What’s for lunch: Drunken Chicken Soup

I struggle to eat healthily amid fast-paced New York life, work, teaching ballet, and directing opera. One of my biggest challenges is making sure I’m eating enough protein. As a dancer, eating lean sources of protein is really important. I know for myself, if I have ready-made food in the house, I’m far less likely to eat popcorn for dinner. I also have something yummy to bring for lunch!
This soup is fast, easy, healthy, and gluten free. I stole the basics for this recipe off the side of a crockpot box, except it included no vegetables! I embellished, eliminating the tomato paste that can trigger acid reflux, substituting hard cider for the beer, and adding carrots, sweet potatoes and regular potatoes. The result is a hearty tangy soup that is very satisfying. As a bonus, carrots and sweet potatoes are high in vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium, manganese and fiber! If you like olives, this soup is for you! I call it…

Drunken Chicken Soup

• 2-3 chicken breasts
• 22-ounce hard cider (or two regular sized hard ciders)
• 1 1/3 cups water (a little less or more depending)
• 1 large or two small sweet potatoes peeled and chopped in 1 inch cubes
• 1-2 small regular potatoes peeled and cut in 1 inch cubes
• 4-6 carrots chopped
• I jar stuffed green olives with the juice
• 3-4 cloves garlic, chopped 
• 2-3 tsp paprika (more to taste)

Add all ingredients to a large soup pot and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until chicken is cooked– about 20-30 minutes. Remove chicken breasts from the pot and cut into 1/2 inch cubes and return to the soup. Be sure carrots and potatoes are tender before serving. If you use the juice from the olives, you won’t need to add salt and there will be plenty of flavor. Serve and eat when vegetables are tender. Enjoy!

~Sarah

Please see the Classes page for my current teaching schedule. I’d love to see you at the barre!