Chicken Vegetable Soup (Print Version)
Comforting soup with tender chicken, fresh vegetables and aromatic herbs that's easy to prepare and perfect for any season.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Poultry
01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 14 oz), cut into bite-sized pieces
→ Vegetables
02 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
03 - 2 celery stalks, diced
04 - 1 medium onion, diced
05 - 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
06 - 1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
07 - 1 cup frozen or fresh corn kernels
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Broth & Seasonings
09 - 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
10 - 1 bay leaf
11 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
12 - 1 teaspoon dried parsley
13 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
14 - 1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
→ Optional
15 - Juice of ½ lemon (for serving)
16 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)
# Steps:
01 - In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken pieces and sauté for 3–4 minutes, until just cooked through. Remove chicken and set aside.
02 - Add a little more oil if needed, then add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
03 - Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
04 - Add potatoes, green beans, corn, chicken broth, bay leaf, thyme, parsley, black pepper, and salt. Bring to a boil.
05 - Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes, until vegetables are tender.
06 - Return the cooked chicken to the pot and simmer for another 5 minutes, until heated through.
07 - Remove the bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
08 - Ladle into bowls, garnish with fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice if desired. Serve hot.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The vegetables maintain their individual flavors while creating a harmonious broth that tastes like it simmered all day, even though it only takes about an hour.
- Its incredibly adaptable to whatever is lingering in your crisper drawer, making it perfect for those nights when grocery shopping feels impossible.
02 -
- Cutting vegetables roughly the same size ensures they cook at the same rate, preventing some from turning to mush while others remain raw.
- Letting the soup rest for about 10 minutes off heat before serving allows the flavors to meld together and intensify.
03 -
- Save vegetable scraps and chicken bones in a freezer bag until you have enough to make a homemade stock, which transforms this everyday soup into something extraordinary.
- If using rotisserie chicken instead of raw, add it in the last few minutes of cooking to prevent it from becoming stringy.