This chicken vegetable soup is filled with chicken, veggies, and a whole lot of flavor in each bite. It's a healthy and hearty recipe that's perfect for meal prep or busy weeknight dinners.
The winter season means soup season in the Duff household, and this homemade chicken vegetable soup recipe has been me and my wife's absolute favorite one to make lately. My three-year-old daughter loves it, too, so it's a total win!
Seriously, as far as chicken soup recipes go, this one has it all. Succulent shredded chicken simmered with perfectly cooked veggies in a light tomato-based broth, it's hard to believe such a flavorful dish is also unbelievably healthy.
Table of Contents
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Minimal prep time. Once you cook the veggies, making the soup is basically hands-off. Just build the broth, add the chicken, then shred the chicken and add it back to the pot. While it's simmering away, I usually use my spare time to whip up some of this cheese bread to soak up the flavorful broth.
Cooks in one pot. Not only is prep time minimal, but so is cleanup since this whole recipe comes together with just one large pot.
Easy to customize. There are plenty of opportunities to customize this recipe. You can use leftover rotisserie chicken from the night before, switch up the veggies, or add cooked rice or pasta to make a heartier dish. The options are endless!
Ingredients Needed
- Olive oil- for sautéeing the veggies.
- Onion, carrots, celery- my favorite vegetable mix. Feel free to add any more you want!
- Garlic- for fresh savory flavor.
- Chicken breast- I like to use boneless skinless chicken breast for easy shredding.
- Chopped tomatoes- for the bulk of the broth and to add a pleasant tangy flavor. Diced tomatoes can also work if that's all you have on hand.
- Tomato paste- for more concentrated tomato flavor.
- Dried herbs- I'm using bay leaves, dried parsley, and dried basil.
- Chicken stock- to build the broth and give it a savory quality.
- Frozen peas, corn, green beans- you'll want to thaw them before starting the recipe.
- Salt and black pepper- just a pinch to taste.
How To Make Chicken Vegetable Soup
1. Cook the veggies: Heat olive oil in a large saucepot over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onion, and celery, and cook while stirring frequently for 5-6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
2. Add chicken and seasonings: To the pot, add the chicken breasts with a can of chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, and dried herbs. Then add the chicken stock to the pot and stir to combine. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes.
3. Shred the chicken: Once the chicken is fully cooked, remove it from the pot and carefully shred it with two forks.
4. Finish the soup: Add the cooked chicken back to the pot along with the frozen green beans, peas, and corn. Simmer for 2 minutes or until the frozen veggies are warm. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then serve warm and enjoy!
Recipe Variations
- Feel free to swap the chicken breast with chicken thighs or any other cut of chicken to switch up the texture of the soup. If you use cooked chicken, just make sure to add it at the very end of the cooking process so it doesn't dry out.
- You can use chicken broth, but remember chicken broth usually has more salt added, so taste as you go and adjust seasonings as needed.
- Stir in half a cup of heavy cream or milk to the broth once it's done cooking to make a richer, more velvety soup.
- Add cooked rice, cubed potatoes, or pasta to make a heartier soup. One of these high protein pasta options would be an excellent addition.
Serving Suggestions For Chicken Vegetable Soup
This hearty chicken vegetable soup works as an all-in-one meal all by itself, but if you want to make an even heartier dish or feed a crowd, it pairs well with a variety of sides. Serve it with saltine crackers, tortilla strips, or cheddar bay biscuits for dipping in the soup. Or serve it with some equally flavorful sides, like broccoli casserole or bacon wrapped asparagus.
Storing and Reheating Instructions
In the fridge: This soup is perfect to make for meal prep for the week! If you have any leftover soup, you can keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
In the freezer: To keep the soup for longer, transfer it to a freezer-safe container and freeze it for up to 3 months.
Reheating: My favorite way to reheat this chicken vegetable soup is on the stovetop.
More Soup Recipes
- Weight loss cabbage soup
- Lemon chicken soup
- Buffalo chicken soup
- Turkey noodle soup
- Chicken enchilada soup
Chicken Vegetable Soup
This chicken vegetable soup is filled with chicken, veggies, and a whole lot of flavor in each bite. It's a healthy and hearty recipe that's perfect for meal prep or busy weeknight dinners.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled, sliced
- 1 stalk celery, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1lb. Chicken breasts, skinless and boneless
- 14oz. Can chopped tomatoes
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ teaspoon fried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
- 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
- 1 cup frozen yellow and green beans, thawed (or just green)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a saucepot over medium-high heat.
- Add onions, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring for 5-6 minutes.
- Add garlic and cook until fragrant.
- Add chicken with a can of chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, dried basil, dried parsley, and bay leaf.
- Add chicken stock and give it a good stir.
- Bring the stock to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes.
- Remove the chicken and shred it using two forks.
- Place the chicken back into the saucepot and add peas, corn, and beans.
- Simmer for 2 minutes, season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve warm.
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size: 1 cupAmount Per Serving: Calories: 235Total Fat: 8.7gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 67mgSodium: 620mgCarbohydrates: 14.3gFiber: 3.4gSugar: 0gProtein: 25.2g
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