Classic Homemade Chicken-Vegetable Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons chicken fat or butter or ghee
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 2 pounds boneless chicken thighs
- 4 stalks celery
- 3 large carrots
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 quart chicken stock
- 2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- Additional salt if needed
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
-
In a stock pot, melt fat over medium heat. As the fat melts, prepare garlic and onion. Crush garlic, and add to the melted butter. Peel and dice onion, and add to the melted fat. Lower heat to medium-low and stir occasionally, about 10 minutes, until onion is translucent.
-
As the onions and garlic cook, prepare chicken by patting dry and cutting into 1-inch cubes. Add to the fat, garlic, and onions. Raise the heat to medium, and cook chicken in the pot until cooked through and edges are golden, about 5 minutes on each side for a total of 20 minutes. As the chicken cooks, begin washing and chopping veggies.
-
Wash and cut the celery into 1/4 inch ribs. Peel carrots and cut into 1/4-inch thick rounds. Rinse tomatoes and halve if desired.
-
Use a spatula or slotted spoon to remove chicken to a bowl or glass container. Leave most of the garlic and onion in the pot, it’s okay if a little comes with the chicken though. Set chicken aside, cover, and transfer to the fridge. We will add the chicken back in after the vegetables in the soup cooks to keep the chicken from drying out and losing flavor.
-
Add whatever veggies you have chopped to the pot after removing the chicken, and continue chopping veggies, scraping the bottom of the pot and turning veggies with each addition. Once all veggies are chopped and added, add in chicken broth, water, and sea salt. Increase heat to medium until simmering, then cover the pot and lower the heat down to a low simmer. Simmer for at least one hour, until carrots are very soft.
-
Add chicken back in 15 minutes before serving, and add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Recipe Notes
FLAVOR ADAPTATIONS
In place of the sage and thyme, make a warming soup by substituting 1/2 teaspoon dried ginger and adding a dash of red pepper flakes.
Add any of the following to dress up this classic chicken-vegetable soup:
Parmesan cheese
Grated cheddar cheese
Soy Sauce or Coconut Aminos
Hot Sauce
Sour Cream
Fresh sage, thinly sliced
A squeeze of fresh lemon juice