November 9, 2015 34 Comments

Creamy Coconut Chicken Soup with Spinach and Lentils

Name: Creamy Coconut Chicken Soup with Spinach and Lentils
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 90 min
Ingredients: 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts; 5 cups chicken stock, (unsalted or low sodium preferred, divided); 1 sprig of fresh thyme; 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 2 tablespoons vegetable oil; 1 large white onion; 2 garlic cloves, (minced); a 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, (peeled and grated); 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper; 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin; 1 1/2 tablespoons garam masala; 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander; 1 teaspoon chili powder; 2 teaspoons ground turmeric; 1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk; 1 cup passata ((Italian sieved tomatoes)); 1 cup red lentils, (sorted and rinsed); juice of 1/2 fresh lemon; 6 ounces baby spinach leaves; sea salt and fresh ground black pepper; fresh chopped parsley for garnish; a handful of chopped cashews, (peanuts or almonds if desired)

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Creamy Coconut Chicken Soup with Spinach, Lentils and rich Indian spices – healthy, hearty, filling and delicious!

I’ve had a bit of wander-lust lately. We’re dreaming of our next big adventure but until we decide where in the world we’re going, I took a quick trip right from our Virginia kitchen. I love experimenting with the rich, aromatic spices of India and find it a welcome change from our regular fare. And, soup is my preferred meal these days with all the rain and cool fall temperatures, it’s a warm, comforting meal. This Creamy Coconut Chicken Soup with Spinach and Lentils is loaded with amazing flavor and it’s very filling and satisfying, and healthy too!

Use poached chicken or pre-cooked rotisserie chicken for this coconut chicken soup.

The chicken is poached until tender then shredded and added to sautéed onions, garlic, ginger and a long list of spices including cumin, garam masala, coriander and turmeric. For a simple shortcut, use rotisserie chicken instead! Coconut milk, chicken broth and passata are poured into the pot to create a flavorful broth. Passata is a bottled raw tomato sauce found in most grocery stores. I purchased Centro San Marzano Tomato Pure Passata from our local Wegman’s for this soup. I love this product and they didn’t even ask me to say that!

Add spinach to this coconut chicken soup at the end to wilt.

There’s no need to cook the spinach, it wilts beautifully in just a few minutes in the hot broth. Garnish individual bowls of this coconut chicken soup with fresh parsley or cilantro and a few cashews. This delicious soup is a totally satisfying, complete meal!

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5 from 1 vote