Chicken Vegetable Soup is ultra-comforting, with filling protein and veggies in each bite. It tastes like chicken noodle soup, without the white pasta, and it couldn’t be easier to make.
Why You’ll Love It
It’s comforting. It’s warm and flavorful, and makes an excellent option if you like to meal prep for the week ahead. You can take a warm thermos with you to work or school!
It’s flexible. The base of this soup is simply chicken and veggies, but you can add potatoes or a can of white beans to this recipe to make it even more of a complete meal, with extra fiber in each bite. If you have more veggies to use up, such as peas, spinach, or kale, those can also be added in!
No special ingredients are required. Instead of relying on store-bought chicken broth or veggie broth, this soup recipe simply calls for water. When you cook the chicken, veggies, and seasonings directly in the water, it becomes just as flavorful as any other stock! So, you can save yourself a little money, and still enjoy a well-seasoned soup.
It’s allergy friendly. As written, this soup is naturally gluten-free, nut-free, and dairy-free. To make it more filling, I will often add a can of drained and rinsed cannelini beans, but you can add any other extras you love.
It’s easy to prepare. One of my least-favorite kitchen jobs is working with raw meat, and having to clean the cutting board later. If you feel the same way, you’ll love this cooking method!
Instead of cutting the raw meat into chunks, and then cooking those, you’ll stick the whole chicken breasts into the soup pot and let them cook directly in the broth. When they are done, you can easily shred them with two forks, then add it back to the soup.
Have a rotisserie chicken to use up? You can use that here, too! In that case, you might want to start with a quart of chicken broth, to make sure your soup has plenty of flavor. Then add in the shredded cooked chicken, and simmer until the veggies are tender. Be sure to start with less salt in this case, since veggie broth will already have some sodium added.
Ingredients You’ll Need
What’s in chicken vegetable soup?
- Chicken breasts
- Onion
- Carrots
- Celery
- Garlic
- Thyme
- Green beans
- Salt & pepper
This will give you a delicious broth base, similar to chicken noodle soup. If you prefer to use different veggies, you can also add in a can of diced tomatoes, or a bag of frozen corn or green peas. If you keep bay leaves on hand, you can also add one to the broth as it simmers. Just be sure to remove it before serving!
Try adding a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, just before serving, to help brighten up the flavor. I also like to add a garnish of chopped fresh herbs on top, like chopped parsley or basil.
How to Make Chicken Vegetable Soup
1. Sauté the veggies.
Pour the olive oil into a large soup pot or dutch oven over medium heat, and saute the onion, carrots and celery until they start to soften, about 8 minutes.
Once the veggies are soft, add in the garlic and dried thyme, and stir for one more minute, just until they smell fragrant.
2. Simmer.
Add in the water or broth, frozen green beans, chicken breasts, salt, and pepper.
Bring the liquid to a boil, then cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of at least 160ºF.
3. Shred.
Use tongs to remove the chicken breasts from the soup, and let them rest on a plate for at least 5 minutes, so they can finish cooking. (The internal temp needs to reach at least 165ºF for the chicken to be thoroughly cooked, but it will usually reach that while resting.)
Then, use two forks to shred the chicken after they have had the time to rest. Then add the shredded chicken back into the soup pot, and give it a stir.
Adjust any seasoning to taste at this point, adding more salt, or more water, if you prefer more broth. This is also the time to add a squeeze of lemon juice, to help brighten the flavor.
4. Enjoy!
Ladle the soup into bowls and serve it warm right away, with fresh parsley or a little shredded Parmesan cheese on top.
Leftover soup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Substitutions & Common Questions
Can I use chicken thighs? Yes, boneless skinless chicken thighs are sometimes better in soup, because they don’t dry out the way chicken breasts can! If you use bone-in chicken thighs, just keep in mind that they will require a slightly longer cooking time. Be sure to use a meat thermometer, to ensure they reach an internal temperature of 165ºF.
Can I cook this in a crockpot? I think you can, but I haven’t tested that with this exact recipe yet. From experience with other slow cooker chicken recipes, I’d assume that this soup will cook in about 6 hours on low in a crock pot. But, always use a meat thermometer to make sure the chicken is cooked all the way through.
More Chicken Soup Recipes
When you want to change up your routine, try one of these ideas, too!
Curry Chicken Soup. This is a huge fan favorite! It tastes amazing, and can be cooked in the Instant Pot, or on the stove top.
Mexican Chicken Soup. If you prefer more of a tomato base, with a hint of spice, this soup is for you! It reminds me of tortilla soup.
Looking for a vegetarian soup? Try Chickpea Noodle Soup, for a delicious vegan option. It tastes just as good as the kind made with chicken!
Chicken Vegetable Soup
Chicken Vegetable Soup is ultra-comforting, with protein and veggies in each bite! It tastes like chicken noodle soup, without the pasta, and couldn’t be easier to make.
Servings:
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion , chopped
- 3 carrots , chopped (about 1 cup)
- 3 celery stalks , chopped (about 1 cup)
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 5 cups water
- 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen green beans , cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 pound boneless chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon fine sea salt (I use Real Salt brand)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Optional Additions
- 1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas or white beans , drained and rinsed
- 1 pound potatoes , cut into ½-inch pieces
- Fresh lemon juice
- chopped parsley
Instructions
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In a large pot with a lid, heat the olive oil over medium heat and saute the onion, carrots, and celery until softened, about 8 minutes. Add in the garlic and thyme, and stir for one more minute.
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Add in the water, green beans, chicken, salt, and pepper. Bring the liquid to a boil and then cover the pot and lower the heat so the soup can gently simmer for 15 minutes. (If you want to add potatoes or chickpeas, now is the time to do that, too.)
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Check on the chicken by lifting it out of the pot and testing it with a meat thermometer. When the temperature reaches 160ºF, you can use the tongs to remove the chicken and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes, so it can finish cooking and reach a safe internal temperature of 165ºF.
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Use two forks to shred the chicken, or cut it into small, bite-sized pieces. Return the chicken back to the soup pot, and adjust any seasoning to taste. You can add 1 more cup of water, for extra broth, or add in a squeeze of lemon juice, to help brighten the flavor. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with freshly chopped parsley.
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Leftover soup can be stored in airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Notes
• Want to use broth instead of water? Be sure to cut back on the salt. (Start with just 1 teaspoon to be on the safe side.)
• Have cooked chicken to use up? You can add it during the last 10 minutes of the cooking cycle, just to make sure it is heated through.
Nutrition
Calories: 140kcal, Carbohydrates: 8g, Protein: 17g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Cholesterol: 48mg, Sodium: 1300mg, Potassium: 522mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 5405IU, Vitamin C: 8mg, Calcium: 49mg, Iron: 1mg
If you try this Chicken Vegetable Soup recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like it!