Hearty & Healthy Chicken Vegetable Soup: An Easy One-Pot Recipe for Ultimate Comfort
Prepare to fall in love with a rich, thick, and incredibly flavorful chicken vegetable soup that’s brimming with protein and nutrient-dense vegetables! This unique and easy chicken soup recipe is designed to deliver maximum satisfaction with minimal effort, making it a go-to for busy weeknights and a perfect candidate for meal prep. Forget bland store-bought options; this homemade delight offers a depth of flavor and heartiness that only comes from a pot simmering with love in your own kitchen.
This healthy chicken vegetable soup is packed with lean protein, fiber-rich beans, and a vibrant array of vegetables, making it the perfect remedy for any ailment or a simple way to nourish your body. Its robust character will warm you from the inside out, making it an ideal dish for those chilly winter evenings. I always make a large batch and freeze the leftovers, ensuring I have a wholesome, delicious meal ready whenever a craving strikes!
If you’re seeking more deeply flavorful and healthy dishes, you’ll love my Hearty Rosemary Lamb Stew for ultimate winter comfort, these Quinoa Vegetarian Meatballs that offer heartiness without meat, or a classic bowl of this Red Chili with Ground Beef.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love This Easy Chicken Vegetable Soup
- Chef’s Professional Tips for the Best Soup
- Essential Ingredients for Your Chicken Vegetable Soup
- Delicious Variations and Customization Ideas
- What to Serve with Your Chicken Vegetable Soup
- Step-by-Step: How to Make Chicken Vegetable Soup
- Chef Lindsey’s Smart Kitchen Tip
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Printable Chicken Vegetable Soup Recipe Card
- Before You Go
Why You’ll Love This Easy Chicken Vegetable Soup
This isn’t just another chicken soup recipe; it’s a culinary experience designed for ease, flavor, and pure comfort. Here’s why this homemade chicken vegetable soup will become a staple in your kitchen:
- Effortless One-Pot Preparation: Say goodbye to multiple dirty dishes! This entire delicious soup comes together in a single pot – a large Dutch oven or stock pot. The process involves simple chopping followed by hands-off simmering, making cleanup incredibly quick and ideal for your busiest evenings. No special culinary skills are required to achieve this gourmet taste.
- Unrivaled Natural Flavor, No Excessive Salt: Unlike many commercial chicken soups that rely on high sodium content for flavor, this homemade version celebrates the natural goodness of fresh chicken, vibrant vegetables, and aromatic herbs. You control the seasoning, ensuring a perfectly balanced, wholesome taste without the unnecessary sodium. Each spoonful is a testament to fresh, quality ingredients.
- A Wholesome, Hearty, and Deeply Satisfying Meal: This isn’t a thin, watery soup. It’s a rich, hearty, and soul-feeding stew, packed with tender, succulent chicken, a trio of protein-rich beans, and an abundance of carrots, mushrooms, and zucchini. It’s a complete meal in a bowl, delicious and wonderfully filling. For the ultimate experience, be sure to serve it with crusty bread to soak up every last drop of its incredible broth.
- Perfect for Meal Prep and Freezing: Its flavors deepen beautifully over time, making it an excellent candidate for advance preparation. Whip up a large batch on the weekend, enjoy it for dinner during the week, and freeze the rest for quick, healthy meals whenever you need them. It’s the gift that keeps on giving!
Chef’s Professional Tips for the Best Soup
Achieving a truly exceptional chicken vegetable soup means paying attention to a few key details. Here are some professional tips to elevate your homemade soup:
- Don’t Drain the Beans! The Secret to a Rich, Thick Broth: The liquid from canned beans is your unsung hero! It’s naturally starchy and full of flavor, acting as a superb, natural thickener for this soup. This bean liquid is the “secret sauce” that contributes to the beautiful richness and body, eliminating the need for flour or cornstarch.
