Creamy Chicken Vegetable Soup - Gluten Free

Usually, when I make chicken soup, I make it the same way. With noodles.  Same old chicken noodle soup every time. 

And by the way, to make chicken noodle soup gluten free, just use rice noodles.  They work very well in chicken noodle soup!

This week, I decided to try a new recipe for chicken soup.  Nothing wrong with the old one, just wanted to try something new.  And I am really glad I tried it!  It was a very good soup, and it is totally different than any chicken soup I have ever made before.  And no noodles, but lots of veggies.

It has a secret ingredient that to me is very strange for soup:  BUTTERMILK!  Yes, BUTTERMILK!  But I really liked the little tang it gave to the soup.  Nothing major, just an extra little zing.  It was creamy, comforting, and different from the same old same old.  When I saw this recipe had buttermilk in it, I had to try it just out of curiosity!  And I am glad I did!

I will definitely make this again.  We all enjoyed it, and it is perfect paired up with some warm, fluffy, gluten free biscuits!

Note:  You can use leftover chicken, or you can boil the chicken and potatoes early in the morning.  Then they will be cool and ready to dice when you make the soup.  If you have leftover chicken but no potatoes, use a can of diced potatoes instead.

Creamy Chicken Vegetable Soup

3 or 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and diced

2 cartons chicken broth

3 tablespoons butter

3 medium russet potatoes, cooked, peeled, and diced

2 stalks of celery, diced

1 medium onion, diced

1 can peas and carrots, drained

2 cans mixed vegetables, drained

1 can corn, drained

1-1/2 cups buttermilk

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Salt to taste

1.  Melt butter in medium saucepan.  Saute the onions and celery over medium heat until the onion is transparent.

2.  In a large Dutch oven, combine the diced chicken, chicken broth, sautéed onions and celery, potatoes, peas and carrots, mixed vegetables, and corn.  Cover and simmer over medium low heat for 30 minutes to an hour. 

3.  Whisk together buttermilk and cornstarch until it is smooth.  Add this to the chicken and vegetable soup, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. 

4.  Add salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce.  Give it a good stir, and it is ready to serve.