The cold temperatures from February and resulting sniffles have our household craving soup. I do love making soup – the simmering scents permeate the house like a warm hug, exactly what we need to fight back against the February blahs. This past family day weekend we cocooned in, played games, read books and made soup. 🙂 3 kinds to be specific! Potato-Bacon (the girls’ favourite) , Lemon Chicken (Dave’s favourite) and good old chicken vegetable is simmering on the stove today for me. I make huge batches and freeze them making them an easy option for busy weeknight dinners.
I thought I would share the recipe I have tweaked it a bit over the years. It is incredibly forgiving, hearty, healthy and easy. My kind of recipe. 🙂
Chicken Vegetable Soup
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 – 1 /2 onions (chopped fine)
- 3 cups zucchini and yellow squash sliced or 3 cups frozen mixed vegetables
(I put in both the zucchini and the mixed vegetables ….. about 1 zucchini chopped and 2 cups frozen vegetables. Any leftover vegetables will do) - 3 cups diced cooked chicken
- 2 cans (14 1/2 oz) diced tomatoes (I use the Italian ones that already have the spices in them 🙂
- 3 cans (14 1/2 oz) seasoned chicken broth (1-900 ml tetra pack plus another 1 3/4 cups broth) ( …. make your own broth or use vegie broth it tastes fantastic)
- 6 cups fresh baby spinach or 3 cups frozen chopped – thawed and squeezed dry
- salt and pepper to taste
- ……I add red pepper flakes for a little bit of a bite ….. sorry not sure how much, it is a taste thing. Approximately 2 teaspoons for a small batch….up to tablespoons.
In a large saucepan cook in oil the garlic and onions until onions are transparent and beginning to look golden. Raise heat to medium high add veggies except spinach and cook until tender. Add chicken, tomatoes, and broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add spinach and cook until just wilted.
This is a fantastic basic chunky chicken vegetable soup. It is easy to adapt for large quantities and freezes well. You are welcome to spice it up and tailor it as you please. The recipe changes each time I make it depending on what people are craving. Dave hates onions so they are often left out or chopped to a pulp in the food processor so that he doesn’t know they are in there. 😉
Enjoy!!
hearty chicken vegetable soup
chicken vegetable soup
healthy and easy chicken vegetable soup