of sweet potato—perfect! So glad you and your hubby liked the recipe!
Oh my god. I just made this soup, and even without the gnocchi and parmesan (I forgot to grab them at the market 🙁 ) it’s DELICIOUS! There’s so much left over for my boyfriend and I that I might go and pick up the gnocchi and parmesan tomorrow just for the left over soup. This is perfect rainy weather soup.
HI Clarissa, I’m stoked you enjoyed this so much! Yay! Hope you have the chance to get the gnocchi and parm, because it’ll make it that much more hearty; but either way, I’m glad you shared your experience with me and that this was a hit for you!
The beginning of this post reads like a Nancy Myers film and a Diane Warren song had a love child.
Anyway, this soup looks great, and I’m excited to try it.
Hi Joshua, thanks so much for your kind comment…it’s a real compliment to me to imagine even a small portion of my writing being likened to a “love child” of those two, talented women. And I’m excited to read that you’re planning on trying the soup! I truly hope you enjoy it, and find some warmth and comfort in it.
Delicious as written. Low fat and satisfying!
Thanks so much, Carol! Glad you enjoyed. 🙂
Love this soup. I’ve made at least 6 times since November. My kids love it!
Linda, I loved reading that! So glad even the kiddos enjoy this…great way to get some healthy veggies in them, lol! Job well done! Thanks so much for sharing with me.
So this recipe has been here for awhile, but I would just like to mention that YEARS later I have still not found a better soup!
Aw, thanks so much Samantha! So glad to read that, and I really appreciate it! May you continue to get enjoyment out of it. 🙂