Classic Chicken Soup
Poaching chicken breasts directly in the soup keeps them tender while infusing the broth - no separate stock-making required. Fresh thyme and tarragon do the heavy lifting flavor-wise; dried herbs just don't have the same impact.
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 5 medium carrots peeled and sliced
- 4 parsnips peeled and sliced
- 4 celery ribs sliced
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 leeks halved lengthwise, sliced, and rinsed
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 3 sprigs fresh tarragon
- 1 bay leaf
- 7 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/3 cup roughly chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add carrots, parsnips, celery, leek, and onion. Cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently until softened.
- Add garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook 1 minute.
- Add thyme, tarragon, bay leaf, chicken breasts, and broth. Bring to boil, reduce heat to low, cover.
- Simmer 15-20 minutes until chicken reaches 165F.
- Remove chicken, shred with forks, return to pot.
- Simmer 2 minutes more.
- Remove herb stems and bay leaf.
- Stir in parsley and serve.
Notes
Ensure leeks are thoroughly rinsed to remove any sand or dirt.