Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Every couple weeks or so I get together with a couple friends and we do lunch.  Sometimes we go out, but most times we do a potluck at one of our homes (some of us still have little people at home).  Last time we got together Natalie made us this delicious soup--based on one we love from a local restaurant, Eddingtons. (We actually know the founder/owner.)  She found a number of different recipes online, but this is the one (or the compilation of several) that she used.  It was great!  I made it the other night for my family.  A couple children proclaimed it "yucky" just by looking at it, but everyone ate it and only one didn't want to eat anymore after their initial serving.

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Chicken Pot Pie Soup

2 cups cubed, cooked chicken

1/4 cup chopped onion

2 cups frozen mixed veggies, thawed

2 cups cubed, cooked potatoes

6-8 TBSP butter or margarine

1/3 cup flour (or slightly more if you like it thicker)

2 TBSP chicken bouillon granules

4 cups milk

1/4 tsp pepper

1/8 tsp garlic powder

1/8 tsp poultry seasoning

Melt butter in pot; cook onions until tender.

(**Note from Natalie: I actually left my butter on too long, and it browned, but I think this actually improved the flavor. I love browned butter, and I make it often and serve it over broccoli, a la The Spaghetti Factory)

Blend in flour, chicken bouillon, garlic, pepper and poultry seasoning.

Cook until mixture is smooth and bubbly; gradually add milk.

Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture boils.

Simmer one minute, stirring constantly.

Add chicken and vegetables slowly, stirring constantly.

Lower heat and cook until chicken and veggies are warmed through, about 5 to 10 minutes. 

Optional:  Top with pie crust crumbs.

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My Notes:

• I doubled the recipe for my family of 7 so we could have a little bit leftover for 2 lunches.
• That meant I used 1 whole chicken, cooked earlier in the day in the crockpot--it was a little more than 4 cups worth of chicken.  I used it all.
• I made it slightly thicker as suggested.  I think I was the only one who thought it would be better not so thick.
• I did make a 1/2 recipe of pie crust and rolled it out on a cookie sheet to bake and then crumbled that on top of the soup.  AWESOME!  The kids would've used more on their soup had their been more.  Next time for us I'll make the entire recipe--double crust worth of the recipe.
• I didn't have any poultry seasoning so I just sprinkled in some of the spices that are usually found in a poultry seasoning spice mix.
• When Natalie made it for us she said she used an herbed whole chicken that she bought at the store and felt that gave it some of its good flavor too.
• And sorry I didn't take pics--forgot until it was too late.