Chicken Vegetable Soup (Easy Recipe!)

I've made a lot of chicken soup over the years, but this chicken vegetable soup recipe is my favorite. It tastes like classic chicken noodle soup, only it's made without the pasta, so you'll get extra protein and veggies in each bite. I originally developed this recipe years ago in my tiny Los Angeles kitchen, which was too small to even keep a box of broth on hand. As a result, I learned that you don't need to rely on store-bought broth to create a flavorful soup base. So here's what you'll need to make this chicken veggie soup. One yellow onion, three large carrots, three celery ribs, two garlic cloves, dried thyme, one and a half cups of frozen green beans, or any other type of chopped veggie you like, about one pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, fine sea salt, and ground black pepper. To get started, you'll need to chop the veggies. Start with the yellow onion, followed by the carrots and the celery stalks. Once those are ready to go, start preheating a large pot over high heat on the stove. I like to let the pot warm up for at least two minutes before adding a drizzle of olive oil. This will help make sure the veggies don't stick to the surface. Then add in the chopped onion, carrots, and celery. Give those a stir and let them cook for about five minutes, just until they start to soften. While you wait on that, finely mince two cloves of garlic. When the veggies in the pot look tender, add in the minced garlic and a teaspoon of dried thyme. Stir for one minute, or until the garlic and thyme smell fragrant. Then add in five cups of water. Like I said earlier, you don't need to use store-bought broth to make flavorful soup. That's because the veggies, chicken, and spices are going to simmer in this water for a while, and that's going to create a flavorful broth all on its own. Next, add the frozen green beans, the boneless chicken breasts, two teaspoons of fine sea salt, and half a teaspoon of ground black pepper. Turn the heat to high and wait for the water to come to a boil. Then lower the heat and cover the pot with a lid. Let this soup simmer for 15 minutes. When your timer goes off, remove the largest chicken breast you can find with tongs and test the internal temperature with a meat thermometer. Once it reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit, you can remove the chicken from the soup and let it rest on the cutting board for five to 10 minutes. I prefer cooking chicken breasts whole like this because it keeps them juicy, and I don't have to worry about cleaning raw meat off my cutting board later. Depending on the texture you prefer, you can use two forks to shred the chicken after it's had a chance to rest, or you can use a sharp knife to cut it into chunks. Return the cooked chicken to the soup, and now it's time to carefully taste it and adjust the flavor. If the soup tastes too salty, or if you like extra broth in your soup, you can add one more cup of water. I also like to add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to brighten up the flavor. If you think the soup tastes bland, it probably needs a little more salt and pepper. Once you're happy with the taste, the soup is ready to serve. Garnish it with fresh parsley if you like, and serve it with crusty bread or a side salad. It tastes comforting, and the leftovers make an easy lunch that you can reheat for your week ahead. It should keep well in the fridge for up to four days. And if you enjoyed this recipe, be sure to check out my others for more.