- Bone-In Chicken: The Foundation of Flavor: Using bone-in chicken is crucial for building a deeply flavored broth. As the bones simmer, they release collagen and marrow, imparting a rich, savory essence that bone-less chicken simply can’t match. If chicken thighs aren’t your preference, bone-in chicken breasts offer a similar richness with less fat. For an even more economical and flavorful option, consider quartering a whole chicken. Kitchen shears or a cleaver make this task surprisingly easy, but remember to remove the spine to avoid tiny bones in your finished soup. Need a visual guide? Check out my video on de-boning a chicken!
- Searing the Chicken Thighs: The First Layer of Flavor: Don’t skip this step if you have time! Searing the chicken thighs until golden brown creates a flavorful fond at the bottom of the pot, which then deglazes into the soup, adding incredible depth and complexity. This Maillard reaction is essential for building foundational flavors that make this soup truly special. If you’re short on time, you can certainly use pre-cooked shredded rotisserie chicken, but add it just before serving to prevent it from drying out.
- Control Your Salt: The salt content of vegetable stock and canned beans can vary significantly. Always opt for low-sodium versions of these ingredients, or make your own unsalted stock. This allows you to have complete control over the final seasoning, ensuring your soup is perfectly balanced to your taste.
- Dice Uniformly for Even Cooking: For the best texture and appearance, try to dice your carrots, onions, and celery (the mirepoix) into roughly similar-sized pieces. This ensures they cook evenly and release their flavors at the same rate.
Essential Ingredients for Your Chicken Vegetable Soup
Crafting this hearty chicken vegetable soup begins with selecting fresh, high-quality ingredients. Here’s a detailed look at what you’ll need and why each component is vital for creating a truly exceptional dish:
- Bone-in Chicken Thighs: These are the star for deep flavor. Remove the skin for a leaner soup while retaining the bone’s rich essence. You can also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs, which cook in about half the time but will yield a slightly less complex broth. Bone-in chicken breast is another delightful and leaner option.
- Carrots: Choose medium-sized carrots that are relatively straight and thick for easier, uniform dicing. Carrots add a touch of sweetness and essential nutrients, forming a classic aromatic base (mirepoix).
- Onions: Sweet, white, or yellow onions all work wonderfully. I typically lean towards yellow or sweet onions for their balanced flavor, providing a foundational sweetness and aroma to the soup. These are also my preferred onions for my Best French Onion Soup!
- Celery: You’ll need four whole celery stalks to complete the mirepoix. Celery adds a fresh, slightly bitter, and savory note, contributing to the overall aromatic profile. Don’t discard the tops; they’re excellent for making homemade stock!
- Mushrooms: I love the earthy depth fresh mushrooms bring to this soup! Baby Bellas (cremini) or button mushrooms are both excellent choices, absorbing the broth’s flavors beautifully and adding a wonderful umami richness.
- Oregano: Fresh oregano is an indispensable herb for this soup, offering savory, peppery, and pleasantly bitter notes that complement the other ingredients. For added depth, you could also include fresh parsley or a bay leaf.
- Thyme: Fresh thyme sprigs infuse the soup with a delightful aroma and a light, floral taste. If fresh thyme is unavailable, one tablespoon of dried thyme can be substituted.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Used for sautéing the aromatics and searing the chicken, olive oil helps build a rich flavor base. Avocado oil is a suitable alternative.
- Zucchini: Four small zucchini are perfect for this recipe. Slice them thinly to ensure they cook through without releasing too much moisture and making the soup watery. Any leftover zucchini can be used in a delicious baked zucchini and ricotta casserole!
- Crushed Tomatoes: I prefer Amazon’s brand of crushed pomodoro tomatoes for their quality, but if your budget allows, San Marzano tomatoes will truly elevate the flavor profile with their sweet, rich taste. These tomatoes provide a beautiful color and tangy depth to the broth.
- Vegetable Stock: This forms the liquid base of our soup. Opt for low-sodium vegetable stock to better control the overall seasoning of your soup.
