You know that feeling when you’re craving something warm and filling but don’t want to feel guilty afterward? This Chicken Vegetable Soup Recipe hits that sweet spot perfectly. I’ve been making this soup for years, and it never gets old. What I love most is how flexible it is. Got some random veggies hanging out in your fridge? Toss them in. Want to use rotisserie chicken instead of cooking from scratch? Go for it. This Healthy Low Calorie Soup comes together in about an hour, but the flavor tastes like you’ve been simmering it all day. The secret is in those golden bits you scrape up from searing the chicken – they add so much depth to the broth. I usually make a big batch of these Homemade Soup Recipes on Sunday and portion it out for the week. It freezes beautifully too. My kids actually ask for seconds, which says a lot since we’re talking about a soup packed with vegetables. The combination of tender chicken, hearty potatoes, and fresh green beans makes this one of my go-to Low Calorie Chicken Recipes when I’m trying to eat lighter without sacrificing taste. Plus, with all these colorful Vegetable Soup Recipes Healthy ingredients, you’re getting tons of nutrients in every bowl. It’s basically a hug in a bowl – a Low Fat Chicken Soup that doesn’t taste like you’re missing out on anything.
Table of Contents
- 1) Key Takeaways
- 2) Easy Chicken Vegetable Soup Recipe
- 3) Ingredients for Chicken Vegetable Soup
- 4) How to Make Chicken Vegetable Soup
- 5) Tips for Making Chicken Vegetable Soup
- 6) Making Chicken Vegetable Soup Ahead of Time
- 7) Storing Leftover Chicken Vegetable Soup
- 8) Try these Soup recipes next!
- 9) Chicken Vegetable Soup
- 10) Nutrition
1) Key Takeaways
- What vegetables work best in chicken vegetable soup?
- Can you make chicken vegetable soup with rotisserie chicken?
- How do you keep vegetables from getting mushy in soup?
- What’s the secret to flavorful chicken soup?
2) Easy Chicken Vegetable Soup Recipe
Let me tell you why this is hands down one of my favorite Low Calorie Soup Recipes. First off, it’s ridiculously simple to make. We’re talking about one pot, basic ingredients you probably already have, and minimal fuss. I’ve made this soup on weeknights when I’m exhausted, and it still turns out amazing every single time.
The thing that sets these Low Calorie Soup Recipes apart from others is the flavor. I know what you’re thinking – low calorie usually means bland and boring, right? Not here. The combination of fire roasted tomatoes, aromatic herbs, and that gorgeous golden fond from searing the chicken creates this incredibly rich broth that tastes like you’ve been cooking all day. My family can’t believe it’s actually good for them.
What I love most is how forgiving this recipe is. Got some wilted veggies in your crisper drawer? Toss them in. Want to skip the potatoes and add rice instead? Go ahead. This soup adapts to whatever you need. I’ve made it with everything from sweet potatoes to butternut squash, and it’s been delicious every time.
The texture is perfect too. You get tender chunks of chicken, hearty vegetables that still have some bite to them, and those sweet little pops of corn throughout. It’s filling without being heavy. I can eat a big bowl for lunch and still feel energized for the afternoon, not weighed down and sluggish like some soups make you feel.
Here’s something I wish someone had told me years ago when I first started making soup – don’t skip the step where you scrape up those brown bits from the bottom of the pot. That’s pure gold right there. Those caramelized bits add so much depth and complexity to the broth that you simply can’t get any other way. It’s the difference between good soup and great soup.
3) Ingredients for Chicken Vegetable Soup
Olive Oil – We use this for searing the chicken and sautéing the vegetables. Don’t skimp on this step because that golden crust on the chicken and those caramelized onions are where so much of the flavor comes from. I always use extra virgin olive oil for better taste.
Chicken Thighs – I’m team chicken thighs all the way for this Chicken Vegetable Soup Recipe. They stay moist and tender even if you accidentally cook them a bit longer than planned. The dark meat has more flavor than breasts and it shreds beautifully. That said, if you’re in a rush, rotisserie chicken works like a charm. Just add it at the end.
Onion – Yellow onions are my go to here. They get sweet and mellow when you sauté them, forming the flavor base for the entire soup. I dice mine pretty small so they kind of melt into the broth and add body to the soup without being too chunky.
Carrots – These add natural sweetness and that classic soup vibe we all love. I cut mine into rounds about a quarter inch thick. Any thicker and they take forever to cook. Any thinner and they turn to mush. You want them to hold their shape and still have a little bite when you eat them.
