This chicken and vegetable soup is the ultimate comfort food for any season. Imagine a hearty, flavorful soup simmering away, filling your kitchen with the warm, inviting aroma of thyme and slow-cooked chicken.
If you’re looking for a meal that is both wholesome and effortless, this one-pot recipe has you covered. Whether it’s a busy weeknight or a lazy weekend, this dish brings everyone to the table.
Why Slow Cooking Makes This Recipe Special
The slow cooker transforms humble ingredients into a deeply flavorful dish. Cooking the chicken, vegetables, and broth together allows all the flavors to meld beautifully.
The extended cooking time makes the chicken tender, so it practically falls apart, while the vegetables become soft and rich with flavor,. This method also saves you time on cleanup—one pot does it all.
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Time-Saving Tips for Busy Cooks
This one pot recipe is as practical as it is delicious. Here are a few tips to make it even easier:
- Prep Ahead: Chop your vegetables and measure your ingredients in advance to save time during cooking.
- Freeze for Later: This soup freezes beautifully, making it ideal for meal prep. Store portions in airtight containers, and you’ll have a ready-made meal for busy days.
- Quick Microwave Tricks: Soften onions and vegetables in the microwave before adding them to the slow cooker, speeding up the cooking process and enhancing their flavor.
By planning ahead, you can enjoy the benefits of a homemade meal without the stress of last-minute preparation.
Variations to Suit Every Diet
One of the best features of this soup is its flexibility. Whether you’re catering to dietary needs or personal tastes, you can make adjustments:
- Low-Carb: Skip the carrots and add zucchini or cauliflower for a keto-friendly version.
- Gluten-Free: Ensure your soy sauce is gluten-free or replace it with tamari.
- Vegan Option: Swap chicken for chickpeas and use vegetable stock for a hearty plant-based meal
This adaptability ensures everyone at the table can enjoy a bowl of this comforting soup.
Tips for Serving & Storing
Once your soup is ready, serve it with a slice of crusty bread or a sprinkle of fresh parsley for added freshness. Leftovers taste even better the next day, as the flavors continue to develop. Here’s how to make the most of them:
- Storing: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days.
- Reheating: Warm on the stove or in the microwave, adding a splash of water or broth to maintain the right consistency.
- Freezing: Divide into individual portions and freeze for up to three months for an easy, homemade meal anytime.
With its rich flavors, easy preparation, and endless variations, this chicken and vegetable soup is destined to become a favorite in your recipe rotation,
Simple Chicken & Vegetable Soup One-Pot Recipe
Equipment
- Slow cooker
- Fine mesh strainer
- Microwave-safe bowl
Ingredients
- 1 onion chopped
- 5 teaspoons vegetable oil divided
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 3 pounds whole chicken legs backs, and/or wings, hacked into 2-inch pieces
- 9 cups water
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons table salt
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 carrots peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (2 cups)
- 3 celery ribs cut into 1/2-inch pieces (1 1/2 cups)
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
Instructions
- Microwave the onion, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, and tomato paste in a microwave-safe bowl, stirring occasionally until the onion is softened (about 5 minutes). Transfer this mixture to the slow cooker.
- Add chicken pieces (legs, backs, wings), water, soy sauce, salt, thyme, and bay leaves into the slow cooker. Cover and cook until the broth develops a rich flavor, 7 to 8 hours on low or 4 to 5 hours on high.
- Use a slotted spoon to discard the chicken pieces. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer into a large container, discarding solids. Let the broth settle for 5 minutes, then skim any fat off the surface. Measure to ensure you have 9 cups; add water if needed.
- Microwave the carrots, celery, and 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil in a bowl, stirring occasionally, until softened (5 to 7 minutes). Return the strained broth to the slow cooker, and add the microwaved vegetables along with the chicken breasts. Cover and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours, or until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature of 165°F) and vegetables are tender.
- Remove chicken breasts from the slow cooker and transfer to a cutting board. Let cool slightly, then shred into bite-sized pieces using two forks. Stir the shredded chicken back into the soup and let sit until heated through (about 2 minutes).
- Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.
Notes
- 7 to 8 hours on low or 4 to 5 hours on high for the broth plus 3 to 4 hours on low to finish the soup.
Nancy has been a plant person from an early age. That interest blossomed into a bachelor’s in biology from Elmira College and a master’s degree in horticulture and communications from the University of Kentucky. Nancy worked in plant taxonomy at the University of Florida and the L. H. Bailey Hortorium at Cornell University, and wrote and edited gardening books at Rodale Press in Emmaus, PA. Her interests are plant identification, gardening, hiking, and reading.