CHICKEN HERB VEGETABLE SOUP (no canned or cube broth)
About 3 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken…………..…2-1/2 TB extra-virgin olive oil
1-1/2 cups chopped white or yellow onion (1 medium)
4 medium-sized peeled and sliced carrots …………2 bay leaves
3-4 large stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 TB minced or chopped garlic……………………….about 8-10 cups water
2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes (undrained) ~ I like with Italian seasoning
1 large Russet potato, about 1/2” cubes (or 4-5 red or fingerling potatoes)(optional)
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley ………………………..1 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1 tsp. dried basil leaves…………………………………1 tsp. fresh chopped rosemary
About 2 tsp. Kosher Salt …………………………….….1 tsp. black pepper
1-1/2 cups cut fresh green beans (or 1 package frozen, not cooked)
1-2 cans kidney, Great Northern or cannellini beans (with liquid)
5-6 sliced mushrooms (optional)
Adapt this to fit your family's taste and what you have on hand. (1) If you don't have potatoes, don't add them! (You can always throw in a handful of pasta instead, if you want) ** (2) You can substitute corn for the cans of beans, or just leave those out. ** (3) If you have peppers or zucchini that you want to add, just put that in with the other veggies. ** (4) The amount of water that you add depends on the amount of chicken that you use, and how much extra broth you want to have (make sure to adjust the seasonings & herbs for extra water).
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Simmer chicken in the water (add some Kosher salt and pepper ~ you can also toss in some extra basil, rosemary and/or thyme if you want) for about 30 minutes, or until cooked through. Chop or shred the chicken. (You’ll only be using about 5-6 cups of the chicken broth, so you can save the rest of the broth to use another day.)
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, and celery and saute 3-4 minutes; then add garlic (and mushrooms, if using) and saute 30 seconds longer. Add broth, tomatoes, potatoes, parsley, bay leaves, thyme, basil and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then add green beans and shredded chicken, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until potatoes are tender, at least 20-30 minutes (even better if you let the pot simmer covered on low for a few hours). Serve warm. Serves about 4-8