It’s Springtime! 

The days are brighter, warmer. The sun seems to smile even though the nights are still chilly. 

It’s on days like these that I crave a light soup; something that will warm my belly after a long day of playing outside.

I came across this recipe on The Beachbody Blog and tried it for the first time this week. It makes 8 servings, but you wouldn’t have known it because between my husband and I, it was almost gone in one setting. 

We may have issues with portion control hah!

This recipe is going to be my go-to in a pinch because, unlike a lot of other stews and soups, it doesn’t need to simmer for hours!

The prep time is 15min, cook time 23min, total time 38min.

Boom!

AND I was able to find everything I needed at one store: Sprouts! (Disclaimer: I have no brand/store loyalty. I shop at the closest grocery store to where I am and hope that it has most of the things I need, so my son doesn’t have a meltdown in the cart.)

Okay! Let’s cook!

First, I got all my ingredients out.

Next: I prepped. The recipe calls for 1 onion and 1 red bell pepper chopped, so I did this first. I use a small little food processor and it saves me the tears from cutting an onion myself and I LOVE THAT.

It’s the small things in life.

I then took a whole rotisserie chicken and shredded it.

Ps: the recipe calls for a “Rotisserie chicken BREAST. Not a whole chicken. My soup might as well have been called “The Chicken Lovers Soup.” I’m okay with it. But, if you want to follow the recipe, maybe save some of that chicken for another time. 

Okay, the prep is completed. 

Take a big soup pot and place it on the stove. Heat up the oil over medium-high heat. Add in the onion and pepper and cook for a few minutes until the onion is translucent. Add in the chicken broth and the thyme, then season with salt and pepper and cook for about 10 minutes.

A note on thyme.  The recipe states you can use fresh or dried; I only had dried on hand and so I used that. The recipe also states the measurements for dried is the same as the fresh. I think this may have been a typo or the person that made this recipe LOVES thyme. I physically didn’t have 2 tablespoons of thyme, so I used only 1 tablespoon and I’m very glad that I limited myself to that. 1 tablespoon was plenty!

The next step is to add in the shredded chicken, corn and squash; cook, stirring as needed for 5-8 mins, or until the squash is cooked and has softened. (Just a side note: I bought my butternut squash already cut up in small cubes and it’s amazing. I know Trader Joe’s also sells it like this!)

Then, the last step is to divide it up into 8 serving bowls… or just two. Your choice. 

Easy serving has 210 calories and 22g of protein! Win!!

Can you imagine how much extra protein MY soup had with all that extra chicken?! Haha! 

Okay, there is the recipe! Hope you enjoy!!

 

Roasted Chicken and Butternut Squash Soup

• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
• 4 cups low-sodium organic chicken broth
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme (or 1 tbsp dried)
• Sea salt and ground pepper to taste
• Rotisserie chicken breast, shredded
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 2 cups cubed butternut squash

1. Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. Add onion and bell pepper; cook, stirring frequently, for 3-5 minutes, or until onion is translucent.
3. Add chicken broth and thyme. Season with sale and pepper if desired; cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.
4. Add chicken, corn and squash; cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-8 minutes, or until squash is soft.
5. Divide evenly between eight serving bowls.