Chicken, chick pea, and collards soup

Happy Thursday, friends!  Yes, of course, I consider all of you friends, not simply readers all over the globe.  Because I tell you guys things that I'd tell the friends that I see in my everyday life.  Like how I'm awful at packing for trips and that I ate Christmas dinner in flannel pajamas with cats on them.  And that I, quite openly, love routines.

Routine.

Why does that word seem to get such a bad rap?  Nowhere in that definition is there anything negative.  You won't see the words "boring" or "dull" anywhere in Webster's dictionary.  (Trust me, I checked.)  Routine merely means something that's habitual or a regular.

Whether or not even my most laid-back friends would admit it, they, too, enjoy the occasional routine.  They also constantly rag on me for having way, way too many routines.  But that's for another post :)

Like I said, I love routines.  They bring a sense of comfort and order to unpredictable daily life.  For example, I always have carrots and almonds for my morning snack on work days.  I always sit in the pews on the right side of the middle aisle in church.  And I have developed a really strange way of counting miles when I'm out running that I doubt I'll ever give up, no matter how many people give me quizzical looks when they see it.

The latest and greatest routine has definitely become one of my favorites -- the Sunday routine!  It's really simple: pancakes, church, grocery store, sweatpants, soup, and Family Guy.  It began sometime in the fall, and I haven't looked back.

There's just something so satisfying about having the apartment filled with the scents of garlic and onions and tender vegetables.  Sitting down at the dining room table for a meal together with Matt after a fun weekend.  And especially having leftover soup for lunch on Monday.  You know, that day that seems to have everyone wishing they could've stayed home and played hooky?  I've realized that a bowl of warm and filling soup is just what it takes to kick those Monday blues where it hurts.

To be clear, I think soup is also a fantastic dinner for guests, a cure for whatever unfortunate flu season bug ails you, and pretty much a rock star in the culinary world.

Rock star soup.

Or, three Cs soup!  Chicken, chick peas, and collard greens.  Oh. Em. Gee.  You guys!  This soup.  This soup!

I'm really proud of this soup.  It's hearty and gorgeous and perfectly spiced!  The grated ginger is such a surprise but totally adds warmth to the other ingredients.  Like the store-bought rotisserie chicken a.k.a. the ultimate convenience food.  Oh, and did I mention it all comes together in about 20 minutes?  That's less time than it takes to watch one episode of Family Guy.

Give my Sunday routine a try.  Or make a new routine for yourself.  Go routine happy!  Just make soup a part of that routine.  The Family Guy part is optional but highly recommended.


One year ago: Chocolate roulade with vanilla cream filling
Two years ago: Macaroni and cheese soup


Chicken, Chick Pea and Collards Soup
(an original recipe!)
-serves 6

A few notes: This soup is even better the next day.  It also freezes wonderfully.  Simply allow soup to cool completely, ladle two servings into a freezer quart-size bag, remove as much air as possible, and lay flat in freezer to store.  Thaw in fridge 24 hours prior to serving and divide among bowls and microwave to warm.

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/4 red onion, diced
2 large carrots, small diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons fresh, grated ginger
64 ounces (2 quarts = 8 cups) low sodium chicken broth
1 rotisserie chicken, skin discarded, meat removed and roughly chopped
1 (14.5 ounce) can chick peas, drained and rinsed
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 bunch collard greens, rinsed, stems removed, and torn into smaller pieces

Heat oil in large stock pot over medium heat.  Add onion and carrots and saute until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic and ginger, stirring until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Add broth, chicken, chick peas, and pepper.  Bring to a simmer, then add pepper and collards.  Simmer until greens wilt (about 5 minutes) and serve.  Enjoy, maybe with crusty bread, corn bread, toasted pita, or crackers!