Chicken spicy soups

When the weather is cold, wet, and windy, it is so nice to come home and have a bowl of spicy soup which will instantly warm you back to life. Here is an easy recipe for a  thick chicken soup with vegetables and lentils.

Chicken soup with carrots and red lentils

Ingredients per 1 qt (1 L) water

1/2  Chicken breast( approximately 8 oz.)

10 oz (300g) baby carrots, or 2 inch pieces carrots

1/3 cup of red lentils

1 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp turmeric

1/8 tsp salt or more according to your preferences

1 tsp garlic powder, if you do not like garlic put less or do not put it in at all.

1 tbs basil

1 tbs parsley

1 tsp crushed hot red pepper

Directions

1. Put the chicken, carrots, spices, salt, and herbs in a soup pan and add water

2. Bring to a boil and simmer on low heat for approximately 30-40 min or until the chicken is tender but not falling apart

3. Take the chicken out of the soup

4. Mash the carrots into small chunks right in the soup pan with a fork. Cut the chicken into medium size pieces and put them back into the soup pan

5. Put the lentils in the soup and add water to make 1.5 qt of soup total and bring it to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer for approximately 10 min or until lentils are soft.

This soup can be served with Parmesan cheese.

Notes

If you do not like a thick soup, you can put in less lentils. Green lentils could be substituted for red ones, but in that case put them in 15 min before you put the chicken back into the soup and then boil until lentils are soft (approximately another 15 min). Do not worry if you add a little more or a little less water than cited, it will not significantly change the taste.

Spicy Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients per 6 cup of water

1/2 to full  Chicken breast (approximately 16 oz.)

1 lb (500g) of pumpkin puree

10 oz (300g) baby carrots, or 2 inch piece carrots

1/3 cup of red lentils

1/4 tsp turmeric

1/8 tsp salt or more according to your preferences

1 1/2 tsp garlic powder, if you do not like garlic put less or do not put it at all.

1 tbs basil

1 tbs parsley

1 1/2 tsp red pepper

Directions

1. Peel the  pumpkin and cut it into 2 inch cubes. Steam the pumpkin pieces or bake them until soft and then puree them.

2. Put chicken, carrots, spices,salt, and herbs into the soup pan and add 5 cups of water.

3. Bring to boil and simmer on low heat for approximately 30-40 min or until the chicken is tender but not falling apart

4. Take the chicken out of the soup

5. Mash the carrots into small chunks right in the soup pan with a fork. Cut the chicken into medium size pieces and put them back into the soup pan

5. Put the lentils and pumpkin puree into the soup add water if needed and bring it to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer for approximately 10 min or until lentils are soft..

This soup can be served with Parmesan cheese

Notes

Adding a little more or a little less water will not significantly change the taste of this soup. Also you can prepare this soup from frozen or canned pumpkin puree.