Celery – The holy trinity of soup starts with onions, carrots, and celery. It’s a classic combination for a reason. The celery adds this subtle earthy flavor and a nice crunch. I cut mine a bit thicker than the carrots so everything finishes cooking at roughly the same time.
Garlic – Fresh garlic is non negotiable in this Healthy Low Calorie Soup. I usually use 5 or 6 cloves because we love garlic, but you can dial it back to 4 if you’re not as much of a garlic fiend as I am. Minced garlic from a jar works in a pinch, but fresh is always better.
Red Pepper Flakes – Just a tiny pinch adds warmth without making the soup spicy. You won’t taste heat, I promise. It just wakes up all the other flavors and makes everything taste more like itself. My kids don’t even notice it’s there.
Yukon Gold Potatoes – These are perfect for soup because they hold their shape and have this buttery, creamy texture. Russet potatoes turn mealy and fall apart, so stick with Yukon golds. I peel and cube them into half inch pieces so they cook evenly.
Chicken Broth – Use low sodium broth so you can control the salt level yourself. Between the broth and the bouillon, you’ll have plenty of sodium. I’ve made the mistake of using regular broth before and the soup ended up way too salty. Learn from my errors.
Fire Roasted Tomatoes – These are a game changer in these Homemade Soup Recipes. Regular diced tomatoes are fine, but the fire roasted ones have this smoky depth that makes the soup taste so much more complex. They’re usually right next to the regular tomatoes at the store, and they’re totally worth the extra thirty cents.
Chicken Bouillon – This is my secret weapon for flavor. It’s like salt but with chicken essence. I use the powdered kind, but cubes work too. Just crush them up before adding. This really amps up the chicken flavor in the broth without making it taste artificial.
Dried Herbs – Parsley, oregano, basil, and thyme create this beautiful herb blend that smells amazing while the soup simmers. Dried herbs work better than fresh here because they have time to rehydrate and infuse the broth. Fresh herbs can get bitter with long cooking.
Mustard Powder and Paprika – These add subtle background notes that you can’t quite put your finger on, but you’d definitely miss them if they weren’t there. The mustard adds a tiny bit of tang and the paprika brings warmth and color to the broth.
Bay Leaf – Don’t skip this. A single bay leaf adds this woody, almost floral note that ties everything together. Just remember to fish it out before serving. I learned that lesson the hard way when a guest got it in their bowl.
Green Beans – Fresh green beans are the way to go here. Canned beans are mushy and taste tinny. Frozen can work if you must, but fresh beans stay crisp tender and add this bright pop of color and texture that makes the soup feel special, not like something from a can.
Corn – Sweet corn kernels are my favorite surprise in every spoonful. Fresh corn cut from the cob is amazing when it’s in season, but frozen corn works great year round. Even canned will do if that’s what you have. Just drain it well first.
Parmesan Cheese – Stirring in freshly grated Parmesan at the end adds this nutty, salty richness that makes these Low Calorie Chicken Recipes taste way more indulgent than they actually are. The pre grated stuff from the green can doesn’t melt as well, so splurge on the good stuff if you can.
4) How to Make Chicken Vegetable Soup
Step 1 – Sear the Chicken Get your Dutch oven nice and hot with some olive oil. Pat those chicken thighs dry with paper towels – this is key for getting a good sear. Season them generously with salt and pepper. When the oil is shimmering, lay the chicken in the pot and don’t touch it for about two minutes. You want that golden brown crust. Flip and sear the other side. The chicken won’t be cooked through yet, and that’s fine. Just get some color on it and remove it to a plate. Keep those delicious drippings in the pot.
Step 2 – Sauté the Aromatics Add another splash of oil to your pot with all those tasty drippings. Toss in your diced onions, sliced carrots, and celery. Sauté them for about five to seven minutes, stirring occasionally. You want the onions to soften and start turning translucent. Use your spoon to scrape up all those brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pot – that’s where all the flavor lives. When the veggies are looking good, add your minced garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for just one more minute until you can smell that amazing garlic aroma.
Step 3 – Build the Soup Base Time to bring everything together. Add your seared chicken back to the pot along with the cubed potatoes, fire roasted tomatoes with all their juices, chicken broth, chicken bouillon, and all those dried herbs and spices. Don’t forget the bay leaf. Give everything a good stir to combine. Partially cover the pot, leaving about an inch of space for steam to escape. Crank the heat to high and bring the whole thing to a simmer.
