Chicken Potato Soup

5 from 9 votes

Poaching chicken in broth instead of water makes this creamy, chunky, vegetable loaded soup deeply savory.

Prep Time15

Cook Time25

Total Time40

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: comfort food, easy, gluten free, light, winter

Servings: people

1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
8 cups chicken broth or chicken stock
3 medium leeks white and light green parts, halved and sliced into 1/8-inch thick half rounds
3 carrots sliced 1/8-inch thick
3 ribs celery sliced 1/8-inch thick
1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes diced small, ~1/2-inch (no need to peel)
2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
1/2 cup half and half
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
finely chopped fresh parsley for garnish, optional

Poach the Chicken: Place the chicken breasts in a large soup pot or Dutch oven (5-1/2 to 7-quart). Add broth to cover chicken by 1-inch (add water if needed) and bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Transfer chicken to plate and let cool slightly. When cool enough to handle, shred into bite size pieces.
Simmer the Vegetables: Meanwhile, add leeks, carrots, celery, potato, and thyme to broth and bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
Finish the Soup: Add cooked chicken and half and half and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper; cook and stir until heated through. Ladle into soup bowls and serve.

Leeks: Before slicing the leeks, be sure to rinse away any dirt that may be hiding out between the layers to avoid grit in your soup.
Potato Choice: For distinct, tender chunks of potato, use Yukon Gold or red potatoes. For a soup where the potatoes break down more to naturally thicken the broth, use peeled Russet potatoes instead.
Servings: This soup makes 6 hearty servings. As a side, it will easily serve 8.

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