Go Back
A close-up of a comforting bowl of homemade chicken and vegetable soup, perfect for any chicken soup recipe.
wiame recipes

Easy & Nourishing Homemade Chicken Soup

This comforting homemade chicken soup is warm, hearty, and packed with nourishing ingredients. Made with chicken, root vegetables, and fresh herbs, it’s the perfect bowl of comfort for chilly days or when you need a healing boost.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: American
Calories: 319
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Soup Base
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 carrots peeled and sliced
  • 3 parsnips peeled and sliced
  • 3 ribs celery sliced
  • 0.5 onion diced
  • 1 leek halved, sliced, and rinsed
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper freshly ground
Chicken & Herbs
  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 sprigs fresh tarragon
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 0.25 cup fresh parsley roughly chopped for garnish

Equipment

  • large pot or Dutch oven
  • Cutting board
  • Sharp Knife
  • Tongs
  • measuring cups and spoons
  • Instant-read thermometer

Method
 

  1. Peel and slice the carrots, parsnips, and celery. Dice the onion and slice the leek, then rinse thoroughly. Mince the garlic.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add carrots, parsnips, celery, leek, and onion. Cook for 4–5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
  3. Add garlic, salt, and pepper. Stir for another minute until fragrant.
  4. Add chicken breasts, thyme, tarragon, and bay leaf. Pour in chicken broth and bring to a gentle boil.
  5. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F internally.
  6. Remove chicken from pot and shred into bite-sized pieces using two forks. Discard herb sprigs and bay leaf.
  7. Return shredded chicken to the pot and simmer for another 1–2 minutes to warm through.
  8. Stir in chopped parsley just before serving. Garnish with more parsley and pepper if desired.

Notes

For a richer flavor, use chicken thighs instead of breasts. Swap parsnips with turnips or potatoes if desired. Add cooked noodles, rice, or extra vegetables like peas or spinach for variation.