- Great Northern Beans: A full can of Great Northern beans, added with their liquid, contributes significant creaminess and body to the soup. If Great Northern beans are hard to find, cannellini beans are an excellent substitute due to their similar taste and texture.
- Small White Beans: Another can of small white beans, also undrained, further enhances the soup’s texture and richness, providing additional protein and fiber.
- Red Kidney Beans: For a delightful mix of flavors, textures, and added nutritional benefits (protein & fiber), I use a can of drained red kidney beans. Their slightly firmer texture adds a nice contrast to the softer white beans.
- Tomato Paste: A concentrated burst of tomato flavor, tomato paste deepens the savory notes of the soup and adds a beautiful reddish hue.
- Salt and Pepper: Essential for seasoning to taste, bringing all the flavors together. Kosher salt is recommended for its pure flavor and control.
Refer to the full recipe card below for exact quantities and detailed instructions.
Delicious Variations and Customization Ideas
One of the best things about this healthy chicken vegetable soup is its adaptability. Feel free to get creative and tailor it to your taste or what you have on hand:
- Explore Different Vegetables: While the core vegetables provide a fantastic base, this soup welcomes additions and substitutions. Try incorporating frozen peas, green beans, or corn towards the end of cooking for added sweetness and color. Root vegetables like parsnips, russet potatoes, or sweet potatoes can be added earlier in the cooking process (along with the carrots) to ensure they become tender. Leafy greens such as collard greens, spinach, or kale are excellent additions, but stir them in during the last 10-15 minutes of simmering to prevent overcooking and retain their vibrant color and texture.
- Slow Cooker Adaptation: Transform this stovetop recipe into an easy slow cooker meal! Begin by searing the chicken on the stovetop as directed – this crucial step builds foundational flavor. Then, transfer the seared chicken and all other ingredients into your slow cooker. Cook on low for approximately 6 hours, or on high for 3 hours, until the chicken is tender and vegetables are cooked through. Shred the chicken before serving.
- Add Grains for Extra Heartiness: For a more substantial and filling soup, consider adding grains. About ½ cup of pearled barley or ⅔ cup of uncooked white or brown rice can be simmered directly in the soup. If adding grains, increase the vegetable stock by at least a cup, as grains absorb a lot of liquid. I often prefer to cook grains separately and allow individuals to add them to their bowls, preventing the soup from becoming too thick or the grains from getting mushy if there are leftovers.
- Transform into Chicken Noodle Soup: Craving a classic? Simply add your favorite pasta, such as orzo, ditalini, or egg noodles, towards the end of the cooking process (follow package directions for cooking time). Simmer until the pasta is al dente for a comforting chicken noodle soup that’s far superior to any canned version.
- Spice It Up: For those who enjoy a little heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes with the aromatics, or a dash of hot sauce to individual bowls before serving.
- Herb Enhancements: Feel free to experiment with other fresh herbs. A sprig of rosemary or a handful of fresh parsley chopped and added at the end can provide additional layers of flavor.
What to Serve with Your Chicken Vegetable Soup
A comforting bowl of chicken vegetable soup is often a meal in itself, but a few thoughtfully chosen accompaniments can elevate the experience and create a truly perfect meal:
- Homemade Bread for Sopping Up Every Drop: Nothing complements a hearty soup like a generous slice of freshly baked bread.
- Serve with a thick slice of my whole wheat sandwich bread, a crusty hunk of French bread, or a tangy slice of sourdough bread. The robust texture of homemade bread is ideal for soaking up every flavorful drop of the rich broth.
- It’s also absolutely beautiful with some whole wheat Irish brown bread, a simple Irish soda bread, or warm, fluffy dinner rolls. The subtle sweetness or tang of these breads provides a wonderful contrast.
- Pair with a Light, Fresh Salad: To balance the richness of this hearty soup, a crisp, light salad is an excellent choice.
