Roasted Chicken Soup

So we have started a new tradition with our family (does 3 years count as a tradition?) and do Iron Chef competition. My sister is one team and I am the other. This year I wanted to do something a little out there and a little different. So I did a Roasted Chicken Soup and Deconstructed Chicken Cordon Bleu. I wanted to create the recipes myself, or at least give them my own twist.

I saw a recipe in the America's Test Kitchen Cookbook and decided that I wanted to take it's simple way to roast chicken, and make it into a soup. I wanted a rustic, hearty soup with a roasted flavor. I was told that it was GREAT!! So, here it is, the recipe.

1 little note, the recipe called for bone-in, skin on, chicken breasts, I couldn't even find them in the store. I didn't really know how much I needed and how much it would make, so I did 1 package of thighs with bone and skin and then 2 chicken breasts. I also wanted to more than just breasts, so I added the thighs. It was a little too much chicken.


4 chicken breasts (should be bone-in, skin on, but boneless skinless worked fine)
Olive oil
1 1/2 lbs. red potatoes (4 to 5 medium, cut into 1 inch wedges
1/2 pkg. of baby carrots, cut into small chunks
3 shallots, sliced into thin slices
2 cloves garlic, minced fine
Salt and Pepper
Pinch of red pepper
5 cups chicken stock

Heat the oven to 450 degrees and adjust the oven rack to the lowest position. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add the chicken, skin side down, and cook until deep golden brown, about 5 minutes.
Transfer the chicken, skin side up, to a baking dish and bake until the thickest part of the breast registers 165 degrees, about 15 to 20 minutes.

While the chicken is cooking, toss, the potatoes and carrots with 1 tbsp of oil, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and microwave until the potatoes begin to soften, 5 to 10 minutes (i did 15 minutes), toss the mixture with the plastic still on, half way through. Pour off the fat from the chicken pan. Add 1 tbsp oil back in the pan and put heat back on medium heat, until shimmering. Add the shallots, softened potatoes and carrots in the pan. Cook and stir occasionally, until golden brown and tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Deglaze the pan with the juice from the roasting chicken, and chicken stock.
Shred the chicken and add to the stock, also add the potatoes, carrots and onions.
Serve immediately.

I am sorry if the directions are a little unclear. That has never been my strong point. It is really tasty, and hearty. I hope you enjoy.

In case you wanted to know, I won! Not that I want to gloat, but it is the only competition I get competitive about.