A Deliciously Tasty Chicken Velvet Soup Recipe
Looking for a hearty soup to warm you up and lift your spirits as the days grow cold and dreary? Look no further than this tasty chicken velvet soup recipe. This truly velvety textured soup originated in the upscale tea room of the L.S. Ayres department store in Indianapolis, Indiana.
The soup was a mainstay of the ocean liner sized room from 1905 until the store closed its doors in the 1990s. The cream-based soup is a nostalgic treat for many who remember a time when department store shopping trips were a special day.
A time where you were happy to hop on the bus and chat about what department you would visit first. Arriving at the giant stone front building was always a thrill. Going floor to floor was even better. Then came time for lunch. No need to leave the store, there was a fancy restaurant in the store, with its very own floor.
At Ayres, it was the tea room. A beautiful space that could rival any New York City restaurant. So fancy that women needed to wear hats and gloves up until the late 1960s. If you had sticky fingers, you dipped them into the rose petal-filled finger bowls. If you were a well behaved child, you got to pick from the giant treasure chest.
Whether you are old enough to remember these special shopping trips or not, this classic soup is guaranteed to bring back memories or help make new ones.
A Deliciously Tasty Chicken Velvet Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 sticks of butter
- 1 cup of warm milk
- 3/4 cup of flour
- 1 pint of hot chicken stock
- 1 cup warm cream
- 1 quart of chicken stock
- 1 large onion and 1 celery stalk, puréed together
- 1-1/2 cups of shredded cooked chicken
- dash of fresh pepper
- 1/4 tablespoon of salt
- fresh parsley
Directions
- In a large pot, mix the flour and butter, then blend well. Add the warm milk, the pint of hot chicken stock, puréed onion/celery, and the warm cream.
- When the soup starts to thicken, add in the quart of chicken stock, shredded chicken, pepper, and salt. Simmer over low heart, until hot.
- Ladle into bowls and add the fresh parsley for garnish.
Nutrition
- calories: 218
- carbohydrates: 13.9 grams
- fat: 16 grams
- protein: 3.5 grams
- sodium: 640 milligrams
- calcium: 10% (daily value)
- iron: 5% (daily value)
- vitamin: 16% (daily value)
What Are Some Alternatives To Making Soup Creamy Without Cream?
Maybe dairy is a no no. Maybe you just don’t want the extra calories. Whatever the reason, here are a few ways to still get that creamy, thick texture.
1. Purée It
Purée a few cups of your soup. It will smooth out the texture. This will automatically give just about any soup a creamier taste.
2. Stale Bread
Add some stale bread to the mix. As odd as it may sound, tear up a few pieces and let them soak in a cup of the hot soup. Then purée it and mix it back into the main pot.
3. Nuts
Grind up some nuts (cashews are best). Once they are powdery, whisk them into a bowl with some of the broth. Add the mixture to the pot.
4. Yogurt
Mix in low fat or fat-free yogurt. It works like cream and will give the soup a tangy flavor as well.
5. Coconut Milk
Milk of the coconut is a great non-dairy choice to add creaminess to your soup. It won’t change the flavor, unless you want it to and use a lot of it.
6. Add Cornstarch
Cornstarch is terrific for thickening just about anything. For soup, mix some cornstarch in with a bowl of warm water or the soup. Then mix it in with the soup. This will not only thicken it, but give it a creamy texture as well.
My Cream Soup Curdled. Can I Fix It?
It happens to the best of chefs at some point. You’re making a beautiful cream-based soup. The directions have been followed and the ingredients are perfect. But you look away for a second and when you return it’s a lumpy, separated mess. Not to worry. Follow these tips to save the soup.
- Lower the heat and add an ice cube or two. Then whisk vigorously. The shock of the ice can help bring the cream back to life.
- Make a roux and mix it with a whisk. Then slowly pour it into the soup and continue to whisk until smooth.
- Warm up a few more tablespoons of cream. Slowly add the to the soup and whisk until blended.
- Transfer the soup, a few cups at a time, to a blender. White until smooth.
What Is The Best Way To Freeze Cream-Based Soup?
When making homemade soup, most people make a big old pot. Invariably, they end up with a big old pot of leftovers. Whether it’s on purpose or accidental, you don’t want to waste all that delicious soup. Soups containing dairy will only last about 3 days in the refrigerator.
The best way to save it is to freeze it. Regular, broth based soups are quite easy to freeze and defrost. But cream-based is a bit different. When soups containing dairy are frozen, the cream tends to separate. So, when it defrosts it will appear lumpy and have a texture similar to sand. This can be avoided most of the time by not using low fat dairy products in the soup.
When it comes time to freeze the soup, make sure to:
- let the soup cool down completely before you freeze it
- once it’s cooled, pour it into airtight containers. Do not use plastic bags for cream soups
- make sure to leave enough room at the top as soup with dairy in it expands
- be sure to label with the date (cream soups will last up to 6 months)
If, when you defrost your soup, you find that it has separated, don’t worry. Toss it into the blender for about 30 seconds and it should go back to its original consistency.
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