- Consider a vibrant lemon rosemary roasted vegetable salad with a light vinaigrette. The bright acidity and fresh flavors will cut through the soup’s richness, offering a refreshing counterpoint.
- Aim for a salad featuring peppery arugula, delicate fennel, or segments of citrus for an added burst of freshness. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice directly into your soup just before serving can also provide this bright lift!
- Garnish for Freshness: A sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley or chives adds a pop of color and a final touch of fresh flavor to each serving.
Step-by-Step: How to Make Chicken Vegetable Soup
Follow these detailed instructions to create the perfect, deeply flavorful chicken vegetable soup every single time. This step-by-step guide ensures you build layers of flavor for an unforgettable meal.
Step 1: Prepare Your Aromatics. Finely dice your carrots (no need to peel if they’re skinny and organic!), onions, and celery. Uniform dicing is key for even cooking and consistent texture. Place these prepared aromatics into a large bowl and set aside; they’re the foundation of your soup’s flavor.
Step 2: Sear the Chicken Thighs. In a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or stock pot, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat until it shimmers but isn’t smoking. Pat your bone-in, skinless chicken thighs dry, then season both sides generously with kosher salt. Carefully place half of the chicken thighs into the hot pot, searing until deeply golden brown on both sides. This step is crucial for developing rich, caramelized flavors (the Maillard reaction) that will infuse your entire soup. You’ll need to work in two batches to avoid overcrowding the pot, which would steam the chicken instead of searing it.
Step 3: Remove Chicken and Repeat. Once the first batch of chicken is beautifully browned, remove them from the pot and transfer them to a rimmed plate or dish. Repeat the searing process with the remaining chicken thighs. You might not need to add more oil for the second batch, as any untrimmed fat from the chicken will have rendered into the pot, providing enough oil for searing.
Step 4: Sauté the Mirepoix. After removing all the seared chicken, add another tablespoon of olive oil to the pot if needed. Pour in all your chopped carrots, onions, and celery (your mirepoix). Continue cooking over medium or medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, allowing the vegetables to “sweat out” their moisture. This slow sautéing process softens the vegetables and brings out their natural sweetness without browning them, building another layer of flavor.
Step 5: Prepare Remaining Vegetables. While your mirepoix is gently cooking, take this time to finish chopping the zucchini and mushrooms. Aim for consistent, bite-sized pieces for all your vegetables.
Chef’s Tip for Zucchini: I prefer my zucchini to cook quickly and integrate seamlessly into the soup, so I cut mine fairly small. For small zucchinis, I typically halve them lengthwise, then halve them again (quartering), before dicing. For mushrooms, remove the stems and chop them to a similar size as the zucchini.
Step 6: Combine Ingredients. Once the onions in your carrot mixture are translucent and tender, it’s time to bring more flavor to the pot. Add the chopped zucchini, mushrooms, fresh thyme sprigs, roughly chopped oregano, canned crushed tomatoes, the entire cans of great northern beans (with their juices!), small white beans (with their juices!), and the drained kidney beans. Finally, stir in the concentrated tomato paste. This creates a rich, aromatic base for your soup.
Step 7: Add Chicken and Stock. Return the browned chicken thighs, along with any accumulated juices from the plate, to the pot. Pour in the vegetable stock and give everything a good stir to combine all the delicious ingredients. Ensure the chicken is mostly submerged in the liquid.
Step 8: Simmer and Season. Bring the soup to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and let it cook. Once everything is simmering nicely, taste for seasoning. This is your chance to adjust the salt and pepper to your desired preference. Remember that flavors will continue to develop, so don’t over-season initially.
Salt Control is Key: The final amount of salt you add will heavily depend on the sodium content of your vegetable stock and canned beans. I highly recommend purchasing low-sodium canned beans and low-sodium or unsalted vegetable stock. This gives you maximum control over the flavor and ensures your homemade chicken soup isn’t overly salty.
