5 from 681 votes
Ultimate Chicken Soup
Ultimate Chicken Soup combines fresh vegetables like carrots, parsnips, celery, onion, and leek sautéed and simmered with chicken breasts, garlic, and fresh herbs in chicken broth. The chicken is poached, shredded, and returned for a hearty, clear broth soup with bright flavors and tender meat. This recipe offers a comforting, mild soup enriched by fresh herbs and simple seasoning for a nourishing meal.
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings:
4
servings
Calories:
319 kcal
Course:
Soup
Cuisine:
American
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 carrot peeled and sliced, medium
- 3 parsnip peeled and sliced
- 3 celery sliced, ribs
- ½ onion diced, medium
- 1 leek halved lengthwise, sliced, and rinsed
- 4 garlic minced, cloves
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- 2 chicken breast boneless skinless
- 2 prigs thyme fresh
- 2 prigs tarragon fresh
- 1 bay leaf
- 5 cups chicken broth low-sodium
- ¼ cup parsley roughly chopped fresh
Instructions
- Saute the veggies. Heat the oil in a large pot on medium heat. Add the carrots, parsnips, celery, leek, and onion to the pot and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the garlic, salt, and pepper, and stir for another minute.
- Poach the chicken. Add the thyme, tarragon, bay leaf, chicken, and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover the pot. Simmer the soup for 15 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked.
- Shred the chicken. With tongs, remove the chicken to a cutting board and then gently shred the chicken with two forks. Place the shredded chicken back into the pot and simmer for an additional 1 to 2 minutes.
- Serve. Remove the sprigs of thyme, tarragon and the bay leaf. Stir in the parsley, and garnish with additional fresh parsley and black pepper before serving.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- Add garlic after sautéing other vegetables for best flavor extraction and to avoid burning.
- Use the shredded chicken method suggested in the related recipe for efficient shredding.
- Remove herb sprigs before serving to avoid woody texture in soup.
Nutrition Information
Calories
319kcal
(16%)
Carbohydrates
38g
(13%)
Protein
21g
(42%)
Fat
11g
(17%)
Saturated Fat
2g
(10%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
2g
(12%)
Monounsaturated Fat
7g
(35%)
Trans Fat
0.01g
(1%)
Cholesterol
36mg
(12%)
Sodium
822mg
(34%)
Potassium
1302mg
(28%)
Fiber
9g
(36%)
Sugar
11g
(22%)
Vitamin A
11098IU
(222%)
Vitamin C
36mg
(40%)
Calcium
131mg
(13%)
Iron
3mg
(17%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4 servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 319
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 319kcal | 16% |
| Carbohydrates | 38g | 13% |
| Protein | 21g | 42% |
| Fat | 11g | 17% |
| Saturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Trans Fat | 0.01g | 1% |
| Cholesterol | 36mg | 12% |
| Sodium | 822mg | 34% |
| Potassium | 1302mg | 28% |
| Fiber | 9g | 36% |
| Sugar | 11g | 22% |
| Vitamin A | 11098IU | 222% |
| Vitamin C | 36mg | 40% |
| Calcium | 131mg | 13% |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.