Kitchen Sink Chicken Curry Soup

Our favorite Indian restaurant has a wonderful chicken soup. I always have to get a bowl when we go there. On the menu and the buffet it's just listed as Chicken Soup. I've tried to get a more specific name... so I could try and find a recipe and make it myself.

A couple of visits ago I asked the server what the Indian name of the chicken soup was. She replied, "It's chicken soup." "But isn't there a more specific name for it? Like Tikka Masala or Chicken Biryani?" "No, it's just chicken soup."

Okay, then. I tried again on the next visit. I asked a different server and was again told, "It's chicken soup."

So then I tried browsing through a bunch of Indian recipe sites and looking at all their soup recipes. I thought I could surely find one that looked like the chicken soup I like so much. As it turned out, I couldn't find a recipe that looked anything like it. So I finally decided to give it a try on my own and see if I could come close. I actually managed to get pretty close to the real deal! It's a really nice soup - it's spiced and flavorful, but not spicy. My kids all really like it, too, which is always a bonus.

Step 1: Make the broth

• Saute 1 tsp minced garlic, 1/2 small onion, and 1/4 tsp ground ginger in a little oil.
• Add 8 oz. tomato sauce
• Add 32 oz. chicken broth
• Stir in 2 tbsp curry powder, 1 tbsp ground cumin, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Step 2: Add chicken and veggies

This is the kitchen sink portion of the recipe. Add cooked shredded chicken, then just add whatever veggies you have on hand. I'm pretty sure this is what they do at the restaurant, too, because when I've eaten it there, the veggies are a little different each time. You could add corn, carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, potatoes... seriously, whatever you want. I also added a can of white beans last night, because I had them and they seemed like they would work. Lentils would also work fine.

There should be enough chicken and veggies so that there is just a thin (maybe an inch?) layer of broth over the top of all the rest of the ingredients. If you have more veggies than broth, you could add a bit of water until the broth just covers the rest of the ingredients.

Step 3: Finish it off

Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes or until all of your veggies are cooked. Adjust the seasonings a little if needed, then serve and enjoy!