Homemade Healthy Chicken Soup (No Noodles)

This Healthy Chicken Soup is made with tender chicken thighs, fresh herbs, and hearty vegetables simmered in chicken broth. It is a simple recipe that is nourishing and comforting.

Course Main Course

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 20

Total Time 45

Servings

Calories 269kcal

Author Rebecca Taig

Ingredients

Chicken

1 tablespoon olive oil
1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
salt and pepper, to taste

Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil, butter, or ghee
1 medium onion, diced
3 celery ribs, sliced
4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
1 small (2 cups) white sweet potato, diced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, minced
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced
1 tablespoon fresh sage, minced
½ cup (120ml) dry white wine
9 cups (2.16 liters) low-sodium chicken broth
2 bay leaves
1 parmesan rind
½ fresh lemon, juiced

Instructions

Sear the chicken. Pat the chicken dry and season each side with salt, black pepper, and Italian seasoning. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Sear the chicken until a golden crust develops, about 3-4 minutes per side, then transfer to a plate. (The chicken will not be fully cooked but will finish cooking in the soup).
Saute the vegetables and bloom the aromatics. Add another tablespoon of oil or butter to the Dutch. Stir in the chopped onions, celery, and carrots, cooking for 5 minutes until softened. Then, add the minced garlic, fresh thyme, rosemary, sage, 1½ teaspoons of salt, and ½ teaspoon of black pepper. Continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes, allowing the herbs to bloom and become fragrant in the hot oil.
Deglaze the pot and add the broth. Pour in the white wine to deglaze the pot and reduce the wine until syrupy, about 30 seconds. Pour in the chicken broth and bring the pot to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer.
Stir in the remaining ingredients. Add the potatoes, seared chicken thighs, bay leaves, and Parmesan rind to the pot. Cover the pot and cook for 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Use an instant-read thermometer to see if the chicken has reached 165°F.
Shred the chicken and add the lemon juice. With tongs, remove the parmesan rind if desired (we leave it in) and the bay leaves. Then remove the chicken thighs to a cutting board and gently shred the chicken with two forks. Place the shredded chicken back into the pot. Freshly squeeze the juice of half a lemon, and turn off the heat. Garnish each bowl of soup with fresh parsley and grated Parmesan.

Notes

- Dairy-Free - To keep this recipe dairy-free, saute the vegetables in olive oil and leave out the parmesan rind.

- Creamy Chicken Soup - For an extra creamy soup, reduce the chicken broth to 8 cups add 1 cup of half and half or heavy cream at the end.

- Use leftover chicken or turkey - Any leftover cooked chicken, turkey, or rotisserie chicken and be used to save time. Shred the chicken and add it at the end.

- Add Sherry - Instead of white wine, you can use an equal amount of sherry cooking wine to bring extra depth to the chicken soup.

- Add Noodles - This veggie-packed soup will need an additional 2-3 cups of broth for 1-2 cups of noodles. Add the noodles halfway through the cooking time (about the ten-minute mark) and cook until tender. Add more broth if needed.

Nutrition