Chicken Meatball Soup with Gnocchi, Sweet Potato and Kale

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Chicken soup for the soul.

I suppose there is good reason a entire series of books is named after the ultimate comfort food.

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What is it about a warm bowl of chicken soup? It’s comforting, filling, full of medicinal properties and sometimes it is the only answer to a long day. Whether a sore throat or a broken heart, chicken soup makes me feel better. Soup is always my go to when I’m feeling under the weather.

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This chicken soup gets a bit of a make over with ground chicken meatballs and sweet potato gnocchi. Superfoods kale and yam finish the soup off making it kind of the bomb if I do say so myself. I made a big batch of this last week. We had a houseful of guys staying with us that happily gobbled up anything I put in front of them. I have to say few things make me happier than feeding other people. So it was awesome to watch it disappear quickly. I did, however, save just enough to give two jars to friends that were fighting off colds. Who wouldn’t love a jar of homemade soup?

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Finally, finally, FINALLY, the snow is flying. I got my first official powder day of the season today! Yipee. After a cold day on the mountain, it doesn’t get more homey than this. Winter greens, sweet potato and mini chicken meatballs. Game on. Here’s to staying healthy and skiing powder days!

Chicken Meatball Soup with Gnocchi, Sweet Potato and Kale

Ingredients:

  • 12 cups (3 quarts) chicken stock
  • 1 small onion, minced
  • 2 small carrots, peeled and diced
  • 2 ribs celery, diced
  • 1 head kale, washed, ribs removed, chopped
  • 1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
  • 1 lb ground chicken
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 teaspoon each: garlic powder, salt, ground pepper
  • few dashes hot sauce (optional)
  • 8-10 oz fresh or packaged gnocchi

    • Directions

    In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the celery, onions, carrots, and onion. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth, chopped kale and sweet potato; cover the pot and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, add the ground chicken. Stir in the egg, bread crumbs, parmesan, garlic powder, salt, pepper and hot sauce. Mix thoroughly and roll the mixture into bite size (about 3/4-inch) meatballs. When the soup is simmering, add meatballs directly to soup and simmer for about 15 minutes. Add the gnocchi to the soup and simmer for an additional 10 minutes. Serve immediately.