Hidden Veggie Soup

This hearty and healthy Hidden Veggie Soup is packed with secret vegetables, making it a great way to sneak in extra nutrients for picky eaters. The blended veggies create a smooth and creamy base without the need for added cream, keeping it light yet satisfying. suited to chilly days or when you’re feeling under the weather, this soup is a comforting classic with a healthy twist. Serve it with a slice of crusty bread or a fresh green salad for a complete and wholesome meal.

What stands out

You’ll love this Hidden Veggie Chicken Soup because it’s an enjoyable and way to eat a variety of vegetables without even realizing they’re there! The blended veggies create a creamy, rich texture that makes the soup feel indulgent without adding any cream, so yes, this soup is dairy-free! This soup is suited to meal prepping, because it stores and reheats well, making it suited to quick lunches or dinners throughout the week. Whether you’re serving it to picky eaters, looking for a nutritious meal, or just craving a warm bowl of soup, this recipe is sure to become a family favorite.

How to Prepare

Prepare a liquid base in a pot with a combination of water and unsalted broth or just water.

Add vegetables (scallions, bell pepper, carrot, celery, onion, and garlic) and bring to a boil.

Add chicken to the boiling mixture skim off foam and season with salt. Taste and adjust the seasoning at the end.

Reduce heat to medium-low partially cover with a lid, and simmer for 45 minutes or until vegetables are soft, chicken is fully cooked, and broth has reduced.

Remove chicken, let cool, then shred. Discard any bones or skin.

Remove vegetables with a slotted spoon blend in a blender with two ladles of broth until smooth, and return the mixture to the pot.

Break egg noodles into pieces, add to the pot, and bring to a boil. Cook noodles for 5-10 minutes.

Remove soup from heat, add parsley for garnish and stir. Optionally, add freshly squeezed lemon juice to each bowl before serving. Enjoy!

Kitchen tip

When blending hot soup, do so in batches, filling the blender no more than half full. Remove or loosen the center cap of the blender lid, cover with a dishcloth, and hold down the lid to prevent spills and burns.

Swaps

This soup is your culinary canvas! But remember that if you are changing or adding ingredients you may have to experiment and adjust quantities or cooking times.

1. Substitute the egg noodles for quinoa orzo, brown rice, pastina, broken-up angel hair or spaghetti, or couscous. There are so many options for this aspect of the soup! Choose what you love.
2. Feel free to try this recipe with different herbs like dill, thyme, or basil for added flavor.
3. Try adding other vegetables to your soup, like peasspinach or kale.
4. The soup can be made vegetarian by omitting the chicken. For a vegan version, ensure that all other ingredients (like broth) are vegan.
5. For enhanced flavor, add a Homemade Chicken Bouillon Cube to the broth along with the water. Alternatively, you can swap half or all of the water for chicken or vegetable broth.

Serve it with

• Some crusty bread like our No Knead Peasant Bread
• A fresh salad such as a Caesar Salad

Questions

What kind of broth do you use?

What type of salt do you use?

Can we use something in place of the rice?

Absolutely! Feel free to use fide, orzo, or pastina in this soup instead of egg noodles. You can even break angel hair pasta or spaghetti into small pieces and use that instead. This soup is extremely versatile so be sure to make it your own.

How can we store leftovers in the fridge?

Allow the Hidden Veggie Chicken Soup to cool to room temperature before transferring it to an airtight container. Then, place it in the refrigerator within two hours of cooking. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

Can we freeze this?

If you have more leftovers than you can consume in a few days, freezing is a great option. First, portion the soup into airtight containers or resealable freezer bags, but be sure there’s some room for expansion to prevent containers from cracking. Then, label the containers with the date. The soup can be stored in the freezer for up to 2-3 months.

How do we prepare this Hidden Veggie Chicken soup from frozen?

When you’re ready to enjoy your leftover soup, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight if frozen. To reheat, use a microwave, stovetop, or an oven. Make sure to heat it thoroughly until it’s steaming hot. You may need to add a bit of water or broth to adjust the consistency.

strong How can we send this with our kids for school?

Start by preheating a thermos with boiling water and keep it closed. While the thermos warms up, heat the soup on the stove. This entire process should only take about 10 minutes. Once the thermos is ready, empty the hot water and add the soup, leaving some space at the top to prevent a vacuum seal, which would make it harder to open.

Is there a vegetarian or vegan version of this soup?

Yes, you can make this soup vegetarian by omitting the chicken and using vegetable broth instead of water.

What can we do to enhance the flavor of the soup?

For enhanced flavor, you can add any seasonings you enjoy. You can also add a a mark bouillon cube (or 1 tablespoon bouillon paste) to the water/broth, or use Vegeta as our mom does.

What should we do if our soup is thicker than we'd like?

We add 8 to 10 cups of water or broth depending on how much chicken and noodles we use. You can definitely add more if you see that it’s way too thick at the end.

Can we make this with boneless, skinless chicken?

Yes, you can make this with boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs. You can also use bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts and thighs, and remove the bone and skins after cooking.

How can we make sure the chicken is fully cooked?

If you don’t feel confident, you can most definitely use a mark meat thermometer to check and ensure that your meat has reached the correct internal temperature.

Ingredients

Makes 3 servings

• 5 cups water
• 5 cups chicken broth, or veggie broth
• 4 scallions
• 5 mini bell peppers, any colours
• 1 carrot, peeled
• 1 celery rib
• 1 yellow onion, peeled
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled
• salt, to taste
• 5 chicken thighs, (or breasts)
• 130 grams egg noodle pasta, broken into little pieces (or any pasta of choice)
• fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
• fresh lemon juice, for garnish (optional)

Equipment

• Measuring Cups + Spoons
• Nakiri Knife
• Cutting Board
• Liquid Measuring Cup
• Peeler
• Large Pot
• Slotted Spatula
• Blender
• Redmond Real Salt

Method

1. Fill a big pot with water or ½ water and ½ organic unsalted broth (you want 10 cups of liquid total). Add in the scallions, bell pepper, carrot, celery, onion, and garlic and let it come to a boil. Once boiling, add the chicken. Skim off any foam with a spoon. Season with salt. Make sure to taste and adjust the seasoning at the very end of cooking.
2. Once everything is boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and semi cover the pot with a lid. Let simmer for 45 minutes or until the veggies are all super soft, the chicken is fully cooked and white throughout, and the broth has reduced.
3. Remove the chicken, let it cool, and shred or cut it. If the chicken has bone or skin, discard and/or compost it. Remove the whole veggies with a slotted spoon and transfer them in a blender with two ladles of the broth.
4. Blend until everything is nice and smooth and add the blended mixture back into the pot with the shredded chicken. Break the egg noodles into little pieces and add them to the pot. Bring everything to a boil. Once the noodles are cooked, about 5 to 10 minutes, take the soup off the heat.
5. Note: Hot soup (or any hot liquids for that matter) will steam and expand in a blender, which can push the top off and cause a mess and burn hazard. When pureeing hot soup, do so in batches. Fill the blender 1/3 to 1/2 full, remove or loosen the center cap from the lid of the blender. Cover the lid with a folded dishcloth and hold it down when blending.
6. Add parsley for garnish, and stir. Freshly squeezed lemon juice is lovely in each bowl. Enjoy!