Vegetable soup with chicken breast

Ingredients

• 2carrots
• 1kohlrabi
• 1parsley root
• 1 piececelery
• 150 gchicken breast
• 1 smallonion
• to tasteoil
• to tasteVegeta seasoning
• to tastesalt
• 1/2 tspground paprika
• to tastefresh or frozen chopped chives
• to tastepasta, such as noodles or alphabet pasta

Instructions

1. 1

   Cut the chicken

   Cut the chicken breast into small cubes and finely chop the onion.

2. 2

   Soften the onion

   Heat oil in the saucepan you will use for the soup and fry the onion. Add the chicken and cook gently for a short time.

3. 3

   Season the broth

   Pour in water and add salt, Vegeta seasoning and the ground paprika.

4. 4

   Simmer gently

   When the soup comes to the boil, lower the heat and let it simmer slowly.

5. 5

   Add the vegetables

   Peel and prepare the vegetables. Slice the carrots into rounds or half-moons, dice the kohlrabi, then add the carrots, kohlrabi, celery and parsley root to the soup.

6. 6

   Cook until tender

   Continue cooking until the ingredients are cooked through. Taste and add more salt if needed.

7. 7

   Serve with pasta

   Serve the soup with cooked pasta and chopped chives.

What is chicken and vegetable soup?

This is a straightforward, home-style soup built from chicken, root vegetables and pasta. It fits the Central European tradition of clear, gently simmered soups, though the recipe does not specify a particular regional origin.

Here, the chicken is briefly cooked with onion before water and vegetables are added. Cooking the pasta separately keeps it from soaking up too much broth in the pot.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 80 calories, 5g protein, 10g carbs, 2g fat.

Chicken breast provides most of the protein, while pasta supplies much of the carbohydrate; the vegetables contribute smaller amounts of carbohydrate and fibre. Oil adds fat, though the amount is not specified. For a more balanced plate, serve a generous portion of vegetables and broth with the pasta, and add bread only if you want a more filling meal.

Choosing the vegetables

Root vegetables: Carrot, kohlrabi, parsley root and celery give the broth a mellow, savoury flavour. Cut them into similarly sized pieces so they cook at a similar pace.

Chicken breast: Small cubes cook readily in the simmering soup. Keep them modest in size for an even mix of chicken and vegetables in each spoonful.

Building the broth

Onion and oil: Fry the finely chopped onion in the soup pan, then briefly cook the chicken with it. This starts the broth with a savoury base without adding a separate cooking vessel.

Seasoning: Vegeta, salt and paprika are added before the soup simmers. As the seasoning blend can be salty, taste the finished broth before adding extra salt.

Getting the texture right

Vegetable cuts: Carrot rounds or half-moons and small cubes of kohlrabi make the vegetables easy to eat alongside the pasta. Keep the celery and parsley root in pieces that are comfortable to serve.

Doneness: The recipe gives no fixed cooking time, so use tenderness as your guide. The vegetables should be cooked through, and the chicken should no longer be raw in the centre.

Keep the simmer gentle

Once the liquid boils, lower the heat and simmer slowly as directed. A gentle simmer helps the vegetables soften without the soup boiling vigorously.

Check the pot as it cooks and add a little water if needed to keep the ingredients covered. Taste for salt near the end, after the broth has had time to take on flavour.

Cook and serve the pasta

Separate pasta: Cook the noodles or alphabet pasta separately, then add them to bowls when serving. This preserves the clear broth and helps the pasta keep its texture.

To finish: Sprinkle chopped fresh or frozen chives over each serving. Bread on the side makes a simple accompaniment.

Recipe notes & tips

• Cut the vegetables into similar-sized pieces so they soften at roughly the same rate.
• Keep the heat low after the soup reaches the boil.
• Cook the pasta separately to prevent it from thickening the broth.
• Taste the broth before adding extra salt, especially if your seasoning blend is salty.
• Add the chives just before serving to keep their fresh flavour.

Variations

• More vegetables: Add extra carrot or kohlrabi for a vegetable-forward bowl.
• Other pasta shapes: Use small soup noodles or alphabet pasta as suggested in the recipe.
• Fresh herbs: Add chopped parsley alongside the chives for another fresh finish.
• Peppery broth: Increase the paprika slightly if you would like a more pronounced paprika flavour.
• Extra chicken: Add more diced chicken for a heartier soup.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Hard vegetables: Cut them into small, even pieces and keep simmering until tender.
• Rapid boiling: Lower the heat once the soup boils so it simmers gently.
• Over-salted broth: Taste before adding more salt, as Vegeta seasoning may already be salty.
• Mushy pasta: Cook it separately and add it to the bowls at serving time.
• Uneven chicken pieces: Cut the breast into small cubes of similar size so they cook evenly.

How to store

Refrigerate leftover soup in a covered container and use within 3 days. Store the pasta separately if possible, then reheat the soup gently on the hob and add the pasta when serving.

Frequently asked questions