Description
This homemade chicken vegetable soup is a comforting, wholesome dish packed with tender chicken, fresh vegetables, and fragrant herbs. Made with simple ingredients and simmered to perfection on the stovetop, it delivers a nourishing and flavorful meal perfect for any day. Optional pasta, rice, or beans can be added to make it more filling or customized to your liking.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 ¼ cups chopped onion (about half a large onion)
- 1 ¼ cups chopped celery (2-3 ribs)
- 1 ¼ cups chopped carrots (2-3 medium carrots)
- 1 cup chopped leek (pale green parts only, 1 medium leek)
- 2-3 cloves garlic, chopped fine
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme or ¾ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ teaspoon kosher or sea salt, or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 6 cups low sodium or homemade chicken broth (48 ounces)
- 1 large bone-in chicken breast (about 1 pound)
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
Optional Ingredients
- ¾ cup elbow macaroni pasta (gluten free or wheat), optional
Instructions
- Sauté Vegetables: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, add chopped onion, celery, carrots, and leek. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften, about 12 minutes. Make sure to control the heat to avoid burning or overcooking the vegetables. Reduce heat if necessary.
- Add Garlic and Herbs: Stir in the finely chopped garlic and cook for 30 to 60 seconds until fragrant. Then, add the minced fresh thyme (or dried thyme), bay leaf, salt, and black pepper, stirring to combine well with the sautéed vegetables.
- Add Chicken and Broth: Remove the skin and any extra fat from the chicken breast. Cut the chicken breast crosswise through the bone into two pieces using a chef’s knife. Add the chicken pieces and chicken broth to the pot.
- Simmer Chicken: Bring the mixture to just below boiling, then lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover the pot with a lid and cook the chicken until fully cooked through, about 15 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
- Cook Pasta (Optional): Remove the cooked chicken from the pot and set aside. If using, add the elbow macaroni pasta to the soup. Increase the heat slightly and simmer until the pasta is tender, approximately 10 minutes (or according to pasta package instructions).
- Shred Chicken and Finish Soup: When the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred the meat off the bone. Return the shredded chicken to the pot along with fresh parsley. Remove the bay leaf, stir to combine, and ladle the soup into warm bowls for serving.
Notes
- Optional additions include cooked rice (white or brown), small cubed gold potatoes (added in place of pasta and cooked until tender), or a can of rinsed and drained white beans such as cannellini or great northern beans.
- You can skip pasta or other starches entirely for a simple, light chicken vegetable soup.
- This soup is histamine friendly, but be sure to check ingredients individually if you have sensitivities.
- For lower sodium, use homemade chicken broth without added salt and reduce or omit salt in the recipe. A squeeze of lemon juice can brighten flavors without added salt.
- Control your heat carefully to avoid burning the vegetables during the sautéing step for maximum flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (about 1.5 cups)
- Calories: 230
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 480mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 65mg
