Looking for the perfect comforting meal for a chilly day? This creamy chicken soup with vegetables is just the ticket! Served with a bright squeeze of lemon and a touch of fiery chilli pepper, this vitamin-rich and flavorful soup has quickly become a favourite in my kitchen, and I find myself making it time and time again, especially during cool autumn and winter.
Our family recipes for chicken soup with vegetables generally fall into two categories. The first type features a pure and light broth, created by using only the stock strained after cooking the chicken alongside whole vegetables. This elegant soup is often enriched with either soft noodles or delicate semolina dumplings, like my semolina dumplings soup, making it a beloved Sunday dish.
Jump to:
Another approach in our family recipes for chicken soup with vegetables involves using finely chopped vegetables, which remain in the soup with the chicken. Examples of this include Greek lemon chicken soup recipe and our family's best creamy chicken soup recipe. This latter recipe shares similarities with this creamy chicken soup with vegetables, although we omit rice and garlic in this specific preparation.
Let's start with the ingredients, and I'll show you how I make this tasty soup.
Let's Start With the Ingredients
This recipe is for 5-6 servings. Cooking the soup in a larger quantity allows the flavors to meld together beautifully, resulting in a more delicious final dish. You will need:
Meat and Veggies:
- a whole chicken cut up, without breast: The heart of this soup, the chicken provides rich flavour and tender meat. Using a whole chicken (minus the breast, which can dry out) ensures a deep, satisfying broth.
- carrots: These add a touch of sweetness and vibrant colour to the soup, contributing both flavour and visual appeal.
- parsnip: Similar to carrots, parsnip offers a subtle sweetness and earthy undertone, enhancing the overall depth of flavour.
- celery root: Celery root brings a slightly peppery and celery-like flavour, adding complexity to the soup's base.
- celery stalks: Along with the root, celery stalks contribute their characteristic fresh, slightly peppery taste, creating a well-rounded flavour profile.
- onion: The aromatic foundation of the soup, onion provides a savoury base note that complements the other vegetables and chicken.
- red bell pepper: This adds a hint of sweetness and a vibrant red colour, making the soup more visually appealing and adding a subtle fruity note.
- green peas frozen: These contribute a pop of freshness and sweetness, balancing the richness of the soup and adding a pleasant texture.
For thickening:
- egg yolk free range: The egg yolk contributes to the creamy texture of the soup, adding richness and a velvety mouthfeel.
- sour cream: This adds a tangy creaminess, balancing the flavours and creating a luxurious texture.
For seasoning:
- sea salt kosher: Essential for seasoning, salt enhances the flavours of all the ingredients, bringing them into balance.
- ground black pepper freshly ground: Adding a touch of warmth and subtle spice, freshly ground black pepper elevates the overall flavour profile.
- vegetable mix for soups: This provides a concentrated boost of vegetable flavour, adding depth and complexity to the broth.
- lemon juice freshly squeezed: A touch of acidity brightens the soup, balancing the richness and adding a refreshing element.
- parsley chopped: Fresh parsley adds a vibrant green colour and a fresh, herbaceous note, completing the flavour profile.
Preparing the Ingredients For the Soup
Ingredient preparation takes a bit longer as it involves cutting up the whole chicken and then cleaning and chopping the vegetables.
Cut Up the Chicken
I start by cutting up the chicken, as it will be the first to boil. I begin with the wings, followed by the two whole legs, which I will later separate into drumsticks and thighs.
Next, I'll cut out the chicken's back and bone the breast, reserving the bony carcass for the soup.
After that, I debone the two chicken thighs, making sure to also boil the bones I remove, as they impart a unique taste to the soup. I then cut these bones and the chicken back into two pieces.
I will also cut the boneless thighs into smaller pieces, as they are too big to serve whole. This ensures that the meat can be divided more easily among everyone when serving.
Cut Into Cubes the Vegetables
I washed all the vegetables and then peeled the carrots, parsnip, celery root, and onion. The sweet red pepper was halved, and the seeds were removed..
With the exception of the whole onion, I will cut all the remaining vegetables into roughly equal-sized small cubes.
Having prepped all the ingredients, it's time to start cooking.
How to Make the Creamy Chicken Soup With Vegetables?
Fry the Chicken Parts
For a richer chicken taste and an even more delicious creamy chicken soup with vegetables, I suggest starting by frying the chicken pieces in a bit of oil. Heat about two tablespoons of sunflower oil in the soup pot and add the chicken to fry.
Season the chicken pieces with a teaspoon of sea salt and half a teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper. Fry them for about two minutes over medium heat, stirring and turning until they are lightly browned or turn whitish.
Boil the Meat
Pour two litres of hot water over the chicken. Add the whole, cleaned onion, a teaspoon of vegetable soup mix, and two chicken stock cubes.
Once the water reaches a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for about thirty minutes. During the first few minutes of boiling, skim off any foam that forms on the surface with a spoon. This will help the liquid remain clear and transparent.
Add the Vegetables
Add the diced vegetables and frozen green peas. Pour in another liter of water, season with an additional teaspoon of sea salt, and simmer for 30-40 more minutes.
