Absolutely! Let’s make a classic, hearty chicken vegetable soup—light, flavorful, and easy to customize.
Chicken Vegetable Soup
Ingredients (6–8 servings)
- 1–1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2–3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 carrots, sliced
- 3 celery stalks, sliced
- 2–3 medium potatoes, diced (optional)
- 1 zucchini or yellow squash, chopped (optional)
- 1 cup green beans, chopped
- 1 cup corn (fresh or frozen)
- 1 cup peas (fresh or frozen)
- 6 cups chicken broth (or combination of broth and water)
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: ½ cup chopped parsley or fresh herbs for garnish
Instructions
1. Cook the chicken
- In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat.
- Season chicken lightly with salt and pepper.
- Sear chicken 2–3 min per side until lightly golden (it will finish cooking in the soup). Remove and set aside.
2. Sauté the vegetables
- In the same pot, sauté onion and garlic for 3–4 minutes until softened.
3. Build the soup
- Add carrots, celery, potatoes, chicken broth, thyme, basil, and bay leaf.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 15–20 minutes until vegetables are tender.
4. Add chicken and quick-cooking vegetables
- Dice or shred the chicken and return to the pot.
- Add zucchini, green beans, corn, and peas. Simmer another 5–10 minutes until everything is tender.
5. Season and serve
- Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Remove bay leaf.
- Garnish with fresh parsley or herbs.
Tips & Variations
- More flavor: Add 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce or a squeeze of lemon juice before serving.
- Thicker soup: Mash a few potatoes in the soup for creaminess.
- Slow cooker version: Put all ingredients except delicate vegetables (like zucchini, corn, peas) in a crockpot. Cook LOW 6–8 hours. Add quick-cooking veggies in the last 30 minutes.
- Extra protein: Add leftover cooked chicken, rotisserie chicken, or shredded turkey.
If you want, I can also give a one-pot dump-and-go chicken veggie soup that’s effortless and uses frozen vegetables to save prep time. It comes out flavorful without chopping everything fresh.
Do you want me to do that?
