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Chicken Vegetable Soup

A gentle, nourishing soup with tender chicken, familiar vegetables and a clear golden broth.

Published by Gabor U. · Updated August 24, 2026

45 minutesTotal time
15 minPreparation
30 minCooking
4Servings
Chicken Vegetable Soup
What you need

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 carrots, sliced
  • 2 celery stalks, sliced
  • 250 g chicken breast
  • 1 litre chicken stock
  • 200 g potatoes, diced
  • 100 g frozen peas
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Salt and black pepper
Step by step

Method

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery with a small pinch of salt.
  2. Cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and the vegetables have begun to soften without browning.
  3. Add the chicken breast, potatoes, bay leaf and stock. Bring just to a boil, then immediately lower the heat to a gentle simmer.
  4. Partly cover and simmer for 15–18 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the thickest part of the chicken reaches 74°C.
  5. Lift the chicken onto a board and rest it for 3 minutes. Discard the bay leaf and keep the soup barely simmering.
  6. Shred or dice the chicken, return it to the pan with the frozen peas and cook for another 3–4 minutes.
  7. Taste the broth, season with salt and black pepper, and let the soup stand off the heat for 5 minutes before serving.

Building a clear, comforting broth

A clear, comforting chicken soup is one of the most useful recipes to have in regular rotation. This version uses familiar vegetables and cooks the chicken gently in the broth, which keeps it tender and gives the soup a clean, rounded flavor.

Preparing vegetables for even cooking

Cut the carrots, celery and potatoes into pieces of similar thickness so they become tender together. Chicken breast is lean and quick, but boneless thigh can be used for a richer soup. Keep the liquid at a quiet simmer rather than a hard boil.

Stock, chicken and potato choices

Choose a stock you enjoy drinking on its own and use a lower-salt version if possible, since it is easier to adjust at the end. Waxy potatoes keep neater edges than floury potatoes. Boneless thigh is a forgiving alternative to breast and brings a slightly richer flavor to the broth.

Ways to make the soup your own

Replace the potatoes with small pasta shapes or cooked rice, adding them at the appropriate time. A handful of spinach can go in with the peas. For a brighter finish, add lemon juice and chopped parsley at the table.

Keeping the chicken tender and the broth clean

A hard boil tightens chicken breast and makes the broth cloudy. Reduce the heat as soon as the liquid reaches a boil, then maintain only a gentle simmer. Remove the chicken when it reaches the stated temperature; shred it while the vegetables finish rather than leaving it in the pot to overcook.

Turning the soup into a full meal

Serve with buttered bread, a cheese toastie or simple crackers. For a fuller meal, spoon the soup over a little cooked rice in each bowl rather than cooking the rice in the entire pot.

Chilling, freezing and reheating

Refrigerate for up to 3 days and reheat gently until piping hot. Freeze without pasta or rice for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and add a splash of stock if the soup has thickened.

Can I use already-cooked chicken?

Yes. Simmer the vegetables in the stock first, then add about 300 g shredded cooked chicken with the peas for the final three to four minutes.