Veggie 911
The last few weeks have been full of merriment, which has left me and mine way too full. Don’t get me wrong, we had a lot of fun. But, to be frank, there weren’t too many vegetables on the buffet table unless they were paired with cream and butter. And, our bodies are feeling, well, sluggish.

It goes without saying that I have been making lighter more veggie-forward meals since Christmas (With a brief pause for more gluttony on New Year’s Day). Even the kids were on board. This tells you something since my dudes are usually all meat all the time.

The first thing I made was this Chicken Stoup Provencal recipe inspired by Rachel Ray. I have made it a few times and every time it is a hit. She calls it a stoup, a cross between a soup and a stew since there is less liquid than in a soup but more than in a traditional stew.

The use of Herbs de Provence is what makes this recipe. And it is non-negotiable. The stoup comes together quickly for a weeknight meal to warm your bones. Something most welcome after the recent rains…

Chicken Stoup Provencal
Adapted from Rachel Ray and The Food Network
Yields 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients
2 medium carrots
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium zucchini
1 small to medium red bell pepper
1 medium yellow skinned onion
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon Herbes de Provence
1-2 pounds small red-skinned potatoes, cut into thin wedges
1 cup dry white wine
1 (14-ounce) can of diced tomatoes, drained
1 quart plus 1 cup chicken stock
1 pound chicken breasts
Fresh Parsley, minced

Directions
Prep your ingredients
Peel and dice the carrots into 1/4-inch pieces. Chop the garlic. Dice the zucchini, onion, and pepper into 1/2-inch pieces. Cut the potatoes into thin wedges. Mince the parsley. And, dice the chicken breasts into 1/2-inch pieces.

Place the soup pot or Dutch oven on the stovetop over medium heat. Add the olive oil.

Sauté the vegetables
When the oil is hot, add the carrots and the garlic and sauté for 2 minutes to soften them and coat them in the olive oil. Add the zucchini, pepper, and onion.

Season the vegetables
Season the veggies with salt, pepper, and Herbes de Provence. Cook the veggies together (about 5 minutes). Add wine to vegetables and reduce, scraping up any brown bits (about 1 minute). Add the tomatoes, potato wedges, and stock to the pot.

Finish the stoup
Cover the pot, and raise the heat to high. Bring the stoup to a boil, then add the cut chicken and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until the potatoes are just tender and the chicken is cooked through. Stir in the parsley.

To serve
Serve the stoup in shallow bowls with a crusty bread.