Description
A hearty and flavorful Chicken Vegetable Soup featuring tender chicken breast, a medley of fresh vegetables, and a fragrant blend of herbs and spices, perfect for a comforting gluten-free meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breast
Vegetables
- 3 carrots, peeled and small diced
- 3 celery stalks, small diced
- 2 Yukon gold potatoes, small diced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 small zucchini, sliced into half quarter moons
- 3 large garlic cloves
Pantry & Herbs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can petite-cut diced tomatoes
- 8 cups (64 ounces) chicken stock
- ½ cup chopped parsley
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Season the chicken: Set a large Dutch oven over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Season the chicken breast all over with a generous pinch of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the chicken to the Dutch oven.
- Cook the chicken: Let the chicken cook on one side for 12 minutes until golden brown. Flip it and cook another 12 minutes, allowing a nice color to develop on both sides and the pan to develop fond. Ensure the chicken is cooked through, reaching 165°F on an instant-read thermometer. If the chicken bits threaten to burn, add a splash of chicken stock and scrape the brown bits gently before continuing.
- Let the chicken rest: Remove the cooked chicken from the pot to a plate and set it aside to rest.
- Cook the vegetables: Add diced carrots, celery, onion, and potatoes to the Dutch oven. Stir well, scraping any browned bits off the bottom of the pot. If necessary, add a splash of chicken stock to help deglaze. Add the bay leaf, dried thyme, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Season with a generous pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir and let the mixture sit undisturbed for 15 minutes. Then add minced garlic, stir, and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Finish the soup: Add the canned diced tomatoes, sliced zucchini, and the 8 cups of chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Meanwhile, shred the rested chicken and stir it back into the soup just until warmed through.
- Garnish and serve: Stir in ½ cup of chopped fresh parsley, remove the bay leaf, and ladle the soup into bowls to serve hot.
Notes
- This soup has a spicy kick from the red pepper flakes and is naturally gluten-free due to the lack of noodles or grains.
- For extra richness, you can add a squeeze of lemon juice or a splash of white wine before serving.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
- Use homemade chicken stock for more depth of flavor if available.
- To make the soup vegetarian, substitute the chicken with firm tofu and use vegetable stock instead.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 298 kcal
- Sugar: 6.2 g
- Sodium: 349 mg
- Fat: 7.7 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4.8 g
- Trans Fat: 0.01 g
- Carbohydrates: 25.5 g
- Fiber: 4.5 g
- Protein: 34.3 g
- Cholesterol: 73 mg
