Chicken Cordon Bleu Soup

Total Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, in small cubes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups whole milk (or 1 cup half and half and 1 cup water)
• 3 cups unsalted chicken stock
• 1/2 teaspoon dried french tarragon leaf, pieces
• 1 clove garlic, smashed and minced
• 2 scallions, and light green parts, minced
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon mild curry powder
• 8 ounces swiss cheese, grated
• 1/4 cup dry wine
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 1 cup diced cooked ham or 1 cup smoked ham
• salt
• fresh ground black pepper or tricolor pepper, to taste
• 1 tablespoon freshly minced basil

Recipe

• 1 in a skillet over medium high heat, sauté the chicken breasts in the olive oil until browned, about 7 to 9 minutes; remove from skillet, drain of excess oil, and set aside, keeping warm.
• 2 in a large heavy saucepan, heat the milk and chicken broth over medium temperature.
• 3 add the tarragon (crushing it a bit in your hand, first), garlic, scallion, pepper, and curry powder, and bring to a light simmer.
• 4 add 3/4th of the swiss cheese gradually (reserving the remaining 1/4 for garnish), stirring constantly, until well-incorporated.
• 5 gradually add the wine, then the sour cream.
• 6 using an immersion blender, whir the soup until all ingredients are smoothly incorporated (soup may have a tendency to separate before this point); alternately, you can pour it all into the blender or food processor.
• 7 put the soup back in the saucepan if you removed it, then add the ham, and the cooked chicken breast; season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper.
• 8 simmer on low heat for 10 minutes.
• 9 garnish with reserved grated swiss cheese and basil and serve immediately.