Hearty Chicken Soup (Printable Version)

Comforting chicken simmered with vegetables and herbs for a warm, flavorful meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Poultry

01 - 1.2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 large onion, diced
04 - 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
05 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
06 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
07 - 1 large potato, peeled and diced
08 - 1 cup frozen or fresh peas

→ Broth & Seasonings

09 - 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
10 - 1 bay leaf
11 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
12 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
13 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
14 - 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
15 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

→ Optional

16 - 1 cup cooked noodles, rice, or barley (add at the end)

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, sliced carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
02 - Incorporate minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in chicken pieces, diced potato, bay leaf, dried thyme, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper.
04 - Pour in chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender.
05 - Remove chicken from pot. Shred using two forks and return shredded meat to the pot.
06 - Stir in peas and cook for 5 more minutes. Incorporate fresh parsley. If using, add cooked noodles, rice, or barley now.
07 - Taste the soup and adjust seasoning as necessary. Ladle into bowls and serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in about an hour, but tastes like you've been tending it all day.
  • The chicken stays incredibly tender, and the broth deepens with every simmer.
  • You can throw in whatever vegetables you have on hand and it still turns out delicious.
  • Leftovers get even better overnight, soaking up all that herby, savory flavor.
02 -
  • Don't skip the step of shredding the chicken, it transforms the texture and makes every spoonful feel more generous.
  • If you add noodles or rice too early, they'll absorb too much liquid and turn mushy, so always stir them in at the very end.
  • Taste the broth before serving, sometimes it needs just a pinch more salt or a crack of fresh pepper to really sing.
03 -
  • Use bone-in chicken for even richer flavor, just remove the bones after simmering and shred the meat.
  • Add a squeeze of lemon juice right before serving to brighten the whole pot and wake up the herbs.
  • If you want a deeper, golden color, brown the chicken pieces first before adding the broth.

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