Step 4 – Simmer Until Tender Once you see bubbles breaking the surface, reduce the heat to medium low. You want a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil. Let the chicken cook in the broth until it’s tender enough to shred easily with a fork. This usually takes between five and ten minutes after it starts simmering, but it depends on how thick your chicken pieces are. Check them individually because they might not all cook at the same rate. When they’re done, transfer them to a cutting board to cool slightly.
Step 5 – Add the Quick Cooking Vegetables Now that the chicken is out, toss your green beans and corn into the pot. These vegetables cook faster than the potatoes and carrots, so they go in later. Keep the soup simmering gently over medium low heat, still partially covered. Let everything cook for another ten to fifteen minutes. You’re waiting for those potatoes to become fork tender. Give the soup an occasional stir to keep things from sticking to the bottom.
Step 6 – Shred and Finish By now your chicken should be cool enough to handle. Use two forks to shred it into bite sized pieces. Don’t make them too small or they’ll disappear into the soup. Reduce your heat to low and stir the Parmesan cheese into the soup until it melts completely into the broth. This adds such a lovely richness. Add your shredded chicken back to the pot and stir to distribute it evenly.
Step 7 – Taste and Adjust This is the most important step and the one people skip most often. Taste your soup with a clean spoon. Does it need more salt? More pepper? Sometimes I add an extra squeeze of lemon juice at this point if it needs brightening up. If the soup seems too thick or chunky, stir in a bit more broth. Remember to fish out that bay leaf before serving. Ladle into bowls and garnish with some fresh parsley if you’re feeling fancy.
5) Tips for Making Chicken Vegetable Soup
Pat your chicken dry before searing. I can’t stress this enough. Wet chicken steams instead of sears, and you miss out on all that delicious caramelization and flavor. Just grab a paper towel and give each piece a quick pat down. Takes five seconds and makes a huge difference in the final taste of your Vegetable Soup Recipes Healthy options.
Don’t overcrowd your pot when searing the chicken. If you pile all the pieces in at once, the temperature drops and again, you get steaming instead of searing. Work in batches if you need to. That golden brown crust is worth the extra minute or two. Those crispy bits are what make the broth taste so rich and complex instead of bland and one dimensional.
Cut your vegetables into uniform sizes. I know it seems fussy, but it really does matter. When everything is roughly the same size, it all cooks at the same rate. You won’t end up with mushy carrots and crunchy potatoes in the same pot. I aim for about half inch cubes for the potatoes and quarter inch rounds for the carrots. The celery I cut a bit thicker because it softens faster than the root vegetables.
Taste as you go and adjust the seasonings. Every brand of broth and bouillon has different sodium levels. Your tomatoes might be more or less acidic. Your garlic could be stronger or milder. The only way to know if your soup needs more seasoning is to actually taste it throughout the cooking process. I usually taste right after adding the broth, again when I add the chicken back in, and one final time before serving.
Use fresh green beans if at all possible. I’ve tried this soup with canned green beans and it’s just not the same. Canned beans are mushy and have this weird tinny flavor that brings down the whole soup. Fresh beans stay crisp tender and add this beautiful bright green color that makes the soup look as good as it tastes. Frozen beans are your second best option if fresh aren’t available.
Don’t skip the Parmesan at the end. I know it seems like an optional garnish, but it really transforms these Low Fat Chicken Soup recipes. The cheese melts into the broth and adds this nutty, savory depth that takes the soup from good to absolutely crave worthy. Plus it gives the broth this slightly creamy texture without adding cream or heavy dairy. It’s magic, I swear.
6) Making Chicken Vegetable Soup Ahead of Time
This soup is perfect for meal prep, which is one reason I make it so often. The flavors actually get better after sitting in the fridge overnight. All those herbs and spices have time to really meld together and infuse the broth. I usually make a big batch on Sunday and portion it out for lunches during the week. It reheats beautifully and saves me from ordering takeout when I’m busy.
If you know you’re making this ahead, you can prep the ingredients separately and store them in the fridge. Chop all your vegetables and store them in containers or bags. Season and sear the chicken if you want, then refrigerate it. You can even go ahead and sauté the aromatics and refrigerate everything together in the pot with the broth and seasonings. Then when you’re ready to eat, just bring it to a simmer and finish cooking.
The potatoes need special treatment if you’re prepping ahead. Once you peel and chop them, they’ll turn brown if exposed to air. Cover them completely with cold water in a container and store them in the fridge. They’ll stay nice and white until you’re ready to add them to the soup. Just drain them well before tossing them in the pot.
