YIELD: 4 to 6 servings | PREP TIME: 20 minutes | STOVETOP: 55 minutes | SLOW COOKER: 8 to 10 hours
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 celery ribs, diced
• 3 large carrots, diced
• 2 medium parsnips, peeled and diced
• 6 cloves garlic, unpeeled
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• Ground black pepper
• 1 whole bone-in, skin-on chicken breast (about 2 pounds)
• 2 quarts Chicken Broth
• ½ pound kale, stemmed and torn or chopped into 1-inch pieces
• ½ teaspoon minced fresh thyme (about 4 sprigs)
1 batch cooked Sweet Potato Gnocchi or 4 to 6 servings cooked spaghetti squash noodles or sweet potato noodles
2 tablespoons pomegranate arils
1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
2. In a large baking dish, toss the diced veggies and garlic with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and ½ teaspoon of the salt.
3. Season the chicken with the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Rub the remaining tablespoon of olive oil all over the chicken. Place the chicken on top of the veggies and roast for 40 to 45 minutes, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160°F and the veggies are brown and softened.
4. Remove the chicken and place in the fridge to cool. Squeeze the garlic cloves out of their peels and mash lightly.
5. Add the roasted veggies and garlic to a large pot along with the broth, kale, and thyme. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, or until the kale is soft.
06 While the soup simmers, pull the chicken meat off the bone and cut or tear it into bite-sized pieces. Discard the skin and bones or reserve the bones for making broth. Add the chicken to the soup, along with the gnocchi or your preferred noodle, and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, until just heated through. Serve garnished with pomegranate arils.
Slow Cooker Instructions: Peel the garlic cloves and toss them and the vegetables with ½ teaspoon of salt, a few pinches of pepper, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Place in a slow cooker, along with the kale and thyme. Season the chicken with ½ teaspoon of salt, a couple pinches of pepper, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil and place on top of the vegetables. Pour in the broth and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours. Remove the chicken and, once cool enough to handle, pull the meat off the bone. Cut or tear the chicken into bite-sized pieces and return to the pot. Add the gnocchi or noodles to heat through. Serve garnished with pomegranate arils.
Chef’s Tip: Use leftover roast chicken and a variety of leftover roasted veggies to make a super-quick soup. Just simmer the veggies in the broth for 10 minutes as directed in Step 5, then add 3 cups of cooked chicken and heat through.
AIP Modification: Omit the black pepper and serve with veggie noodles instead of gnocchi.
Lower-Carb / Egg-Free / Nut-Free Modification: Serve with veggie noodles instead of gnocchi.
