Description
There’s nothing quite like a warm bowl of chicken and vegetable soup to make a house feel like home. This recipe is a family favorite because it’s comforting, hearty, and full of fresh vegetables and tender chicken. The broth is rich, aromatic, and perfectly balanced, making it ideal for chilly evenings, busy weekdays, or even as a make-ahead meal. The recipe is easy to customize depending on what vegetables or herbs you have on hand, and it keeps beautifully in the fridge or freezer for later.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 potatoes, diced
- 1 cup green beans, trimmed
- 1 zucchini, chopped
- 2 cups cooked or raw chicken (breast or thigh)
- 6 cups chicken broth (homemade or store-bought)
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Juice of half a lemon
- Optional: smoked paprika, parsley for garnish
Instructions
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 potatoes, diced
- 1 cup green beans, trimmed
- 1 zucchini, chopped
- 2 cups cooked or raw chicken (breast or thigh)
- 6 cups chicken broth (homemade or store-bought)
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Juice of half a lemon
- Optional: smoked paprika, parsley for garnish
Notes
- Use bone-in chicken for richer flavor.
- Add delicate vegetables like spinach toward the end to avoid overcooking.
- Leftovers taste even better the next day as flavors continue to meld.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40–50 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stove-top
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4–6
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 680mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 50mg