Chicken Vegetable Soup Recipe
This easy one-pot Chicken Vegetable Soup is packed with tender shredded chicken, carrots, celery, green beans, corn, zucchini, and kale in a light, flavorful chicken broth. The vegetables are added in stages for the best texture, then the soup is finished with fresh lemon juice.
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 228kcal
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 yellow onions - diced, about 2 cups
- 4 large carrots - chopped, about 3 cups
- 4 celery ribs - chopped, about 2 cups
- 5 cloves garlic - minced, about 1½ tablespoons
- 12 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs - about 12 thighs
- 2 teaspoons salt - plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 cups fresh green beans - cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 medium zucchini - quartered and chopped, about 3 cups
- 2 cups frozen corn
- 1 large bunch kale - stems removed and chopped, about 4 cups
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice - about 1 lemon
- Red chili flakes - optional, for garnish
- Fresh chopped parsley - for garnish
Instructions
- Saute the vegetables. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Take your time with this step so the vegetables can slowly build flavor.1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 yellow onions, 4 large carrots, 4 celery ribs
- Sauté the garlic. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, or until fragrant.5 cloves garlic
- Cook the chicken. Pour in the chicken broth and add the chicken thighs, salt, black pepper, and bay leaves. Increase the heat and bring the soup to a gentle simmer. Simmer for about 20-25 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F when measured with a digital meat thermometer. Remove the chicken from the pot and set it aside to cool.12 cups low-sodium chicken broth, 2½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 2 bay leaves
- Cook the remaining vegetables. As the chicken cools, add the green beans, zucchini, and frozen corn to the pot. Return the soup to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender but not mushy.3 cups fresh green beans, 2 medium zucchini, 2 cups frozen corn
- Shred the chicken. Shred the cooled chicken thighs into bite-size pieces using two forks or your hands. Set aside.
- Add the kale and shredded chicken. Stir the chopped kale and shredded chicken into the soup and cook for about 2 minutes, or until the kale is wilted and the chicken is warmed through.1 large bunch kale
- Finish and serve. Remove the soup from the heat, stir in the fresh lemon juice, then taste and season with additional salt and black pepper as needed. Garnish with chopped parsley and red chili flakes, if desired.3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, Red chili flakes, Fresh chopped parsley
Notes
- Using cooked or rotisserie chicken: In this case there's no need to simmer the chicken. Instead, add about 5 to 6 cups of cooked, shredded chicken near the end along with the kale and cook for about 2 minutes, or just until the chicken is warmed through.
- Vegetables: Feel free to substitute other vegetables, but add them according to how quickly they cook. Heartier vegetables need more time, while zucchini, corn, peas, spinach, and other quick-cooking vegetables should go in closer to the end.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. The zucchini and kale will soften somewhat after freezing and reheating.
Nutrition
Calories: 228kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 90mg | Sodium: 582mg | Potassium: 846mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 5433IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 83mg | Iron: 2mg
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