Chicken soup is the ultimate comfort food—hearty, nourishing, and perfect when you’re craving something cozy and satisfying. On busy weeknights, I sometimes find myself so hungry that all I want is a few steaming bowls of warm soup loaded with veggies and tender chicken.
There are countless variations of chicken soup, but this recipe is my own take—easy, quick, and absolutely delicious. The secret? Start with a good-quality roast chicken and chop everything into small, bite-sized pieces for the perfect balance in every spoonful. You are developing flavors with good ingredients.
Inspired by my mom’s cozy, homemade chicken soup, I’ve created a weeknight-friendly version that utilizes smart shortcuts with chicken and bone broth while still delivering that slow-simmered, made-from-scratch flavor (like rotisserie).
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
45 minutes
Serves
4
Ingredients
- 1 store-bought roast chicken (I used one from Save-On)
- I box of chicken stock ( 1 litre)
- 1/2 box of chicken bone broth (1/2 litre)
- 1 cup chopped cabbage & kale (I used a pre-bagged salad mix for convenience)
- 1 large white onion- chopped
- 1 tbsp minced garlic from bottle
- Sprinkle some chimichurri spice
- ½ large carrot, diced ( small pieces)
- 1 stalk celery, chopped ( small pieces)
- 1/2 a small to medium zucchini
- 3–4 small potatoes, cubed
- 2–3 mini tomatoes, chopped
- 1 tsp mustard (adds a subtle depth)
- splash of Worcestershire
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Optional: fresh parsley or dill for garnish
Steps
- Prep the chicken: Remove the meat from the roast chicken and shred it into bite-sized pieces. You can use as much chicken as you want. I recommend we use chicken breast mainly. Took off all the meat and the bone and saved the ones we want to use for the broth. Save the bones for extra flavor will add them to the broth to simmer.
- Build the base: In a large pot, heat a splash of olive oil and sauté a medium to large onion. Chop a medium to large white onion into small pieces. Chop ½ a medium to large carrot into small pieces, and chop one stalk of celery into small pieces. They should all be roughly the same sizes. Once the onion is soft and translucent, throw in , carrot, and celery (about 5 minutes). Add in butter and some minced garlic. Sprinkle in some chimichurri spice. You can add more if you need to.
- Take 3-4 small potatoes, chop them into small pieces, and add the potatoes after frying the veggies for about 8 minutes. Add in chopped tomatoes. Add in mustard, chicken stock and bone broth. Chop 2-3 mini tomatoes and fry them with potatoes. Throw in the chicken bones you saved.
- Simmer: Add the chicken broth and bone broth to the pot. Don’t waste those flavorful drippings—pour about ½ cup of water into the chicken container, swirl to loosen the juices, and add that to the pot as well. Bring everything to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer gently for 20–25 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Finish by stirring in a few splashes of rice wine vinegar for brightness and a dash of Worcestershire sauce for depth.
- Greens and Seasonings: Stir in the chopped cabbage-kale mix (roughly chopped into bite-sized pieces) and cook for about 5 minutes. Add a few more splashes of rice vinegar to brighten the flavors. Next, chop a small zucchini and a handful of Swiss chard into small pieces, then add them to the pot. Season with a sprinkle of chimichurri spice blend for an herby, garlicky kick.
- Finish: Add shredded chicken and season with salt & pepper. Heat through. Before serving, add a splash of cream.
- Serve: Ladle into bowls and top with fresh parsley or dill if desired.
Steps 1 -3
Steps 4-7
I absolutely love this soup! It’s the perfect way to clean out your fridge, pack in plenty of veggies, and still end up with something hearty and wholesome. The chicken is the real star—tender, full of flavor, and versatile enough to enjoy the next day in chicken salad or sandwiches. Give this recipe a try, and I promise it’ll become one of your go-to comfort meals.
👉 If you make it, let me know in the comments or tag me—I’d love to see your version!
