Soup is an all season food that the entire family can enjoy. Here’s a fresh spin and balanced twist to an ageless soup classic. Venice Nutrition Chef, Valerie Cogswell put her magic touch on this Thrive phase approved, gourmet style, Easy Chicken Vegetable Soup that’s also featured in our best selling book, Why Kids Make You Fat …and How To Get Your Body Back. Get your spoon ready, it’s soup time!
Easy Chicken Vegetable Soup
Thrive Phase Approved
Gourmet Style
If you’re a chicken soup fan, you will love this recipe. It’s not only incredibly easy and quick to make, but it’s really good for you too. This hearty soup is full of rotisserie chicken and traditional vegetables and is sure to warm the soul.
Makes: 10 Servings
Serving size: 1 Bowl
Calories per serving: 176
Protein per serving: 17 grams
Fat per serving: 9 grams
Carbohydrates per serving: 7.5 grams
Ingredients:
- 1 whole rotisserie chicken (find at any grocery store or local market in the bakery/deli section)
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 large white onion, finely chopped
- 6 large carrots, peeled and chopped on the bias
- 2 cups chopped celery
- Sea salt or pink Himalayan salt
- Pepper
- 8 cups low-sodium, all-natural chicken stock
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 4 cups spinach leaves or escarole, shredded or chopped in large chunks
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme (or 1½ teaspoons dried thyme)
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley (or 2 teaspoons dried parsley)
- Hot sauce
Method of Preparation:
- With a pair of disposable latex gloves, remove the skin from the rotisserie chicken and discard. Carefully remove the meat from the bones. Keep a close eye out for small bones. Chop the meat and set aside in a medium bowl. Throw away the bones.
- In a large stockpot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.
- Add onions, carrots, and celery and sauté until soft and fragrant.
- Season lightly with salt and pepper. If using dried herbs, stir in now.
- Reduce heat to low and add chicken pieces, chicken stock, and garlic. Bring to a simmer.
- Allow to simmer for approximately 20 minutes, or until vegetables are cooked and flavors are developed (taste it!).
- Before serving, add the escarole or spinach leaves and allow to wilt. If using fresh herbs, add now.
- Add a few dashes of hot sauce and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Enjoy!
What is the nutritional balance?
This recipe has a great balance of protein, carbohydrates, and fat. You can also add a small amount of brown rice to the soup (keep brown rice separate and add right before serving) to increase the carbohydrate content and make a complete meal.
Tasty food is how you prevent boredom, which is exactly why there are:
- 50 Detox, Ignite and Thrive Phase Recipes in the book that fall into two groups:
- Grab n’ Go – 10 minutes or less
- Gourmet Style – 30 minutes or less