Asian Chicken and Chili Soup

While Martha Stewart’s recipe calls for freshly poached chicken, I think this spicy broth is a perfect way to turn leftover chicken into an exciting encore.

Ingredients

  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • 2 red bell peppers, (ribs and seeds removed), thinly sliced lengthwise and cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 to 3 teaspoons Asian hot chili sauce to taste
  • 12 ounces diced cooked chicken
  • 1 bunch (6 ounces) watercress, large stems trimmed
  • 2 scallions, thinly sliced lengthwise and cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces

Directions

  1. In a 3-quart saucepan, bring broth, bell peppers, soy sauce, and chili sauce to a simmer; cook until peppers are crisp-tender, about 6 minutes.
  2. Add chicken and watercress; cook 1 minute. Ladle into bowls, and top with scallions.

Recipe: Chicken with Fennel and Tomato

This recipe from Martha Stewart is perfect! It is testament to the fact that you don’t need to spend a lot of time or effort cooking in order to get a delicious meal. I modified her version slightly so that I get more vegetables and more broth per serving. Sometimes I add an additional 3/4 cup of chicken broth if I’m in the mood for more of a soup dish.

Ingredients:

  • 8 plum tomatoes, (about 1 pound), cored and cut in 3/4-inch pieces
  • 2 fennel bulbs, (10 to 12 ounces each), halved, cored, and thinly sliced crosswise, fronds reserved (see note)
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • Coarse salt and ground pepper
  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, (about 8 ounces each)
  • 3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth (optional)

Directions:

  1. In a large, deep skillet, combine tomatoes, fennel, and wine; season with salt and pepper. Arrange chicken breasts in a single layer on top of vegetables, allowing as much space between pieces as possible; season with salt and pepper.
  2. Bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low, cover skillet, and simmer gently until chicken is opaque throughout, 15 to 20 minutes.
  3. Slice chicken breasts, and serve on top of vegetable mixture; garnish with reserved fennel fronds.
Serves 2-4. Nutritional information based on a 4 ounce portion of chicken and 1/4 the vegetable mixture.
Calories: approx 230
Fat: approx 2 grams
Protein: approx 25.5 grams