The Smartest of the Smart

Using chicken broth as your base, you would be surprised the number of things you can make for dinner. Do you have rice in your pantry? Great, you can make a nice risotto. Some leftover chicken? Soup or pot pie. Beef?…Salisbury Steak.

Chicken broth is the number one “Smart” ingredient that I recommend you keep on hand in your pantry. And if you buy the dry broth granules in bulk, it’s something you will always have on hand, saving you endless times of having to run to the store in order to have something you can make for dinner. Try out some of the recipes listed below to see how chicken broth can help you get dinner on the table with less stress.

Risotto Recipe

*Note: Arborio rice is the “recommended” rice for making risotto as it best provides the chewy texture risotto is known for. If you’re looking for a quick weeknight meal with ingredients you have at home, any rice will do. If you’re using quick-cook rice, the cooking time will be a bit less.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cups uncooked rice
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 2/3 cup Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the rice, and stir until the rice is coated in oil and has started to brown.
2. Add the broth one cup at a time, pausing between cups, and stirring constantly.
3. Reduce heat and continue stirring occasionally for 20 minutes.
4. Add additional ingredients as desired*. Add the Parmesan cheese and pepper. Stir to blend, and serve.

*Additional ingredients to risotto can include cooked chicken or shrimp, and almost any kind of vegetable already cooked or steamed. Some of the most popular variations include mushrooms sauteed in butter, and sauteed spinach, tomatoes or asparagus.

Following is a great chicken soup recipe that is much more elegant than a basic chicken soup, and not thick and heavy like a traditional cream soup. It’s rich yet light, and can stand alone as a great meal.

Delicious Chicken and Rice Soup Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 packages seasoned rice
• 2 cups cooked chicken
• 3 cups water
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1 can creamed corn
• 1 can corn

Directions

1. In a stock pot over medium-high heat, brown the chicken and the fresh vegetables in the oil until all browned, stirring often, about 8 minutes.
2. Add the water. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to low. Simmer for 10 minutes. Then add the broth, and continue simmering.
3. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour until smooth. Add salt and pepper. Whisk in the milk, and continue cooking until mixture is bubbly and thick. Add some of the broth mixture to the milk mixture, continuing to stir, then stir all of the milk mixture into the broth mixture.
4. Add the rice packages and both cans of corn, and simmer for an additional half hour or until rice is cooked through. Additional water may be added to thin out soup as desired.

Chicken broth is a vital ingredient in our 70 Meals, One Trip to the Store cookbook. If you have ground beef on hand, or even some left over hamburger patties, there is a recipe for melt-in-your-mouth Salisbury Steak that simmers the meat in broth for 25 minutes and results in a perfect gravy. Our delicious Chicken Pot Pie recipe uses one and a half cups of chicken broth for a quick and hearty weeknight meal.