Spicy Coconut Soup with Chicken and Vegetables

Take your taste buds on a Caribbean vacation with this soup.  Are you in? I am!  Our winter has been never ending, with 3-6" of more snow expected today.  Spring, is 31days away, but I'm getting out my Spring colors in my home, and kitchen. See my  Spring napkin.  At least I can be transported to the Caribbean in my home.   Just don't step outside. Back to the soup.

This soup has a broth made with lite coconut milk and low sodium chicken stock with warm spices of cumin, curry powder, and cayenne pepper. As the broth simmers, your kitchen will smell so good.  You can adjust the heat in this soup, according to your family's preferences.  I added broccoli, zucchini, and red bell pepper, along with some onion and garlic. You could also use baby spinach, Bok Choy, or other vegetables of your choice. I used cooked chicken breasts, but you could also use a rotisserie chicken. With Lent just around the corner, you could use shrimp, instead of the chicken breasts,  In fact, I have made with soup with shrimp, and it's wonderful.  You can make this soup in about 30 minutes, from start to finish.   A Pina Colada would be great to drink with this soup, Enjoy! 

Spicy Coconut Soup with Chicken and Vegetables

Adapted from Cooking Light 2006  Serves Four

 Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 2/3  cup  chopped onion
• 1/2  cup  chopped red bell pepper
• 2  garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons  red curry paste, or regular curry powder.
• 1/4  teaspoon  crushed red pepper
• 2  (14-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1  (14-ounce) can light coconut milk
• 1  1 lb chicken breast, cooked and cut in chunks
• 1 medium zucchini, cut in medium chunks
• 16 oz fresh or frozen broccoli, or fresh spinach

Preparation

Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion, bell pepper, zucchini, and garlic; sauté 4 minutes. Add curry paste or curry powder, cumin, and red pepper; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in broth and coconut milk; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add cooked chicken, zucchini chunks, and broccoli (We don’t like mushy broccoli).  Cook 4 minutes or until broccoli and zucchini are tender. 

I got to make Vaentine Cookies with Anna and Emma, my friend, Carolyn's, Granddaughters.  We had such a good time decorating Valentine Hearts with Frosting, MM's and Sprinkles, and more fun eating them!

Even dolls like Valentine Cookies!

l linked up my recipe to Brandie@The Country Cook's Weekend Potluck #106
 Stop by and say Hi to Brandie!