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This Squeaky Clean Chicken & Veggie Soup is the perfect comfort food that is also healthy for you! It is loaded with vegetables, packs a flavorful punch, and will feed a crowd.
It just so happens that I woke up this morning sounding like Kermit the Frog, so this soup is EXACTLY what I want right now! It’s flavorful, healthy, and so comforting. I’m still in that denial phase of a cold …telling myself that “it’s just allergies.” Hopefully these “allergies” pass soon! I have a video shoot scheduled for later today with my dear friend Graysen (the lovely videographer who filmed our wedding!). I’m finally making good on my promise to bring you hair, makeup, and skincare routine videos! I hope you enjoy them and I also hope that you don’t mind my Kermit-ness.
Okay, back to this soup…
If I’m ever feeling a little under the weather or like I want a healthy meal reset after a particularly indulgent weekend, THIS soup is one of my go-to’s. In fact, I like to always have a huge bowl of it (or several individual-portioned servings) in my freezer for just those instances. The soup was originally inspired by one of the highest-rated recipes in my book, the Lemony Kale & Sausage Soup (p. 163). This soup has the same broth + fresh lemon juice foundation, but we’re relying on freshly shredded chicken for protein and a whole slew of other vegetables for bonus nutrition.
Make this soup your own and use what you have on hand! If you have parsnips, use parsnips? Want some starch in there? Add potatoes or even a scoop of white rice! If you’ve got some greens you’re looking to clean out of your fridge, feel free to swap those in instead of the kale. Just remember that the BEST time to add greens is towards the very end of the cooking process. This way, they’ll maintain their bright green color.
Note that this recipe is particularly lemony (vitamin C boost!). If you don’t like that much lemon, feel free to reduce or omit altogether.
For a step-by-step overview, watch the video below!
Video
I hope you love this soup and that it brings some healing love to your dinner table!
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter sub coconut oil or EVOO for Whole 30
- 1 small to medium-sized onion diced
- 4-5 stalks celery sliced
- 5 carrots sliced into coins
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 red bell peppers deseeded and diced
- 5-6 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast
- 8 cups chicken broth 2 quarts
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon pepper to taste
- 1/2-1 teaspoon salt to taste
- 1 head curly kale roughly chopped
- 2 lemons juiced
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Once butter is melted, add the chicken. Cook for 3-5 minutes per side until browned. Remove from pan and set aside.
- Add the onions, celery, carrots, garlic, and bell pepper to the pan. Saute for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the vegetables start to brown a bit around the edges.
- Add the chicken, broth, salt, and pepper to the pot. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 30-40 minutes.
- Pull the chicken from the pot and shred with two forks or with the paddle attachment of a stand mixer. Add the chicken back to the pot then stir in the kale. Cook for 2-3 minutes until kale is fully wilted.
- Add the lemon juice and then taste soup for seasoning, adding additional salt and pepper if needed. Spoon into individual bowls and serve!
Robyn says
This soup was absolutely delicious!! I was amazed at the flavor with the simple ingredients. My boyfriend who usually doesn’t like “healthy” stuff could not believe how good it was! And it is just perfect by itself…I didn’t even need to eat it with crackers. It was satisfying and oh so yummy! Thank you, Cassy!!
Cassy says
I’m so glad you liked it, Robyn!!
Leanna says
Wow, this soup was SO yummy & packed with flavor, especially the added citrus. I left out the onion due to a sensitivity, added a little more carrots+celery, and threw in 2 yukon gold potatoes, cubed. Both my boyfriend & I went back for seconds, and amazed that it was just as good reheated. Thank you for sharing Cassy, this has been added to our favorite recipes!
Cassy says
I’m so glad you liked it, Leanna!
Amanda says
This soup is absolutely delicious and on regular rotation in our house. I’ll usually make some a freeze some for days where I need a quick lunch or dinner. So good!
Anna says
This soup is delicious. I’ve made it several times and it never disappoints! I usually use a rotisserie chicken instead of chicken breasts, but the soup always ends up amazing either way! 🙂
Amber Goulden says
So glad to hear that Anna, it’s one of our favorites!
T R says
What is the nutrition breakdown?
Lindsey says
Is it really 5-6 pounds of chicken or 5-6 chicken breasts?
Amber Goulden says
5-6 pounds, this makes a lot of soup so feel free to halve it!
Lauren says
Made this in the instant pot today and it is so good and easy! Why have I never added lemon to soup before?! Thank you for all of your amazing recipes!
Deb says
This recipe looks delicious. Before I make it, I am wondering how to cut the amount of sodium listed in the nutrition per serving. The chicken broth is the main ingredient that I see contributing to sodium. Any suggestions about cutting the sodium and preserving the flavor?
Brandi Schilhab says
You can use low sodium broth and cut the amount of added salt, Deb. That would definitely make it a tad less flavorful, though!
Amy McCoy says
Thoughts on throwing In some chickpea elbow pasta? Recommendations on what part of the process to put it in?
Melissa Guevara says
Hi Amy! I think some chickpea elbow pasta would be super tasty in the soup! I would make sure the pot is at a simmer and add the noodles in when you put the shredded chicken back in the pot, then simmer according to the directions on the box, adding the kale towards the end. ~Melissa