I wanted a soup without a ton of carbs. I found this recipe and Chris and I really liked it - nothing fancy - just basic chicken and vegetable soup. Many times, I think a basic soup like this just needs lots of good seasoning. Chris almost made some rice to go with his but instead he found some crackers and enjoyed the soup as is. He said, "I like a good ol' chicken soup!"
Hearty Chicken Vegetable Soup
2 lbs raw, boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1" pieces (I used rotisserie from Costco and added it in after I cooked the veggies and tossed around a minute or so before adding broth)
32 oz low sodium chicken broth
2 cups mushrooms, cut into quarters
2 cups or 7 large celery stalks, diced
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1" pieces
1 medium green bell pepper, cut into 1" pieces
1 medium yellow bell pepper, cut into 1" pieces
3-4 scallions, chopped
1 cup water
2 Tbsp cream
2 Tbsp dried parsley
4 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 cloves minced garlic
Salt and extra seasonings to taste ( I added some garlic and herb seasoning too)
Trim all visible fat from chicken and cut into 1" chunks; Clean and cut all vegetables. Heat oil in a large soup pan over medium heat. Add minced garlic and chicken (if using raw chicken). Add bell peppers, celery and mushrooms. Cook until tender -about 7 minutes. Add chicken now if using precooked and heat for about 2 minutes. Add scallions, broth, water, cream, thyme black pepper and parsley. simmer until ready to serve.