Chicken Pot Pie Soup

4 tbsp olive oil, divided

3 tbsp unsalted butter

1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs OR rotisserie chicken see notes

1 large onion, diced

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped carrots

4-6 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes – optional for a kick

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

2 1/2 cups Yukon gold potatoes peeled and chopped into 1/2” cubes

8 cups low sodium chicken broth

2 1/2 tsp chicken bouillon or better than bouillons

1 tbsp dried parsley

1/2 tsp each dried oregano, dried basil, dried thyme, dried sage

1 bay leaf

2 cups half and half or evaporated milk

2 tbsp cornstarch

1 cup frozen peas, not thawed

Salt and pepper, to taste

Wellington Multigrain Crackers

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven/soup pot. Season chicken with ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper then sear until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Remove to a plate but leave drippings.
2. Melt 3 tablespoons butter with 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-low heat in the drippings. Once melted, increase heat to medium-high and add onions, carrots and celery; sauté for 4 minutes scaping up the golden bits on the bottom of the pan. Add garlic and red pepper and sauté for 30 seconds; sprinkle in flour then cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes (it will be thick); don’t let flour stick to the bottom of the pot or it will burn later. You can add additional oil if needed.
3. Add chicken back to the pot along with potatoes, bouillon, all seasonings, bay leaf and chicken broth. Cover the soup to bring to a simmer, then displace the lid so it’s partially covering the pot, with about a one-inch opening. Simmer the soup for 12-15 minutes or until chicken is tender enough to shred, stirring occasionally so the bottom doesn’t burn and replacing the lid.
4. Once chicken is tender, remove to a cutting board, shred and add back to the pot. Whisk cornstarch with half and half until smooth then stir back into the pot. Bring the soup to a gentle simmer until thickened.
5. Add peas and warm through. Stir in additional broth or half and half if desired for a less “chunky” soup. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if desired (I like about ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper)
6. Serve with Wellington Multigrain Crackers and enjoy!