Spring Garden Chicken Soup (Printable)

Light brothy soup with fresh vegetables, tender chicken, and herbs. Ready in 45 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Protein

01 - 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (approximately 14 ounces)

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
03 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
04 - 1 cup fresh or frozen peas
05 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
06 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
07 - 2 garlic cloves, minced

→ Broth & Aromatics

08 - 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
09 - 1 bay leaf
10 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme or 2 teaspoons fresh
11 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped plus extra for garnish
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Optional

13 - Juice of ½ lemon for brightness

# Directions:

01 - Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and carrots. Sauté for 4-5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
03 - Pour in chicken broth and add bay leaf with dried thyme. Bring mixture to a gentle boil over medium-high heat.
04 - Add whole chicken breasts to boiling broth. Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer for 15-18 minutes until chicken is completely cooked through and reaches internal temperature of 165°F.
05 - Remove cooked chicken from pot using tongs and transfer to a clean plate. Let cool slightly, then shred using two forks or meat claws.
06 - Add zucchini and peas to simmering broth. Cook for 5-7 minutes until vegetables are tender but not mushy.
07 - Return shredded chicken to pot. Stir in fresh parsley and lemon juice if using. Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
08 - Remove and discard bay leaf. Ladle hot soup into individual serving bowls. Garnish with additional fresh parsley and serve immediately.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • It transforms whatever tired vegetables are lingering in your crisper drawer into something that tastes intentionally crafted
  • The broth stays light and clean but somehow manages to feel deeply satisfying after just one bowl
02 -
  • I once forgot to take out the bay leaf before serving and let me tell you, biting into one of those things mid meal is not the experience you want
  • The soup thickens up overnight in the fridge, so add a splash more broth when you're reheating leftovers
03 -
  • Use a microplane to zest some lemon into the soup along with the juice for even more bright flavor
  • If you have fresh thyme stems, toss them in whole and fish them out with the bay leaf
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