Warm-Your-Toes Soup

Time :40

Yield :4 servings

Recipe Background

Brr, it's chilly out there, isn't it? Does this crisp, frigid air and beautiful blanket of newly fallen snow remind you of the best snow days ever? Like when you'd play outside for hours until your momma came out and begged you to come inside so your toes don't get too cold. Sweet, yet very, very cold times. But the chills didn't faze you then. You were just out there having a blast! Let's let your tastebuds in on this nostalgic journey with some Warm-Your-Toes Soup! It's savory, flurried with juicy chicken, tender potatoes, and many-a garden veggie to ensure you're filled up and nice and toasty. Shiver no more and reminisce on the good 'ole days with Warm-Your-Toes Soup!

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds chicken thighs boneless, skinless, and cut into 1 1/4-inch pieces
2 teaspoons kosher salt plus more as needed, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper plus more as needed
3 tablespoons olive oil divided, plus more as needed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
8 ounces cremini mushrooms quartered
1 small yellow onion finely chopped
1 large leek or 2 small leeks dark green parts trimmed and discarded, white and light green parts halved lengthwise, rinsed thoroughly, and cut into 1/4-inch half-moons
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 cup dry white wine
2-4 large sprigs fresh thyme
1 (32-ounce) carton low-sodium chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes halved lengthwise and cut into 1/3-inch-thick half-moons
1 small bunch Swiss chard leaves stripped from the stems, halved lengthwise, and cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 tablespoon lemon juice plus more as needed, freshly squeezed
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard

Directions

Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels.
Season the chicken all over with 1 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper.
In a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil until it is shimmering.
Working in batches, add the chicken thighs in a single layer, cooking until the bottoms are golden-brown, about 4-5 minutes.
Flip the chicken and cook until the other sides are browned, about 2-3 minutes. The chicken will not be cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
Lower the stove-top temperature to medium.
Add the remaining oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter to the Dutch oven.
Add the mushrooms to the oil mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 7-8 minutes.
Add the remaining butter, the onion, the leeks, and the remaining salt to the mushroom mixture.
As the veggies start to release liquid, scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot and cook until the liquid has evaporated and the bottom of the pot begins to brown, about 8-10 minutes.
Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir and cook until they are well coated, about 1 minute.
Add the wine to the veggie mixture and cook, scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pot, until it thickens, about 1 minute.
Add the cooked chicken and its juices, the thyme, the chicken broth, and the bay leaf to the veggie mixture and bring to a boil over high heat.
Lower the heat as needed and bring the soup to a simmer.
Add the potatoes to the soup mixture and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are cooked through with the chicken's internal temperature reading 165 degrees F, about 20 minutes.
During the last few minutes of simmering, add the Swiss chard and stir until wilted.
Transfer the Dutch oven from the heat and discard the bay leaf.
Add the frozen peas, 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice, and the mustard and stir to combine.
Taste and season with more of the salt, the pepper, and/or the lemon juice as needed.
Serve.