Roasted Chicken and Butternut Soup

Serves 4
Recipe from Everyday Food Magazine and Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

My buddy, Jean, stopped me at Lost River Market & Deli a week ago and told me to be sure to try this soup. (She and I both get Everyday Food Magazine. We consider it our go-to source for quick, easy and delicious recipes. It’s available at Lost River Market & Deli.) She and her husband, who both work very hard, had made it and loved it. This soup is so simple that you can easily make it after work too. While the chicken, butternut squash and onions are roasting, you can go for a quick walk. When you return, finish up the soup in a couple of easy steps and you’ve got dinner in no time. The bright butternut squash gives beta-carotene, vitamin C, and fiber to this satisfying soup.

4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
1 medium butternut squash (about 2 1/2 pounds), peeled, seeded, and diced medium
1 small yellow onion, diced medium
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4 cups vegetable broth
1/4 heaping teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 heaping teaspoon ground coriander
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Fresh cilantro (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet, toss together chicken, squash, onion, and oil; season with salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer and roast until squash and chicken are cooked through, about 30 minutes.

2. Transfer chicken to a plate and let cool. Transfer squash and onions to a medium pot and add broth, cumin, and coriander. Bring to a simmer over medium-high. With a potato masher or back of a wooden spoon, mash some vegetables until soup is thick and chunky. Discard skin and bones from chicken; cut meat into small pieces and add to soup. Stir in lemon juice; season to taste with salt and pepper. To serve, top with fresh cilantro, if desired.

Make Ahead: Transfer cooled soup to freezer bag or airtight container and freeze, up to 3 months. Thaw, and then reheat. Add garnishes just before serving.