Many years ago when I was sick, a friend sent me containers of delicious chicken soup from the New England Soup Factory. It was just what I needed on my road to recovery. Several years later the restaurant published its own cookbook and it’s become my go-to resource whenever I want to make soup.
This recipe is a modification of one of my favorite soups from this cookbook. The original recipe uses dried chickpeas and I use canned. I also replaced dried marjoram for dried oregano, primarily because this is what I have in my pantry. And finally I added rotisserie chicken to bump up the protein and make the soup a meal.
The nice thing about this soup is you can adjust based on what you have. I’ve added the odd parsnip or potato if I have it in my vegetable drawer. Sometimes I’ve used fresh cilantro or thyme. So have fun and modify this recipe to your taste and pantry.
On a cold winter’s day I like to make multiple soups. Some freeze very well, like carrot soup, and the others will last me through the week. It makes for a productive day and I don’t have to go outside into the cold.
Mediterranean Chicken, Chickpea, Lentil, and Rice Soup
- Total Time: 1 hour, 33 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
Description
This hearty and comforting soup is inspired by a similar recipe in the New England Soup Factory Cookbook.
Ingredients
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste
3 ribs celery, sliced
3 large carrots, sliced into disks
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes with juice
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
I teaspoon dried oregano
2 bay leaves
8 cups low sodium chicken broth
4 cups water
1/3 cup dried lentils
1/3 cup basmati rice
3 cups rotisserie chicken, shredded
Chopped fresh parsley and grated parmesan cheese to serve, optional
Instructions
In a large pot heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and crushed red pepper. Sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add celery, carrots, and garlic. Sauté for another 10 minutes – vegetables should be soft, not browned.
Add the chickpeas, tomatoes, tomato sauce, oregano, bay leaves, stock, and water. Bring to a boil. Cover the pot and reduce the heat. Simmer for 30 minutes.
Add the lentils and rice. Cover and simmer for another 35 minutes. In the last 5 minutes add the chicken to warm through.
Remove the bay leaves. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir well before serving. Top with parsley and parmesan cheese if desired.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour, 18 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Calories: 418.97
- Sugar: 11.74 g,
- Sodium: 982.25 mg.
- Fat: 17.19 g.
- Saturated Fat: 3.48 g/
- Carbohydrates: 34.06 g.
- Fiber: 7.75 g.
- Protein: 35.69 g.
- Cholesterol: 82.18 g.
Keywords: chickpeas, lentils, chicken, rice
0 Comments