Step 9: Skim the Foam. After about 30 minutes of simmering, you may notice some foam accumulating on the surface of the soup. This is natural and comes from impurities in the chicken and vegetables. Use a small ladle or a large metal spoon to gently skim off this foam, discarding it. A smaller ladle or spoon is more efficient for this task, allowing you to remove the foam without losing too much of your delicious soup.
For Easier Fat Removal: For the simplest and most effective fat removal, cool the soup completely and then refrigerate it overnight. The fat will solidify on the surface, making it incredibly easy to lift off and discard before reheating. If you’re short on time and can’t refrigerate, use a small 2 oz ladle or a large spoon to skim the fat from the hot surface as best as you can.
Step 10: Remove Chicken and Herbs. Continue cooking until the zucchini is tender-crisp and the chicken thighs are thoroughly cooked through and easily pierced with a fork. Using tongs, a fork, or kitchen tweezers, carefully remove the cooked chicken thighs to a cutting board. At this point, I also take the opportunity to remove the spent thyme sprigs, as they have already imparted their flavor.
Step 11: Shred Chicken and Return to Pot. Using two forks, shred the chicken meat off the bones. Discard the bones (or save them for future stock!). Cut any larger shredded pieces into bite-sized chunks. Scrape all the flavorful pulled chicken back into the soup. Give it one final taste for seasoning, adding more salt or pepper as desired to achieve that perfect balance of flavors.
Step 12: Serve and Enjoy! My soup typically cooks for about 45 minutes total, achieving tender vegetables and perfectly cooked chicken. Serve your hearty chicken vegetable soup hot, perhaps with a garnish of fresh herbs. I love serving mine with Irish brown bread, which has a wonderfully rustic, whole wheat flavor similar to Irish soda bread!
Total Time Consideration: While the active cooking time is around 45 minutes, the entire process from start to finish, including chopping and prep, usually takes me about 1 ½ hours. But hey, I was taking my sweet time because my son was napping! 😊
Chef Lindsey’s Smart Kitchen Tip
Don’t Waste Those Bones! After you’ve shredded the chicken meat from your thighs, don’t toss those bones in the trash! Instead, save them. Store the bones from your chicken thighs, drumsticks, or even a whole roasted chicken in a freezer-safe bag. Once you’ve collected enough, you can use these saved bones to make your next batch of incredibly flavorful homemade chicken broth! It’s an excellent way to reduce food waste and enhance your future cooking with a rich, natural base.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
This soup is absolutely delicious and often even better the next day as the flavors meld. To store, allow the soup to cool completely to room temperature. Then, transfer leftover soup into an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. For longer storage, this soup freezes beautifully. Cool it completely, then transfer it to freezer-safe containers or heavy-duty freezer bags (leaving some headspace for expansion). It can be frozen for up to 3 months.
To reheat individual servings, simply place the soup in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until it is thoroughly heated through. For larger quantities, gently reheat the soup in a Dutch oven or stock pot over medium heat on the stove, stirring occasionally, until hot and simmering. If it seems too thick, you can add a splash of extra vegetable stock or water.
Yes, absolutely! This recipe is fantastic for making ahead. You can fully cook this soup 3-4 days before you plan to serve it. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to serve, simply remove it from the fridge, transfer it to a Dutch oven or large stock pot, and reheat gently over medium heat on the stove until it’s simmering and hot. Making it ahead allows the flavors to deepen, resulting in an even more delicious soup.
While bone-in chicken thighs are recommended for maximum flavor, you can definitely use boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts. If using boneless, sear them as directed, but they will cook faster. You can also use pre-cooked shredded rotisserie chicken, adding it towards the end of the cooking process just to warm through, preventing it from drying out.
No problem! The combination of Great Northern, small white, and kidney beans provides a nice variety of texture and flavor, but you can certainly substitute. Feel free to use all Great Northern beans, cannellini beans, or even a different mix like pinto beans or black beans, depending on your preference. Just remember that the liquid from undrained beans is key for the soup’s thickness and body.
