Roasted Garlic and Chicken Soup

I've had my eye on making a roasted garlic soup for a while now.  I think the one thing that held me back was the fact that it would be really, really, really, REALLY garlicky....  Well, it was garlicky... I mean, come on, it's roasted GARLIC soup.  But it wasn't over powering garlic, which is what I was worried about.  It was just this perfect, almost sweet, flavored garlic taste....it was wonderful!!

This would be a great soup for you if you are feeling under the weather.  Not only is it warm and comforting, but garlic is known for it's numerous health benefits.  In 2007, BBC even reported that Alium Sativum (garlic) may have beneficial properties such as preventing and fighting the common cold.  So, see....good for the body and soul!!!  I highly recommend trying this soup, you will not be disappointed.  And, in case you were wondering, this soup would be perfectly fine without the chicken, I only added it because it was a request from Chris :)

Roasted Garlic and Chicken Soup
Inspired and adapted from Life's Ambrosia and Nibble Me This
Printable Recipe 
Ingredients:
2 bulbs of garlic (tops cut off - skin left on)
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 sweet onion, diced
3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken stock or broth
1 large russet potato, peeled and diced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 large chicken breast or 6 chicken tenders, cooked and diced
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 Tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Drizzle each bulb of garlic (tops cut off) with 1 teaspoon of olive oil, 1/4 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoons pepper.  Wrap in aluminum foil and roast for 45-60 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to cool.  When cooled, squeeze each clove from the skin into a small bowl and mash up with a fork.  It will make almost a paste; set aside.

In a Dutch oven or soup pot, add the butter and diced onion.  Cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes or until the onions are just starting to turn golden.  Add the flour and cook about 3 minutes, stirring constantly.  Slowly whisk in the chicken stock.  Add the diced potatoes, 1/2 to 3/4 of the mashed up garlic, and the thyme.  Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.  Taste for seasoning.  You can also add the rest of the garlic at this time (I did not add anymore than 3/4 of it, as I thought it had plenty of garlic flavor at that point).

Using a submersible hand blender, blend up the soup until just about all the potatoes are blended down.  (I left some of them in chunks just for the texture.)  This will help thicken up the soup.  Add the cooked, diced chicken, cream, and rosemary.  Turn down to low and allow to simmer for 5 minutes.  Serve with homemade croutons or warm crusty bread.  Enjoy!

 

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