Alright, Let’s Talk Soup—Pull Up a Chair!

You know those days when the world feels too big and your feet are always cold? That’s exactly when I start craving my tried-and-not-always-true (but always comforting) chicken vegetable soup. The first time I made this, I somehow managed to burn the onions before even adding the chicken—rookie mistake. These days, I’ve got it down to a science…well, more like a mildly controlled experiment. Sometimes I make a double batch so I can eat it for lunch the next day, though if you ask my kids, that’s just wishful thinking. Oh—and if you don’t end up with flour on your shirt, are you even really cooking?

Why You’ll Love This, or at Least Find it Handy

I make this when someone’s sniffly, or when I just need to prove to myself I can still throw a meal together without having a kitchen meltdown. My family goes nuts for this, especially if I don’t forget to toss in extra carrots (my youngest swears it’s the best part). Sometimes, when I’m feeling especially lazy, I use rotisserie chicken and, honestly, it’s still delicious. Also, if I’m having one of those, ‘why is nothing working?’ kind of days, this recipe pretty much forgives any blunder. (Except burning the onions, again. Just don’t do it.)

The Ingredients—But You’ve Got Options!

2 tbsp olive oil – or, butter if you’ve run out and don’t want to go to the store. My gran swore by butter, but I can never remember until I’ve already started pouring the oil.
1 large onion, chopped – yellow or white; red works in a pinch though it turns the broth a bit pinkish.
2-3 garlic cloves, minced – or a serious squeeze of that jarred stuff if you’re in a hurry (zero shame).
2-3 carrots, sliced into little coins – or more if you’re a carrot rebel. Baby carrots work, but whole ones are slightly sweeter, I think.
2 celery stalks, chopped – skip if you hate celery; toss in a bell pepper instead. Anything crunchy-ish works, honestly.
About 1 kg (2 lbs-ish) bone-in chicken thighs – breasts are fine, but thighs make it richer (or go rogue and use precooked chicken—see above re: laziness).
1 big potato, diced – waxy or starchy, won’t judge.
1 can (400g/15oz) diced tomatoes – crushed works, too. Fresh in summer if you’re fancy.
6–7 cups chicken stock – homemade is grand, supermarket will do, bouillon cubes when you’re desperate.
A handful of green beans, chopped – frozen are fine, as are peas; substitute whatever you’ve got lurking in the crisper.
1 tsp dried thyme – or 2–3 sprigs fresh if you remember to buy it.
Salt and pepper – to taste, of course. Don’t get too fussy.
Optional: a big squeeze of lemon juice at the end. It brightens things, but don’t worry if you forget.

So, Here’s How I Make It (And Sometimes Mess Up)

In your biggest pot, warm up the olive oil over medium heat. Toss in those onions (not too hot or they’ll go from golden to brown in a blink—yep, I learned this the hard way), and sweat them a few minutes until they look soft and a bit see-through.
Garlic goes in next. Stir for about 30 seconds—just until fragrant. Don’t let it go brown. If you zone out and it gets a bit toasty, it still works. Mostly.
Carrots and celery (or whatever veggie stand-ins) jump in now. Give it a good stir for 5 minutes. When everything seems friendly in the pot, nudge them to the side and plonk in your chicken thighs.
Let the chicken brown a bit on each side—roughly 2–3 minutes per. If they stick, no worries, that’s just flavor clinging to the pan (I always say that when I forget to oil enough).
Chuck in the diced potato, tomatoes, thyme, and whatever green veg you’ve got. Pour over the chicken broth. Everything needs to be cozily submerged.
Bring it up to a nice bubbly simmer; then turn it down, cover, and let it plod along for about 30–40 minutes. This is the part where I usually sneak a first taste and burn my tongue—be smarter, let it cool a sec.
When chicken’s cooked through and falling off the bone, fish it out (use tongs if you’ve got them, or a big spoon works). Strip the meat off, discard bones and skin, and chop or shred it up; then back into the pot.
If you remembered lemon juice, now’s the time. Season with salt and pepper, maybe a sprinkle of chopped parsley if you’re feeling posh.
Give everything one last swirl. Grab your ladle. Soup’s on!

Things I’ve Learnt (The Long Way Round)

Peeling carrots is optional. Sometimes I don’t bother, and no one’s noticed (yet).
If you’re in a rush, just chuck in pre-cooked chicken halfway through. It still tastes like you tried.
Soup tastes way better the next day. Or maybe that’s just my opinion, but leftovers are gold.
No need to measure thyme with surgical precision. ‘A bit’ is good enough for most days.

Variations I’ve Tried (Some Good, Some Not So Much…)

I once swapped the potato for sweet potato—definitely changes the vibe. Sort of a sweeter, slightly odd soup. Tasty, but not quite the classic.
If you’re feeling fancy, add a spoonful of rice or barley in the last 20 minutes. The soup thickens a bit. Or use tiny pasta (didn’t work as well for me, got mushy fast—blame my timing).
Veggie version? Skip the chicken and go extra heavy on beans. Probably not my go-to but my cousin swears by it.

Tools and Shortcuts (No Soup Pot? No Drama)

I always use my battered Dutch oven, but I once made this in a slow cooker—worked a treat. Any big pot does fine, honestly. Forgot your ladle? A coffee mug does in a pinch…just don’t tell the soup snobs.

Keeping Leftovers (If You Actually Have Any)

This keeps in the fridge (covered!) 3–4 days, reheats like a champ, and probably gets better over time. Supposedly you can freeze it, but, honestly, in my house it never lasts more than a day. If you do freeze, go easy on the potatoes—they sometimes get a bit funny in texture, in my experience.

How I Like to Serve It (And Other Ideas)

Big bowls, with way too much fresh bread to dunk—white, sourdough, whatever’s around. Or, for a proper winter wallop, sprinkle grated cheese over the top; my Scottish friend calls it ‘soup with a hat.’ My daughter insists on oyster crackers, but I’ve never really understood why. To each their own.

Pro Tips Learned By Messing Up

Don’t rush the simmering! I once cranked up the heat hoping it’d finish sooner and wound up with weirdly rubbery chicken. Patience, eh?
Never wander off for ‘just a minute’—that’s how you forget to stir and end up with burnt bits.
If you season early, remember to taste again at the end. Soup’s funny like that; flavors change, sometimes overnight. Actually, I find it works better if you under-salt a little at first, then adjust.

People Have Actually Asked Me…

Can I use different veggies?: Yep, totally! Root veggies are ace in winter, zucchini in summer—there’s no law here.
What about boneless chicken?: Oh for sure, it cooks a bit quicker. But bones do add that rich taste—up to you if you’re in a hurry or not.
How do I make it less thick?: More broth, simple as that. Sometimes I get carried away and throw in too many potatoes so it turns practically into stew, but then I just call it ‘rustic’.
Can I cook it in an Instant Pot?: Absolutely, though I always forget to set the steam valve right—I might be too old-school for that gadget. Try 15 mins on high, quick release.
Why do my potatoes sometimes go weird?: Yeah, that happens—especially when reheating frozen soup. Doesn’t bother me, but if it bugs you, skip potatoes when freezing, or swap in something else.

Honestly, if you read this whole ramble, you deserve a big bowl of soup (maybe two). And if you spill a little on your shirt, just say it’s part of the experience. Happy cooking, and may your kitchen always smell like home!

Hearty Chicken Vegetable Soup