If you tried this delicious chicken vegetable soup recipe and loved it, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I genuinely love hearing from you; your comments always make my day!
Hearty Chicken Vegetable Soup
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Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken thighs bone-in, skin removed
- 5 medium carrots
- 2 medium onions
- 4 celery stalks
- 12 ounces mushrooms I used baby Bella’s
- 4 small oregano stalks leaves removed & roughly chopped
- 6 fresh thyme sprigs
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 small zucchini
- 14 ounces crushed tomatoes canned
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 15 ounces canned great northern beans not drained
- 15 ounces canned small white beans not drained
- 15 ounces canned kidney beans drained
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- kosher salt to taste
- pepper to taste
Instructions
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Finely dice the carrots (I did not peel mine because they were super skinny!), onions, and celery. Place in a large bowl and set aside.
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In a large Dutch oven or stock pot, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Season both sides of the chicken thighs with kosher salt and then brown in the stock pot. You will need to work in 2 batches.
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Once brown, remove from the pot to a rimmed plate or dish. Repeat the searing with remaining chicken thighs. I did not need to add oil because there was a little untrimmed fat that rendered it into the pot.
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Remove all chicken from the pot. Add a little more oil, approximately 1 tablespoon more, and pour in all the chopped carrots, onions, and celery. Continue cooking over medium or medium-low to sweat out the moisture.
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While the mire-poix (carrot mixture) is cooking, finish chopping the zucchini and mushrooms.
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Once the onions are translucent in the carrot mixture, add the zucchini, mushrooms, thyme sprigs, chopped oregano, canned crushed tomatoes, great northern beans and their juices, small white beans and their juices, drained kidney beans and tomato paste.
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Add the browned chicken thighs and their accumulated juices along with the vegetable stock to the pot, stir.
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Cook, covered, over medium-low heat. I taste for seasoning once everything has come to a simmer. Add salt and pepper as desired.
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I skim the foam off the top of the soup after about 30 minutes. Using a small ladle or large metal spoon is best. A large ladle will not skim the foam as efficiently and you will lose more good soup.
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Continue cooking until the zucchini and chicken thighs are cooked through. Using tongs, a fork or kitchen tweezers, remove the chicken thighs to a cutting board. I also remove the spent thyme sprigs while I’m in there digging around.
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Shred your chicken off the bone using two forks and then cut any large chunks into bite-size pieces. Throw away the bones and then scrape the pulled chicken back into the soup. Taste for seasoning one last time. Add salt or pepper as desired.
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My soup cooked for about 45 minutes total. Serve hot. I served mine with Irish brown bread, which is like whole wheat Irish soda bread!
Notes
Flavor Tips – The amount of salt needed will significantly depend on the initial salt content of your vegetable stock and canned beans. For best control, I always recommend purchasing low-sodium canned beans and either low-sodium or unsalted vegetable stock. This allows you to adjust the seasoning precisely to your taste, ensuring a perfectly balanced and flavorful soup.
Variations – Slow Cooker Method: To use a slow cooker, first sear the chicken on the stovetop to build flavor. Then, add all remaining ingredients to your slow cooker. Cook on a low setting for approximately 6 hours, or on high for about 3 hours, until the chicken is fork-tender and the vegetables are cooked through. Shred the chicken before serving.
Storage – To store leftovers, allow the soup to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. It will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. For longer storage, freeze the cooled soup in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Before You Go
I sincerely hope you enjoyed creating and savoring this professionally chef-tested recipe for hearty chicken vegetable soup. It’s truly a labor of love designed to bring warmth and nourishment to your table. This recipe embodies the comfort and robust flavors we strive for in every dish.
Don’t stop here! Explore our collection of other heart-warming, chef-developed soup and stew recipes. From creamy bisques to chunky stews, you’re sure to find your next favorite comfort food. Happy cooking!