Chicken Soup, Two Ways: Classic & Cozy with Kale + Kabocha

When the first chill rolls in from the mountains here in Calgary, I know exactly what I want to cook: soup. The kind that fills the house with warmth, steam fogging the windows just a little, broth bubbling low and steady while I go about my day.

Last week I picked up a whole chicken and some beautiful Tuscan kale from the farmers market, along with a squat, bright kabocha squash that begged to be roasted. Jesse, my husband, isn’t a kale fan (at all), but I couldn’t resist. So, I decided to get creative: one big pot of broth, two very different soups.

The Base: A Whole Bird & A Slow Simmer

I started with a whole chicken, covered it with cold water, and let it gently simmer for about two hours. Every so often, I skimmed off the scum rising to the top—that’s what keeps the broth clear and clean-tasting.

After two hours, I pulled the chicken out (because nothing is worse than dry, stringy chicken) and set it aside to cool. The bones went right back into the pot later for a long, slow simmer—five more hours of extracting all that goodness.

That’s the beauty of cooking at home on work-from-home days: the stove does the work while you keep moving through your to-do list.

Soup #1: The Classic

This one was for Jesse and the boys. The kind of soup you can taste from childhood:

• Carrots

• Celery

• Baby potatoes (diced small so they get tender and soft)

• Half an onion

• Three cloves of garlic

• A couple bay leaves

• Salt + pepper

Simple. Familiar. The kind of bowl that makes you feel taken care of.

Soup #2: Cozy, Market-Fresh Comfort

This one was mine, with those treasures from the market:

• Half a bunch of Tuscan kale, chopped into ribbons

• A whole roasted kabocha squash (roasted at 425° until golden and caramelized)

• Carrots

• Half an onion

• Three cloves of garlic

• Salt + pepper

I sautéed the veggies first, ladling in a bit of broth as they softened. The roasted squash gave the soup this nutty sweetness, the kale added just enough earthiness. It felt grounding, nourishing—exactly what my body craves when the weather shifts.

Back to the Bird

While the vegetables cooked, I pulled all the chicken meat off the bones. Half went into each soup pot, and the bones were tucked back into the broth for that long simmer. By dinnertime, I had two steaming pots ready, plus three large jars of golden broth for sipping and for lunch prep through the weekend.

Why I Love This Ritual

This way of cooking feels efficient but also deeply nurturing. One chicken, two soups, extra broth—it stretches the ingredients into multiple meals, each with its own personality. It keeps my husband happy with his classics, and me happy with my hearty greens and roasted squash.

And on those crisp Calgary mornings, when the cold air drifts in from the mountains, knowing there’s a jar of broth in the fridge or a pot of soup waiting feels like the ultimate comfort.

Soup season isn’t just about food—it’s about rhythm, ritual, and remembering that nourishing yourself can be simple.

🍲 Nutritional Highlights

At the end of the day, chicken soup is more than just a meal—it’s comfort, nourishment, and ritual all in one pot. Whether you crave the familiar coziness of a classic bowl or the grounding richness of kale and kabocha, both soups remind us that simple ingredients can stretch into something deeply satisfying. Two ways, one chicken, endless warmth.

With love + warmth,
Lar ✦