Description
This hearty Chicken Vegetable Soup is a comforting, flavorful blend of tender seared chicken, fresh vegetables, and a savory broth. Perfect for a warming meal, it’s packed with mixed vegetables and a blend of herbs, simmered to create a nourishing and satisfying soup that’s both easy to prepare and delightful to eat.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins and Fats
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 ¼ lbs. chicken (breast or thighs, see notes)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Salt and pepper to taste
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- ¾ cup carrots, diced
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ cups frozen mixed vegetables (corn and green beans)
Seasonings and Liquids
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 7 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare and Sear the Chicken: Pat the chicken dry and season it liberally with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a 4.5-quart soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sear each side for about 3 minutes, until golden brown. The chicken does not need to be cooked through at this stage as it will finish cooking in the soup.
- Rest and Shred the Chicken: Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside to rest for 10 minutes. Once rested, dice or shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
- Create Flavor Base: Melt the butter in the same pot over medium heat. Use a silicone spatula to scrape and dissolve the browned bits (fond) from the bottom and sides of the pot into the melted butter. This enhances the soup’s flavor.
- Sauté Vegetables: Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery to the pot. Cook and soften the vegetables for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Add Aromatics and Seasonings: Stir in the minced garlic, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, dried parsley, basil, oregano, mustard powder, and black pepper. Mix well to release the aromas and combine the flavors.
- Add Broth and Simmer Chicken: Pour in the chicken broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and return the diced or shredded chicken along with any accumulated juices back to the pot. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes to meld flavors and fully cook the chicken.
- Add Frozen Vegetables and Finish Cooking: Stir in the frozen mixed vegetables, cover the pot partially, and continue simmering for an additional 10 to 15 minutes until vegetables are tender. Serve the soup hot.
Notes
- The recipe works well with either chicken breasts or thighs; thighs will yield a richer flavor.
- Adjust hot sauce according to your preferred spice level.
- For a thicker broth, you can add a slurry of cornstarch and water during the final simmer if desired.
- Leftover soup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
- Using homemade chicken broth will enhance the soup’s depth of flavor but store-bought broth is a convenient alternative.
