Chicken, Vegetable, and Ginger Soup

Bowl of chicken, vegetable, and ginger soup
AimeeLeeStudios / Getty Images
Total Time: 40 min
Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 20 min
Servings: 6 servings (1 cup each)

Nutrition Highlights (per serving)

136 calories
5g fat
10g carbs
13g protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 servings (1 cup each)
Amount per serving  
Calories 136
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5g 6%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Cholesterol 33mg 11%
Sodium 1196mg 52%
Total Carbohydrate 10g 4%
Dietary Fiber 3g 11%
Total Sugars 4g  
Includes 0g Added Sugars 0%
Protein 13g  
Vitamin D 0mcg 0%
Calcium 63mg 5%
Iron 1mg 6%
Potassium 626mg 13%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice.

This basic chicken vegetable soup recipe is turned up a notch with the addition of ginger, a spice that is great for digestion and contains anti-inflammatory properties. This version calls for basic soup mirepoix (carrots, celery, onions) but you can easily add more vegetables depending on what you have on hand such as chopped leafy greens, diced zucchini, fennel, or shredded green cabbage.

Chicken soup is also a great way to incorporate leftover cooked chicken as long as the chicken was simply prepared and skinless (either baked, roasted, or poached).

This recipe is also extremely flexible as far as herbs and spices go, too—you can omit the ginger to make it a clean slate and add different ingredients according to the type of cuisine you like (i.e., tomatoes, rosemary, and extra garlic for Italian flavors, or cilantro, cumin, and chili pepper for Mexican flavors). The variations are endless but the basic method and ratios will stay the same.

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 cups yellow onion, diced
  • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced (1 1/2 tbsp)
  • 1 1/2 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and minced
  • 1 cup celery, diced
  • 1 cup carrot, peeled and diced
  • 4 cups chicken stock (unsalted)
  • 1 bunch parsley, chopped, stems reserved
  • 8 oz. cooked skinless chicken breast, diced or shredded (about 1 1/4 cups diced)

Preparation

  1. Add olive oil to soup pot and turn heat to medium. Add onion and season with salt. Sweat the onions over medium heat for 5 minutes or until soft and translucent. 

  2. Add garlic and ginger and sweat for 30 seconds. Add carrots and celery (or other diced vegetables) and cook for another 5 minutes to soften.  Meanwhile, tie the parsley stems with kitchen twine.

  3. Add stock and tied parsley stems. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes, and add cooked chicken. Continue to cook on a low simmer until the chicken is warmed through (another 3–5 minutes). Note that if you add a lot of extra vegetables, you may have to add more water, broth, or stock.

  4. Add chopped parsley (or other chopped greens if using) and check the seasoning before serving.

Variations and Substitutions

  • Make it vegan by replacing the chicken with white beans or tofu.
  • Substitute parsley with cilantro (and cilantro stems) and add lemongrass for a more Thai-inspired flavor.
  • Add diced or crushed canned tomatoes, no salt added, for a tomato-flavored broth.
  • Add cooked wild rice for complex carbohydrates and fiber to make this a balanced one-pot meal.
  • Add turmeric for anti-inflammatory benefits, which pairs well with the ginger in the soup. (Add this in Step 2 along with the vegetables).

Cooking and Serving Tips

  • Because this soup is so simple and so much flavor comes from the broth, it is ideal to use a homemade chicken stock or at least a high-quality one with great flavor.
  • You can quickly poach the chicken breasts in simmering water while you prep the vegetables for the soup or prepare this the day before (or use leftover chicken from another meal).
  • Any extra soup can be easily frozen so feel free to double or triple this recipe for leftovers.

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1 Source
Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. Anh NH, Kim SJ, Long NP, et al. Ginger on human health: A comprehensive systematic review of 109 randomized controlled trialsNutrients. 2020;12(1):E157. doi:10.3390/nu12010157

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