Hearty Chicken Vegetable Soup

This Hearty Chicken Vegetable Soup is perfect for chilly days! Packed with vegetables and easy to make on the stove or your Instant Pot.

You will also love Pot Roast Chicken Rotisserie Style! Or why not try a Greek classic, Avgolemono Chicken Soup (Greek Lemon Chicken and Rice Soup)?

What a week we have had… The whole family was hit by a nasty cold, starting with my husband and then wiping everyone else in its path. The only thing I could bear to eat, the only thing I actually CRAVED, was this homemade chicken and vegetable soup.

There must be some truth in the ‘chicken soup as a cold cure’ folklore, this nutrient-rich soup felt like the immune boost I needed! And if nothing else, it is a great way to sneak a great many vegetables into your diet 😉

How to Make Chicken Vegetable Soup

• Start by cooking your base vegetables – onions, celery, carrots, potatoes and squash – in a little olive oil. Once these have softened you can start building your soup!
• Add the stock – chicken or vegetable broth are both fine. Then you have several options for the chicken itself. You can add chicken tenders  which poach in the soup, cooking quickly. Or use leftover roast chicken, shredded rotisserie chicken or even a whole chicken (as in this Italian Chicken Soup).
• Stir in a little tomato paste for color and flavor or can leave it out if you like a clear broth.

• After the chicken and vegetables have simmered for about 20 minutes you can add any vegetables that quick quickly such as zucchini, corn or green beans. I also like to add fregola which is is a type of small Sardinian pasta that looks like giant couscous (a.k.a Israeli couscous).
• If you can’t find it you can substitute with risoni or orzo pasta or rice for a gluten-free version. Whatever you choose to use, keep in mind how long it needs to cook and add it to the soup accordingly.

• Remove the cooked chicken from the soup, shred it and stir it back in, together with plenty of fresh herbs. Always check the seasoning at this stage, adding salt and freshly ground pepper as needed.

Serving Suggestions

This soup is exactly what you want on a rainy day, when you’re under the weather, or just craving something wholesome and warming.

• Classic style: Spoon into large bowls with lemon wedges on the side, maybe with a little grated Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top and a slice of crusty bread for dunking!
• Spice it up: If you like a little heat, try a dash of hot sauce, red pepper flakes, or even a swirl of chili oil.
• For fussy eaters: Blend part of the soup (before adding the shredded chicken) to make it smoother, or chop the veg smaller, kid-friendly and extremely nourishing.

How to Add Flavor

The vegetables and chicken will naturally add lots of flavor to your soup. Using a homemade chicken broth or good-quality chicken stock is a no-brainer, but I have had great results using bouillon powder.

For extra flavour you could try using bone-in chicken (or a whole chicken). It adds a bit of work to this otherwise very simple recipe, so I usually go for the easy option, especially if I am battling a cold!

Add plenty of fresh chopped parsley, a little lemon juice and some grated Parmesan when you are ready to serve. For a real flavor boost you could stir in a little pistou or even some pesto.

Storing and Freezing

Store the cooled soup in airtight container for up 4 days in the fridge and up to three months in the freezer. I like making this on a Monday and having it for lunch through the week – I really never tire of it.

If you plan on freezing it I would advise leaving the pasta out and adding it when you are reheating the soup.

Always make sure the soup is piping hot when you are reheating it. Remember you might need to add a little hot water to dilute it as it tends to get thicker the longer you keep it.

Your Questions Answered

• What if I don’t have all the ingredients?Don’t let that stop you! You can use your favorite vegetables in this soup and feel free to substitute what I have used. I would keep the base vegetables – onions, celery and carrots – and freestyle on the rest.
• Do I need to thicken this soup? The potatoes and squash break down while cooking and add a lot of thickness to this soup. The pasta also makes it very hearty and since pasta absorbs water you might find you need to dilute your soup with a little hot water when reheating.
• Any variations? If you leave the chicken out and use vegetable stock then this soup easily becomes vegetarian/vegan. By the way, if you are avoiding pasta you can easily leave it out or replace it with rice, beans or chickpeas.
• Can I make this soup in my Instant Pot? Yes you certainly can! I made this chicken vegetable soup in my Instant Pot today and since I was short of time it was a ‘dump and start’ sort of soup but it tasted just as delicious! You will find detailed instructions in the recipe card, bear in mind that the pasta, corn and courgette are added at the end.
• Is this Slimming World friendly? Here’s the good news – this chicken vegetable soup is free and so filling that it will keep you going without getting hungry. And if you leave out the potatoes and pasta you can even make more diet-friendly.

Have you made my chicken vegetable soup recipe? Post a photo on my Facebook page, share it on Instagram, or save it to Pinterest with the tag #Nusde. I can’t wait to see your take on it!

You might also like my Butterbean Chicken Soup.