How to Make the O’Charley’s Chicken Harvest Soup Recipe at Home
If you live in the south or near its midwestern border, you’ve probably eaten at O’Charley’s before. This acclaimed casual dining restaurant is one of the most popular in the region and produces fantastic meals that blend home-style ingredients with an emphasis on taste and diverse flavors. O’Charley’s Chicken Harvest Soup recipe is particularly beloved, and making it at home can be a great way for people outside this restaurant’s area to experience its unique blend of ingredients.
What is O’Charley’s?
O’Charley’s is a widely spread restaurant chain throughout 17 Southern and Midwestern states, for over 175 different locations. Starting in Nashville in 1971, this restaurant has become an institution in the south for its homey meals and diverse array of different flavors, spices, and ingredients.
One of the biggest aspects of O’Charley’s is its friendly and welcoming atmosphere. People who’ve never been to one before are often greeted by smiling faces and friendly wait staff who provide a unique Southern atmosphere. Charm is thick in this little ol’ restaurant!
O’Charley’s Chicken Harvest Soup Recipe Nutrients
O’Charley’s Chicken Harvest Soup is one of the most popular meals at this restaurant and is either eaten as a stand-alone dish or a side option. It comes in a one-bowl serving with a broad array of nutritional elements. Just a few elements to consider when making this dish include:
- 440 calories
- 21 grams of fat or 27% of your daily intake
- 5 grams of saturated fat or 25% of your daily intake
- 60 milligrams of cholesterol or 20% of your daily intake
- 2,440 milligrams of sodium or 106% of your daily intake
- 33 carbohydrates or 12% of your daily intake
- 2 grams of fiber or 7% of your daily intake
- 3 grams of sugar
- 25 grams of protein
As you can see, this is a rather filling soup recipe that includes some good and bad things. The calorie intake is a bit high, as is the cholesterol and fat count. The sodium level is off-the-charts and is something that you might consider a real problem. Thankfully, we have a few suggestions that can make this meal a little healthier without sacrificing its taste.
O’Charley’s Chicken Harvest Soup Recipe Ingredients
When preparing this dish, it should take around one and one-half hours to prepare and cook, which is why it is best to cook a large amount and save the rest for later. The ingredients include two different groups: items for the soup and for the homemade chicken tenders that give this soup its texture. Lets breakdown these ingredients into the following lists to make them easier to find:
Soup Broth
- One-quarter bound of butter
- Two and one-half quarts of water
- Three-quarter cup of flour
- Two quarts of chicken stock
- Two tablespoons of chicken base
- One pound of diced carrots
- Seven stalks of diced celery
- One medium diced onion
- A three-quarter teaspoon of white pepper
- A three-quarter teaspoon of garlic powder
- 10 ounces of egg noodles
Chicken Tenders
- Two more quarts of water
- One small onion quartered
- One-half celery stalk cut into two-inches
- Two and one-half pounds of chicken tenders
- Two tablespoons of chicken base
Where to Find These Items
It should be easy to find most of these ingredients in your local supermarket. O’Charley’s prefers using high-quality and easy-to-find ingredients that can be purchased just about anywhere. Local farmers’ markets are an excellent option for many people because they provide the freshest ingredients at more reasonable prices. Take your time, and you should easily find the necessary ingredients.
How to Make O’Charley’s Chicken Harvest Soup Recipe
Like with our ingredient list, we’re breaking the preparation down into two sections for the soup and chicken tenders. We’ll make the chicken tenders first because producing them also helps create a stock that you can use for your soup and helps you serve the soup fresh and ready.
Making the Tenders
- Boil the water, chicken base, onion, and celery in a large stock pot
- Add the chicken tenders and simmer until they are chocked completely
- Drain the chicken and keep the stock for later when preparing the broth
- Wait for the chicken to cool down before placing them on a cutting board
- Cut the chicken into one-half-inch cubes and save for later
Preparing the Soup
- Melt butter in a large pot and add your flour before cooking for 3-4 minutes
- Pour the water into the mix and stir constantly
- Let the water simmer for 20 minutes before adding the chicken base and chicken stock
- Boil two quarts of water in a separate pot and add the onion, celery, and carrots
- Cook this mix for six minutes while you wait for the chicken base to finish
- Pour the chicken stock, white peppers, and garlic powder into the water mix
- Simmer for 10 minutes before adding the diced chicken tenders to the mix
- While simmering, cook the egg noodles in a separate container
- Drain and rinse the noodles before adding them to the soup and simmering for 2-3 minutes
Serving Suggestions
Try to serve this soup while it is still warm and add crackers or other ingredients to give it more of a crunch. You can save any leftovers in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to seven days. You can also freeze extra soup for up to six months, throwing it away when it shows signs of obvious spoilage.
How to Improve This Recipe
If you tried this O’Charley’s Chicken Harvest Soup recipe and want to make it even better, try out a few of the steps outlined below to create a tastier soup that may even have a slightly healthier overall nutrient level:
- Cut Down on the Sodium – Try to use low-sodium chicken stock and cut out the white pepper and garlic powder to decrease the sodium levels. You may also want to buy organic chicken to help cut down on the sodium, as many store-bought chickens may contain high sodium levels.
- Add Coconut Milk – By throwing a little garlic milk into the soup (replacing a bit of the water with this ingredient), you can add a unique flavor that may make it fresher. Note that coconut milk also has a higher concentration of various nutrients, making it even healthier!
- Spice It Up – Try mixing in spices like thyme or oregano into your recipe, or add some sauteed peppers or roasted corn to spice it up even further. Try to add rich veggies alongside them, such as zucchini and even spinach, to give it an even denser and more enjoyable overall taste.
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