If you’re looking for a flavorful, exotically-spiced soup then you’ve got to try this recipe! I love the rich combination of curry, coconut milk, peanut butter and sweet potatoes! I made it for the first time a few years ago for Husband and some of his work buddies. The soup received raves from Husband and his pals.

I followed the recipe but simplified a few of the steps. I microwaved the sweet potatoes instead of roasting them, (which saved a ton of time) and used a 14.5-oz can of diced tomatoes instead of buying and roasting Romas. After pureeing the soup, added chopped carrots for extra veggie content (spinach is also a good addition, adding it right before serving). I also added the raw chicken pieces to the soup without searing it first. The soup is so flavorful with all the other ingredients that you’ll never miss the extra step. Plus, you’ll save yourself a few extra minutes and have one less pan to wash. You can use chicken breasts or thighs for this soup—both are great so go with what’s on sale.

Senegalese Peanut Soup with Chicken
Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, foodnetwork.com 

Serves: 2 qts, 4 to 6 servings.

3/4 pound sweet potatoes
5 tablespoons peanut oil
8 each Roma tomatoes, halved and seeded
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 cup onions, julienned
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 quart chicken broth
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground white pepper
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons chopped, roasted peanuts

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Coat the sweet potatoes with 1 tablespoon of the peanut oil and place in an oven-proof pie tin. Place the pie tin in the oven and roast the sweet potatoes for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until the potatoes are fully roasted and fork tender. Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, remove the skin from the potatoes and discard them. Reserve the sweet potato flesh until ready to use.

Place the tomatoes in a small mixing bowl and coat with 1 tablespoon of peanut oil. Lay the tomatoes on a baking sheet, skin side up, and season with salt and pepper. Place the sheet pan in the oven and roast the tomatoes until the skins are caramelized and wilted, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the tomatoes from the oven, discard the skins, and set the tomatoes aside until ready to use.

Set a 1 gallon stockpot over a medium high heat and add 2 tablespoons of peanut oil. Add the curry powder to the pot and toast for about 30 to 45 seconds, stirring constantly. Add the onions and saute for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the minced garlic to the pot and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the cayenne pepper and chicken stock to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer.

Add the roasted sweet potatoes and tomatoes to the soup. Add the peanut butter and coconut milk to the pot and stir to blend. Let simmer for 10 minutes, and blend with an immersion blender or in batches in a bar blender until smooth. Season with 3/4 teaspoon of the salt and, if necessary, more pepper.

Season the chicken pieces with the remaining teaspoon of salt and the white pepper, and sear in a hot saute pan with the remaining 1 tablespoon of peanut oil for 5 minutes. Add the seared chicken to the pot. Cook until the chicken is tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.

To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with extra cilantro and the chopped peanuts.

Tags: African, Chicken, cilantro, coconut milk, curry, peanut butter, peanut soup, Senegalese, sweet potatoes

Here’s an exotic chicken soup that is easy to make and really delicious. Garam masala, an aromatic spice blend used in Indian cooking, gives the soup a ton of flavor. The garam masala I used is a blend of coriander, black pepper, cumin, cardamom and cinnamon.

I thought the soup was best served right after it was cooked when the zucchini was still slightly crisp. The couscous soaks up a lot of the broth over time so you may need to add more if reheating it on the second day. Serve with naan or some other type of flatbread.

Moroccan Chicken Soup
-recipe from America’s Test Kitchen 30-Minute Suppers

Just 1 teaspoon of garam masala, an Indian spice blend that includes cinnamon, cardamom, and black pepper, gives this quick-cooking soup depth and complexity. Serves 4.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped fine
1 teaspoon garam masala
5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 (14.5-oz) can diced tomatoes
2 (15.5 oz) cans chickpeas (garbonzo beans), drained and rinsed
2 zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch pieces* (see Test Kitchen Note)
1/2 cup plain couscous
1 rotisserie chicken, skin discarded, meat shredded into bite-sized pieces (about 3 cups)
salt & pepper

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Cook onion until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in garam masala and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add broth and tomatoes and bring to simmer. Stir in chickpeas, zucchini, and couscous and cook, covered, until couscous is tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in chicken. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.

Test Kitchen Note: Look for zucchini that are no longer than 8 inches as larger zucchini are overly seedy and tough. Serve with chopped cilantro and lemon wedges.

Tags: chickpeas, couscous, garam masala, garbonzo beans, Moroccan Chicken Soup, zucchini