Chicken, Kale, and Quinoa Soup

Ingredients

• 2  bay leaves 
• 0.5 teaspoon pepper black divided freshly ground
• 0.8 cup carrots chopped
• 6 cups chicken stock see unsalted
• 6  garlic cloves minced
• 6 cups kale chopped
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt divided
• 1.5 cups onion chopped
• 0.7 cup quinoa uncooked
• 1 pound chicken thighs boneless skinless cut into 3/4-inch pieces
• 4 slices center-cut bacon 
• 2 teaspoons thyme leaves 

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• ladle
• sieve
• dutch oven

Directions

1. Cook bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp.
2. Remove bacon from pan, reserving drippings. Crumble bacon; set aside.
3. Increase heat to medium-high.
4. Add onion, carrot, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to drippings in pan; saut 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Add garlic; saut 2 minutes.
6. Remove mixture from pan.
7. Coat pan with cooking spray.
8. Add chicken to pan; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Saut 6 minutes or until chicken is browned and done. Stir in onion mixture, chicken stock, bay leaves, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper; bring to a boil.
9. Place quinoa in a fine sieve; place sieve in a large bowl. Cover quinoa with water. Using your hands, rub grains together for 30 seconds; rinse and drain. Repeat procedure twice.
10. Drain well.
11. Add quinoa to pan; cover and simmer 15 minutes.
12. Add kale and thyme to pan; simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes or until kale is tender. Discard bay leaves. Ladle soup into bowls; sprinkle with bacon.