Soups on! This one-pot chicken soup is made with all the good stuff like carrots, onion, celery, garlic, and kale. And to add in some additional flavor boost the nutrient powerhouse of this soup I added in some turmeric.
Make sure to get this soup on your list of things to make as we approach cold and flu season. Or get it made now and freeze some for when you need it – you’ll be glad you did! There is just something so satisfying about pulling out some homemade chicken soup from the freezer on a chilly fall or cold winter day! I try to keep some of this soup frozen in individual serving sizes throughout the winter so when soup is needed, it’s ready!
This easy, one-pot chicken soup starts by cooking the carrots, onion, celery, and garlic… (ya know, the soup staples!), and then adding the spices, chicken, and broth. The chicken cooks in the broth, so no need to cook the chicken separately – this is such a time saver. And not to mention, it’s one less dish to clean! And lastly it is topped off with the kale.
Tips About Broth
One of these days I’ll get around to making my own broth, but in the meantime store bought it is. I’m partial to broth, but you could also use stock. You can choose from bone broth, regular broth, or stock. Options galore, but what’s the difference? Read on…
- Stock is made from using more of the bones and is typically unseasoned (if made from scratch). It may be slightly richer in texture compared to broth due to the collagen from the bones.
- Broth is made from more of the meat (can contain bones too) and is seasoned with fresh herbs.
- Bone broth is made from the bones (could contain some meat) and like stock is typically unseasoned. It has a much longer cook time compared to stock and broth and has a thicker consistency due to the collagen from the bones and the long cook time.
- All typically contain a mix of vegetables known as mirepoix (a mixture of onions, carrots, and celery).
All can pretty much be used interchangeably in most recipes. When looking for store bought varieties ensure you are looking at the ingredient list! There are some very clean options out there and some not so clean. Some may contain sugar or added flavors, so look for one that contains a short list of ingredients like chicken, vegetables, and spices. I buy unsalted so I can control the salt in my soups. Pacific Foods Bone Broth is a great choice as it only contains the necessary ingredients. Also, in my opinion you should buy organic as well to ensure it’s free of antibiotics, hormones (if beef), and chemicals. Don’t want that stuff gettin’ in my soup!
Check out some of my other favorite soup and chili recipes, like chicken corn chili (a childhood favorite of mine), vegetarian chili, and classic chili.
If you make this recipe, please let me know what you think! Leave a comment below and/or share a photo on Instagram and mention @CleanPlateMama!
One-Pot Chicken and Kale Soup
Soups on! This one-pot chicken soup is made with all the good stuff like carrots, onion, garlic, celery, and kale.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. chicken breast
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 4 celery stalks, chopped
- 5 large carrots, chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1-2 tsp. turmeric see notes
- 2 tsp. oregano
- 1 tsp. thyme
- 1 tsp. salt more to taste
- 1/2 tsp. ground pepper more to taste
- 2 bay leaves
- 8 cups chicken bone broth
- 4 cups baby kale, stems removed
Instructions
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Heat a large stock pot over medium high heat. Add onion, celery, carrots, garlic, and olive oil and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
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Add turmeric, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper and cook for an additional minute to allow spices to cook.
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Add chicken and bay leaves on top of veggies. Pour broth over veggies and chicken, ensuring chicken is fully covered by the broth.
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Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium low. Simmer (uncovered) for 20-30 minutes until chicken easily shreds with a fork.
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Remove chicken from pot and shred on a cutting board using 2 forks.
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Add chicken back to pot. Add chopped kale and continue to cook until kale is wilted.
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Continue to let simmer until you are ready to dish up!
Recipe Notes
Start with a minimum of 1 tsp. of turmeric. Taste soup after chicken has fully cooked and if the flavor isn’t too much, add another 1/2 – 1 tsp. more. Turmeric has a strong flavor so start small and add more to taste.
Add additional salt and pepper to taste after chicken is shredded and added back to soup.
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