One-Pot Healthy Chicken Soup (Printable Version)

Wholesome chicken, vegetables, and rice combined in a hearty, easy-to-make pot.

# Ingredient List:

→ Poultry

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 14 oz), cut into bite-sized pieces

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
04 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 cup baby spinach or kale, chopped
07 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

→ Grains

08 - 2/3 cup long-grain white rice, rinsed

→ Liquids

09 - 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth

→ Seasonings

10 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
11 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
12 - 1 bay leaf
13 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
14 - 3/4 teaspoon salt
15 - Juice of 1/2 lemon

→ Fats

16 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, sliced carrots, and celery. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until vegetables are softened.
02 - Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly until fragrant.
03 - Stir in chicken pieces and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until lightly browned on surface.
04 - Add rinsed rice, dried thyme, oregano, bay leaf, salt, and pepper to the pot. Pour in chicken broth and bring mixture to a boil over high heat.
05 - Reduce heat to low, cover with lid, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until rice is tender and chicken is fully cooked through.
06 - Stir in chopped spinach or kale and cook uncovered for 2 to 3 minutes until greens are wilted.
07 - Remove and discard bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt or pepper as needed. Stir in lemon juice and fresh parsley.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with additional fresh parsley. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything happens in one pot, which means fewer dishes and more time actually enjoying your meal instead of cleaning up.
  • The chicken becomes impossibly tender while the rice absorbs all those savory flavors, creating something genuinely nourishing that doesn't feel like a compromise.
  • It's naturally flexible enough to adapt to whatever vegetables you have lingering in your crisper drawer.
02 -
  • Rinsing your rice truly matters here—I learned this the hard way after making a soup that turned into something closer to porridge, and it completely changed my approach once I started rinsing properly.
  • Don't skip the gentle simmer; a rolling boil will make your chicken tough and stringy, which defeats the entire purpose of this being comforting and nourishing.
  • Taste for seasoning at the end and be generous with adjustment, because low-sodium broth means you have more control, but it also means you can't assume anything until you've actually tasted it.
03 -
  • Toast your dried herbs in the oil for 30 seconds before adding the broth—it releases their essential oils and makes them exponentially more flavorful throughout the entire pot.
  • Keep your chicken pieces roughly uniform in size so everything cooks at the same rate and stays tender rather than some pieces becoming tough while others are still slightly underdone.
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