Creamy Chicken Divan Soup by Jackie Mewbourne

Since it is going to snow this week and the highs are going to be in the 30's -
I thought this would be a great recipe to warm you up. I pull the "meat of the
soup" out and serve to the girls since they are not soup eaters just yet.


Creamy Chicken Divan Soup - from Southern Living.


* 2 tablespoons butter
* 1 medium-size sweet onion, chopped
* 1 garlic clove, chopped
* 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
* 1 (48-oz.) container chicken broth
* 2 (12-oz.) packages fresh broccoli florets (about 12 cups)
* 1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, cut into cubes (I use low-fat cream cheese
here)
* 4 cups chopped cooked chicken (get a rotisserie chicken for a quick fix)
* 2 cups cooked white rice (optional) - I added this to make it a little more
hearty and filling
* 1 (8-oz.) block sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded (you can also use reduced fat
cheese)
* Salt and pepper to taste
* Toasted slivered almonds (optional)
Preparation
1. Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add onion, and sauté 5 to
6 minutes or until tender. Add garlic and red pepper, and cook 2 minutes. Stir
in chicken broth and broccoli. Cover and bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium,
and cook 10 to 15 minutes or until broccoli is tender. Stir in cream cheese.
2. Process mixture with a handheld blender until smooth. Add chicken, rice, and
shredded cheese. Cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or until cheese is
melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately with almonds, if
desired.
Note: If you don't have a handheld immersion blender, let mixture cool slightly;
process mixture, in batches, in a regular blender until smooth, stopping to
scrape down sides as needed. Return mixture to Dutch oven, and proceed as
directed.
Serve with side salad or steamed veggie and roll.