Chicken Pot Pie Soup

This was comfort food at it's finest. Last week after a few trying days at work I just wanted to come home and curl up in the chair with a bowl of comfort. I was thinking of making a pot pie but didn't have anything I wanted to use as the top crust (I never use a bottom crust) -- so I thought why not make the broth a little thinner, but not too thin and this soup was born. If you don't like mushrooms - leave them out.

• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 cup cold water
• 6 cups chicken broth (I used 6 cups water & 2 tablespoons no chicken-chicken broth mixed)
• 1 large celery stalk, chopped
• 1/2 medium Vidalia onion, chopped
• 4 ounces baby bella mushrooms, sliced
• fresh ground pepper
  
• pinch of thyme
• 1 1/2 cups frozen mixed vegetables (peas, carrots, green beans, corn)
• 2 potatoes, scrubbed and cubed small
• 1 package chicken style seitan, cut into bite-sized pieces
• salt, to taste

Mix the cold water with flour in a medium bowl and whisk until well blended. Set aside.

Add the 6 cups of broth to a soup pot and bring to a boil. Add celery, onion, mushrooms, thyme, pepper and frozen vegetables and return to a boil.

Partially cover and simmer on low until vegetables are soft, about 20 minutes.  

Add potatoes and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add chicken, and slowly stir in flour/water mixture, stirring well as you add.

Cook another 2-3 minutes, until soup thickens, taste and adjust salt and pepper to taste; serve. I served this with saltines since I was thinking and didn't make cornbread. duh!

Enjoy!