I lived as a single person for many years and developed a love of homemade soups during that time. Although I didn't want to spend hours in the kitchen cooking, canned soups and mixes weren't satisfying. Despite a bit of extra effort to cook my own, I wanted to avoid the high salt content of soups bought off the shelf and to get the flavor boost that fresher contents could bring.

Althoug beef vegetable soup is what I grew up with, it's the chicken variety that I grew to love later. The chicken vegetable soup recipe that I share here is one that I developed based on things I learned from other recipes over the years. I've made the quantities large enough to serve at least 3-4 people; for singles there will simply be leftovers.

I enjoy this soup both with chicken and without; as a simple meatless vegetable soup.With the chicken it's hearty, without it's an extremely quick and easy vegetable soup recipe. I hope you'll give it a try and let me know what you think.

The list of tools you'll need is brief:

-- 3 quart sauce pan
-- Cutting Board
-- Knife for cutting vegetables
-- Measuring spoons

The ingredients:

-- 2 Tablespoons butter
-- 1/2 medium onion, peeled, and diced
-- 2 - 3 medium sized russet potatoes, peeled and diced
-- 2 carrots, peeled and sliced or 1/3 cup match stick carrots
-- 1 stalk celery, sliced
-- 3/4 cup either peas, green beans, or lima beans (frozen or fresh)
-- 3/4 cup corn (frozen or fresh) or diced yellow pepper
-- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
-- 1 1/2 tablespoons flour
-- 32 to 38 ounces chicken stock
-- 1/3 cup whipping cream
-- salt, pepper, and parsley

-- 1/2 chicken breast, poached, shredded (optional)
Chicken can be poached by simmering water in a saucepan, adding chicken assuring it's covered by simmering water, and allowing to sit for 15 mintues.

This is quck and easy.

Melt butter in 3 quart saucepan. Add onion and celery; saute over low heat for 3 to 4 mintues to soften. Add flour and stir, cooking for about one minute. Add chicken stock gradually while stirring. Add vegetables and thyme; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for approximately 25 minutes.

Reduce heat to lowest setting, add in shredded chicken at this point if using, stir in cream, salt and pepper to taste and allow to heat through for 3 or 4 mintues. Serve, and garnish with chopped parsley.

Ingredients Photo by Trekkyandy.