Description
This Ultimate Chicken Soup recipe is a hearty and nourishing dish featuring tender poached chicken, fresh vegetables, and aromatic herbs. Perfect for a comforting meal, it combines the flavors of carrots, parsnips, celery, leek, and garlic in a flavorful chicken broth. Ready in just 30 minutes and serving four, this soup is a wholesome choice for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
- 3 parsnips, peeled and sliced
- 3 celery ribs, sliced
- ½ medium onion, diced
- 1 leek, halved lengthwise, sliced, and rinsed
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ cup roughly chopped fresh parsley
Proteins and Broth
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Herbs and Seasonings
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 sprigs fresh tarragon
- 1 bay leaf
Instructions
- Saute the veggies: Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the peeled and sliced carrots, parsnips, sliced celery, leek, and diced onion to the pot. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently to soften the vegetables evenly. Add the minced garlic, kosher salt, and black pepper, stirring for another minute until fragrant.
- Poach the chicken: Add the fresh thyme, tarragon sprigs, bay leaf, boneless skinless chicken breasts, and low-sodium chicken broth to the pot. Raise the heat to bring everything to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover the pot with a lid. Let the soup simmer gently for 15 minutes, or until the chicken breasts are fully cooked through.
- Shred the chicken: Using tongs, carefully remove the cooked chicken breasts from the pot and place them on a cutting board. Gently shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces with two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the pot and continue to simmer the soup for an additional 1 to 2 minutes to meld the flavors.
- Serve: Remove the herb sprigs of thyme, tarragon, and the bay leaf from the soup. Stir in the roughly chopped fresh parsley, and garnish with additional parsley and a sprinkle of black pepper if desired. Serve hot and enjoy your comforting bowl of Ultimate Chicken Soup.
Notes
- Use low-sodium chicken broth to control the salt content of the soup.
- Fresh herbs can be substituted with dried herbs, but reduce quantity to one-third.
- For a richer flavor, consider adding a splash of lemon juice or a dash of grated Parmesan cheese right before serving.
- The shredded chicken can be stored separately and added just before serving if preparing soup in advance.
- This soup freezes well; cool completely before transferring to airtight containers for freezing.
