Description
Country garden chicken soup blends fresh vegetables with tender chicken in a hearty, nourishing broth. Home cooks savor robust flavors and comfort that connect families around warm bowls of wholesome goodness.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 5 cups (1.2 liters) low-sodium chicken broth
- 4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
- 3 parsnips, peeled and sliced
- 3 celery ribs, sliced
- ½ medium onion, diced
- 1 leek, halved lengthwise, sliced, and rinsed
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsps (30 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 sprigs fresh tarragon
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ cup (60 ml) roughly chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Sauté Aromatics: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Combine and gently cook carrots, parsnips, celery, leek, and onion until softened and fragrant, approximately 4-5 minutes.
- Layer Flavors: Stir in minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Allow the ingredients to meld and release their aromatic essence for an additional minute.
- Poach Chicken: Add thyme, tarragon, bay leaf, whole chicken breasts, and chicken broth to the vegetable base. Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 15 minutes until chicken is thoroughly cooked.
- Prepare Protein: Remove chicken from the pot and carefully shred using two forks. Return shredded meat to the simmering liquid, allowing flavors to integrate for 1-2 minutes.
- Finish and Serve: Discard herb sprigs and bay leaf. Incorporate chopped parsley throughout the soup. Ladle into serving bowls, garnishing with additional parsley and a sprinkle of freshly cracked black pepper for a vibrant finish.
Notes
- Vegetable Softening Technique: Cook vegetables slowly to release natural sugars and develop a rich, deep flavor foundation for the soup.
- Herb Infusion Tip: Use whole herb sprigs to impart subtle, complex aromatics without overwhelming the delicate chicken flavor.
- Poaching Precision: Maintain a gentle simmer to ensure chicken remains tender and juicy, preventing tough or dry meat texture.
- Flavor Layering Strategy: Add fresh parsley at the end to brighten the soup’s overall taste and provide a fresh, vibrant finish.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 200
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg