Spring Garden Chicken Soup (Printable)

A light, brothy soup with fresh spring vegetables, tender shredded chicken, and aromatic herbs. Ready in 45 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Protein

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 14 oz)

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
03 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
04 - 1 cup fresh or frozen peas
05 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
06 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
07 - 2 garlic cloves, minced

→ Broth & Aromatics

08 - 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
09 - 1 bay leaf
10 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
11 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Optional

13 - Juice of ½ lemon

# How to Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and carrots, sautéing for 4-5 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Pour in chicken broth, add bay leaf and thyme, and bring to a gentle boil.
04 - Add chicken breasts to the pot. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15-18 minutes until cooked through.
05 - Remove chicken to a plate and shred into bite-sized pieces using two forks.
06 - Add zucchini and peas to the soup. Cook for 5-7 minutes until vegetables reach tender-crisp consistency.
07 - Return shredded chicken to the pot. Stir in parsley and lemon juice if using. Season generously with salt and pepper.
08 - Remove bay leaf. Ladle soup into bowls, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The broth stays clean and light so every vegetable tastes like itself, not buried under cream or heavy seasoning.
  • You can have dinner on the table in under an hour without opening a single can of condensed anything.
  • It reheats beautifully and actually tastes better the next day when the herbs have had time to settle into the broth.
  • This is the kind of soup that makes people feel cared for without you having to spend all afternoon in the kitchen.
02 -
  • Do not add the zucchini at the beginning or it will turn to mush and disappear into the broth.
  • Shred the chicken while it is still warm, it falls apart easily and stays moist instead of drying out.
  • Taste the soup before serving, it almost always needs more salt than you expect because vegetables and chicken soak up seasoning.
03 -
  • Use homemade chicken broth if you have it, the flavor is noticeably richer and the soup tastes more like something you simmered all day.
  • Add the lemon juice off the heat so it does not cook out, it should taste bright and just a little sharp.
  • If your broth tastes flat, a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lemon will wake it up more than any extra herbs.
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