Vegetable Chicken Soup
Chicken Vegetable Soup is a comforting, nutritious powerhouse loaded with customizable veggies in an adeptly seasoned broth – no bland soup here! Instructions for how to make with chicken thighs, breast, or leftover/rotisserie chicken as well as tons of variations, tips and tricks! This easy Chicken Vegetable Soup recipe can be made on the stove or in the crockpot, and is great for meal prep!
Servings 8 servings
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil, divided
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, patted dry OR 3 cups rotisserie chicken
- salt and pepper
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 cup peeled and sliced carrots 1/4-inch thick
- 1 cup sliced celery 3/8-inch thick
- 4-6 garlic cloves, minced
- pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, 1/2-inch cubes
- 7 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 14 oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes with juices
- 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon
- 1 tsp EACH dried parsley, dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp EACH dried basil, dried thyme, mustard powder, paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 bay leaf
ADD LATER
- 5 oz. (1 heaping cup) green beans, trimmed, chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup fresh, frozen or canned (drained) sweet corn
- 1/4 cup freshly shredded Parmesan (optional)
- freshy parsley (optional), for garnish
Instructions
- Sear chicken: Heat 1 ½ tablespoons oil over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven/soup pot. Season chicken thighs with ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper then sear until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Remove to a plate but leave drippings.
- Simmer: Add chicken thighs (don't add rotisserie yet if using) back to the pot along with all remaining ingredients up to Add Later. Partially cover the soup with about a one-inch opening. Bring to a simmer over high heat; once simmering, reduce to medium-low. Gently simmer until the chicken is tender enough to shred, about 5-10 minutes after it starts to simmer.
- Remove chicken: Remove chicken to a cutting board to cool. Meanwhile:
- Add green beans and corn: Add green beans and corn to the soup and continue to simmer the soup over medium low for an additional 10-15 minutes, partially covered or until potatoes are tender. Stir occasionally while simmering, partially replacing the lid.
- Shred chicken: While simmering, shred chicken once cool enough to handle (don’t add back to soup yet).
- Add chicken and Parmesan: Reduce heat to low and stir in Parmesan until melted. Add shredded chicken OR rotisserie chicken to the soup. Stir in additional broth if desired for a less “chunky” soup. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if desired (I like more salt).
Video
Notes
- Rotisserie chicken: If using, you won't add it to the soup until the last step.
- Crockpot: Add all ingredients to the slow cooker except the Parmesan. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 7-8. Shred chicken and add back to soup along with Parmesan. Let cook on low for an additional 10 minutes.
- Variations: See post for how to swap out veggies, protein, how to add quinoa, rice, pasta, etc.
- Storage: Let the soup cool to room temperature, cover and store in your Dutch oven or transfer to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 4 days. You may also freeze for up to 3 months but the texture won't be quite the same.
- Meal Prep: This Chicken Vegetable Soup can be made 100% ahead of time and reheated or you can prep some of the ingredients ahead of time. Trim the chicken, or proceed to season sear, then refrigerate. The vegetables and aromatics can be chopped or proceed to sauté and refrigerate in the pot with the chicken, broth and seasonings. The potatoes can be peeled and chopped but must be stored submerged in water in the refrigerator so they don't brown.