Ingredients
- For the Pie Crust Crackers:
- 1-1/2 cups of all purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon of poultry seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning (like Slap Ya Mama), or to taste, optional
- 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt
- 1/2 cup of cold butter, cubed
- 4 to 8 tablespoons of iced water
- 1/4 teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper
- For the Soup:
- 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter
- 1-1/2 cups of chopped sweet or yellow onion
- 1 stalk (rib) of celery, chopped
- 1/3 cup of all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme, crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon of dried rosemary, crushed
- 1/4 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon of chicken base or bouillon
- 2 cups of water
- 3 cups of chicken broth
- 3 medium sized russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 1 cup of half and half
- 1 cup of frozen carrots, thawed
- 1 cup of frozen peas, thawed
- 1 can of green beans, drained
- 3 cups of cooked, chopped chicken
Preparation
Step 1
For the pie crust crackers, preheat oven to 425 degrees F. With a food processor, pulse together the flour, poultry seasoning, Cajun seasoning and salt, until mixed. Add the cubes of cold butter. Slowly pulse in the iced water until a soft dough forms. The dough should be soft but not sticky and should hold together when squeezed in your hand.
Form into a ball and press into a thick disk. Line a large baking sheet with a silpat or parchment and set aside. Roll the dough out thin and then roll it up onto the rolling pin to transfer to a silpat or parchment covered baking sheet; unroll. Sprinkle top of the dough with freshly cracked black pepper. Bake at 425 degrees F for 10 to 15 minutes, or until dough puffs and is golden brown. Remove and carefully slide the dough onto a cooling rack.
While the crust is baking, melt the 3 tablespoons of butter in a soup pot, add the onion and celery and saute until tender, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the flour; cook and stir for about 3 minutes. Stir in the thyme, rosemary and Cajun seasoning; slowly add the water, stirring in until thickened. Stir in the chicken broth until fully incorporated, then add the potatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer for 10 minutes. Add the half and half, carrots, peas and green beans, bring up almost to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer for 5 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Add in the cooked chicken and heat through about a minute. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed and spoon into soup bowls. Cut the pie crust into pieces and serve alongside the soup.
Cook's Notes: The soup will tighten when refrigerated and get thicker, though it will loosen up some when heated. To thin further, add just a bit of chicken stock/broth and/or half and half. To save time, substitute a commercial refrigerated pie crust for the pie crust crackers; Pillsbury recommended. Sprinkle the dough evenly with the seasonings; lightly press in.
To cook fresh chicken, season about a pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts with salt and pepper and cut into 1/2 inch cubes. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter, add the chicken and cook for 2 minutes without moving, then stir and cook another minute longer. Set aside and proceed with remaining recipe.
Variation: Can also substitute puff pastry dough for the crackers. Place one sheet of pastry on parchment or use a Silpat, brush all over with an egg wash made from one whole egg and a splash of water. Sprinkle with the seasonings. Bake in a preheated 450 degree F oven for about 15 minutes, or until dough puffs and is golden brown. Set aside on a cooling rack and once cooled cut into large pieces.