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A warm, comforting, and nourishing one-pot chicken vegetable soup made with tender chicken, carrots, celery, potatoes, and a fragrant golden broth, finished with fresh lemon juice and parsley. Ready in about 45 minutes on the stove or can be made in a slow cooker for convenience.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil (or avocado oil)
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 3 large carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds
  • 3 stalks celery, sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
  • 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth or bone broth
  • 1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme (or 3 fresh sprigs)
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder (optional)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat.
  2. Add the diced onion, sliced carrots, and sliced celery; sauté 6 to 8 minutes until the onion is translucent and the vegetables begin to soften.
  3. Stir in the minced garlic, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, and 1/2 teaspoon turmeric; cook about 1 minute until fragrant, taking care not to brown the garlic.
  4. Pour in 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the pot; add the diced potatoes, whole chicken breasts or thighs, and 1 bay leaf, adding a splash of water if the chicken is not fully covered.
  5. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 20 to 25 minutes until potatoes are tender and the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C).
  6. Remove the chicken and bay leaf, shred the chicken with two forks, and stir the shredded chicken back into the pot.
  7. If using quick-cooking extras like spinach or frozen peas, add them now and cook 1 to 2 minutes until wilted or heated through.
  8. Turn off the heat, stir in 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, taste and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed, and sprinkle chopped fresh parsley on top before serving.

Notes

Be careful not to burn the garlic; add it once the veggies are softened and cook until fragrant., Cut potatoes and carrots into similar half-inch pieces for even cooking., Chicken thighs provide more flavor and juiciness, breasts are leaner options., Add lemon juice at the end to retain bright flavor., Enhance broth flavor by adjusting salt or more lemon juice after shredding the chicken., For creaminess without dairy, puree about 1 cup of soup (potatoes and broth) and stir back into the pot or add a splash of coconut milk at the end., Vegetarian variation: omit chicken, add rinsed chickpeas, and use vegetable broth; may require longer cooking of potatoes., Add grains like barley, farro, or rice cooked separately to prevent sogginess., Small pasta shapes can be cooked separately and added at serving time., Add red pepper flakes or diced jalapeño when sautéing aromatics for spice., Pre-cooked or rotisserie chicken can be used by stirring in last 5 minutes to heat through., Soup stores well for up to 4 days refrigerated or freezes up to 3 months., Leave out delicate ingredients like fresh parsley, lemon juice, or spinach when freezing; add fresh when reheating.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cookerygood.com/hearty-chicken-veggie-soup/