At this stage, the creamy chicken soup with vegetables is looking wonderful. Now, we just need to thicken it slightly and add the finishing touches.
Make a Thickener
For a simple, flour-free thickening, I'll combine the egg yolk and three tablespoons of sour cream in a bowl or cup.
Using a spoon, I'll mix these two ingredients thoroughly until the yolk is fully incorporated into the sour cream, creating a smooth paste.
Thickening the Soup
Gradually whisk in a few tablespoons of the hot soup, one at a time, into the egg yolk and sour cream mixture to temper it. Then, remove the soup pot from the heat and gently stir in the thickened mixture. Taking the pot off the heat prevents the sour cream from curdling.
Finally, stir in the freshly squeezed juice of a lemon and a handful of chopped parsley. I recommend tasting the soup at this point to adjust the salt if needed.
That brings us to the end of this recipe. This is my creamy chicken soup with vegetables, and I have to admit, it's a personal favourite.
Variations
Here are some variations you could explore, playing with vegetable ingredients:
- Root Vegetables: Swap or add other root vegetables like parsley root, sweet potatoes, or turnips for different textures and sweetness levels.
- Cruciferous Vegetables: Broccoli, cauliflower, or Brussels sprouts can be added for extra nutrients and a slightly different flavour profile. Add them towards the end of cooking so they don't become mushy.
- Mushrooms: Sauté sliced mushrooms (cremini, shiitake, or button) with the initial vegetables for an earthy depth of flavour.
- Spinach or Kale: Stir in fresh spinach or chopped kale in the last few minutes of cooking until wilted for added greens and nutrients.
- Corn: Fresh or frozen corn kernels can add a touch of sweetness and texture, especially nice in late summer or early fall.
- Asparagus: Add chopped asparagus spears in the last 5-7 minutes of cooking for a fresh, slightly grassy flavour.
How to Serve This Chicken Soup?
For the best experience, serve this chicken soup hot. Offer a lemon wedge for a touch of extra sourness and hot pepper for those who like a kick. A tablespoon of sour cream swirled on top adds a lovely richness.
How to Store the Soup?
Allow the soup to cool completely to room temperature before refrigerating. This prevents the temperature inside your fridge from rising and harming other foods. You can speed up cooling by placing the pot in an ice bath or dividing the soup into smaller containers.
Once cooled, transfer the soup to clean, airtight containers. This will help prevent contamination and keep the soup fresh. Label the containers with the date you made the soup so you know how long it has been stored.
Properly stored creamy chicken soup with vegetables will generally last for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
Before reheating, always check the soup for any signs of spoilage, such as a sour smell, mold growth, or a slimy texture. If you notice any of these, discard the soup.
We hope you enjoyed this creamy chicken soup with vegetables! If you're looking for more comforting soup ideas, be sure to check out the many other delicious recipes on our blog, such as:
- Best Healthy Cauliflower Soup Recipe
- Hungarian Green Bean Soup Recipe
- Best Green Pea Soup Recipe
- Creamy Kohlrabi Soup Recipe
- Best Mushroom Soup Recipe
- Smoked Sausage Potato Soup
- Romaine Lettuce Soup Recipe
- Pork Meatballs Vegetable Soup
- Romanian Meatball Soup
You can also find images of creamy chicken soup with vegetables on our Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest pages, where you can give us a like and a share and stay up to date with other recipe ideas.
Related
Looking for other soup recipes like this? Try these:
Creamy Chicken Soup With Vegetables
Equipment
- 1 Soup Pot
Ingredients
- 1.4 kg whole chicken cut up, without breast
- 4 pcs carrots
- 1 pc parsnip
- ¼ pcs celery root
- 3 pcs celery stalks
- 1 pc onion medium size
- ½ pcs red bell pepper
- 100 g green peas frozen
- 30 ml sunflower oil
- 2 teaspoon sea salt kosher
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper freshly ground
- 1 teaspoon vegetable mix for soups
- 2 pcs chicken stock cubes
- 1 pc egg yolk free range
- 3 tablespoon sour cream
- 1 pc lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1 bunch parsley chopped
- 3 l water warm
Instructions
- Cut up the chicken, will use the thighs, drumsticks, wings, chicken's back and breast bone. Bone the pulp and cut the boned pulp into pieces.
- Wash and peel the vegetables, then cut in small cubes, but the onion leave it whole.
- Heat the sunflower oil in the soup pot, in which I put the chicken parts to fry. Season the meat with sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and fry them for about two minutes on medium heat.
- Pour hot water over the meat, add the whole onion, season with the vegetable mix for soups and chicken stock cubes, simmer for thirty minutes. Remove the foam formed above the soup with a spoon.
- Add the diced vegetables and frozen green peas, add a litre of water, season with sea salt and simmer for another forty minutes.
- Put the egg yolk and the sour cream in a bowl or cup and mix them well until you obtain a homogeneous paste.
- Add a few tablespoons of soup to the thickener, stirring to equalize the temperature and pour the thickener into the pot. Add the lemon juice and the chopped parsley.
- Serve hot, with a bit of lemon next to it for an extra sour, more sour cream on top and chilli pepper.
Leave a Reply