Food and Recipes Recipes Creamy Chicken Sausage-and-Kale Soup 4.8 (6) 6 Reviews A new spin on a childhood classic. By Paige Grandjean Paige Grandjean Instagram Website Paige Grandjean is a food editor and recipe developer with over seven years of experience in food media. Her recipes and writing have appeared in over 15 nationally distributed print publications, as well as on various digital platforms. Paige's recipes have been showcased on the covers of magazines such as Food & Wine, Southern Living, and Cooking Light, with her 2020 Food & Wine Lamination cover story earning a spot as a Folio: Eddie and Ozzie Award Finalist. She is a member of IACP and has a WSET Level 2 Award in Spirits. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Published on December 27, 2021 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Christine Keely Active Time: 20 mins Total Time: 35 mins Servings: 4 It's chicken soup season. And no, we're not talking chicken noodle. Our Creamy Chicken Sausage-and-Kale Soup is the fresh take on chicken soup that's sure to become a family favorite. Rather than leaning on carrots and celery for nutritional points, this chicken sausage soup gains plenty of vitamins from a nice bunch of lacinato kale. Instead of simply disappearing into the fold, the hearty kale—which is high in potassium, antioxidants, and vitamin B6—holds its own in this soup. Onions and garlic create a savory aroma from the beginning, while Yukon Gold potatoes add body to the soup. Ditch the rotisserie chicken. We're changing the game with succulent, moist chicken sausage, which stews alongside kale, carrots, and nutmeg. Half a cup of heavy cream stirred in at the very end brings a dose of decadence to this soup, really helping it stick to your bones. This one-pot soup is a full meal all on its own, but we love it served with a slice of crusty bread. Ingredients 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 medium-size yellow onion, chopped (about 1½ cups) 3 medium-size garlic cloves, chopped (2 Tbsp.) 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 4 cups lower-sodium chicken broth 2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ¾-inch pieces (about 2 cups) 12 ounces smoked chicken sausage, sliced diagonally into ½-inch pieces 1 small bunch Lacinato kale, stemmed and roughly chopped (about 3 cups) 1 cup loosely packed matchstick carrots 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt ½ teaspoon black pepper, plus more for topping Pinch of ground nutmeg ½ cup heavy whipping cream Shredded Swiss cheese Hot sauce (such as Cholula) Directions Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium. Add onion; cook, stirring often, until softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add flour; cook, stirring constantly, until just beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Gradually add broth, stirring constantly. Add potatoes to broth mixture; bring to a simmer over medium-high. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until almost tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in sausage, kale, carrots, salt, black pepper, and nutmeg. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until kale, carrots, and potatoes are tender and soup is heated through, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in heavy cream. Top bowls of soup with Swiss cheese, hot sauce, and black pepper. Rate it Print