One thing to keep in mind with meal prep – the potatoes will absorb some of the broth as the soup sits. That’s totally normal. When you go to reheat your soup, you might need to add a splash of extra broth or even just water to thin it out a bit. I usually keep a carton of broth in the fridge for this exact reason. Just add it gradually while reheating until you get the consistency you want.
If you’re planning to freeze portions, let the soup cool completely first. Then ladle it into freezer safe containers, leaving about an inch of space at the top for expansion. I like to use containers that hold two or three servings so I can defrost just what I need. Label them with the date and contents. The soup will keep in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge and reheat gently on the stove.
7) Storing Leftover Chicken Vegetable Soup
Let your soup cool down to room temperature before you refrigerate it. I usually leave it sitting on the stove with the lid off for about thirty minutes. Putting hot soup straight into the fridge raises the temperature inside and can mess with your other food. Plus, it creates a lot of condensation on the lid that drips back into the soup and makes it watery.
Once it’s cooled, transfer the soup to an airtight container. Glass containers are my favorite because they don’t absorb odors or stains like plastic can. You can store it right in the Dutch oven if you want, but I find it takes up a lot of fridge space. The soup will keep for four to five days in the refrigerator. I’ve pushed it to six days before and it was fine, but I don’t recommend going much longer than that.
When you’re ready to reheat, you have options. The stovetop is best because you have more control over the heat. Pour the soup into a pot and warm it over medium low heat, stirring occasionally. It usually takes about ten minutes to heat through completely. Add a splash of broth if it seems too thick. The microwave works too, but heat it in shorter intervals and stir between each one so it heats evenly.
The vegetables might soften a bit more with each reheating, but they should still taste good. The green beans are usually the first to lose their texture, which is why some people like to add fresh green beans each time they reheat. That’s totally up to you. I think the soup is delicious either way, and I’m usually too lazy to cook fresh beans every time.
If you notice the soup has thickened up a lot in the fridge, that’s completely normal. The potatoes release starch as they sit, and the soup becomes more like a stew. Just add some extra chicken broth when reheating and stir until you get the consistency you like. I usually add about half a cup at a time until it looks right. Taste and adjust the seasonings again if needed after adding more liquid.
8) Try these Soup recipes next!
9) Chicken Vegetable Soup
Low Calorie Soup Recipes: Healthy Chicken Vegetable Soup
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, patted dry (or 3 cups rotisserie chicken)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 cup peeled and sliced carrots (1/4 inch thick)
- 1 cup sliced celery (3/8 inch thick)
- 4 to 6 garlic cloves, minced
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- 1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 7 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 (14 oz) can fire roasted diced tomatoes with juices
- 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
Add Later
- 5 oz (1 heaping cup) green beans, trimmed and chopped into 1 inch pieces
- 1 cup fresh, frozen or canned sweet corn (drained if using canned)
- 1/4 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)
- Fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil over medium high heat in a large Dutch oven or soup pot. Season chicken thighs with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, then sear until golden on both sides (about 2 minutes per side). Remove chicken to a plate but keep the drippings in the pot.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pot with the drippings. Toss in the diced onions, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until the onions become tender, making sure to scrape up those golden bits stuck to the bottom of the pan (that’s where all the flavor is). Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking for another minute.
- Return the seared chicken to the pot along with the cubed potatoes, fire roasted tomatoes, chicken broth, chicken bouillon, dried parsley, dried oregano, dried basil, dried thyme, mustard powder, paprika, black pepper, and bay leaf. Partially cover the pot (leave about a one inch opening) and bring everything to a simmer over high heat. Once it’s simmering, reduce the heat to medium low.
- Let the soup gently simmer until the chicken is tender enough to shred (about 5 to 10 minutes after it starts simmering). Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t boil too hard. When the chicken is done, remove it to a cutting board to cool.
- While the chicken cools, add the green beans and corn to the soup. Continue simmering for another 10 to 15 minutes over medium low heat, partially covered, until the potatoes are fork tender. Give it an occasional stir.
- Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred it using two forks. Don’t add it back to the soup just yet.
- Reduce the heat to low and stir in the Parmesan cheese until it melts into the broth. Now add the shredded chicken back to the pot. If you want a brothier soup, feel free to add more chicken broth at this point.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed (I usually add more salt). Remove the bay leaf before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley if you like.
10) Nutrition
Serving Size: 1/8 of the soup, Calories: 245, Sugar: 5.2 g, Sodium: 685 mg, Fat: 8.5 g, Saturated Fat: 2.1 g, Carbohydrates: 22.4 g, Fiber: 3.8 g, Protein: 19.5 g, Cholesterol: 62 mg
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