Apparently January is National Soup Month here in the United States… did you know? Me either! That’s why I’m hurrying to post this recipe on the very last day of January.
This soup packs a huge veggie punch – and tastes amazing. Like all soups though, it’s very versatile.
For example, make some substitutions or omissions:
- Don’t like daikon? Or don’t even know what the heck daikon is? Leave it out! No one will judge you for it.
- Love yellow squash? Add it! Although I guess since yellow squash is technically a summer veggie, then you can’t really call this Winter Soup anymore…
- Not eating low-FODMAP? Feel free to add some onion and garlic for extra flavor instead of the chives, green onion, and garlic oil.
This makes a LOT of soup. Freeze it in glass containers for when you don’t feel like cooking but you want some healthy yet super-flavorful veggie-packed soup. If you make it, I’d love to hear what you think in the comments below!
4.5-5 quarts
5 minutes
35-40 minutes
Easy
Print
Ingredients
6-8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
4 quarts (16 cups) of homemade chicken bone broth (or water, or a mix of both)
2 tablespoons garlic-infused oil, butter/ ghee, olive oil, avocado oil, or refined coconut oil
3-4 large carrots, chopped
3-4 stalks celery, chopped
2 cups chopped daikon radish
3-4 small, or 2-3 medium zucchini, chopped
3 sprigs fresh rosemary (or 2 tsp dried rosemary)
5-6 sprigs fresh thyme (or 2 tsp dried thyme)
2 bay leaves
1 bunch chard, washed and leaves separated from stems
1 bunch kale, washed and leaves separated from stems
10 oz fresh baby spinach
10 oz fresh baby arugula
2 green onion (green parts only), chopped
1/2 bunch of chives, chopped
sea salt to taste
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375F degrees. Drizzle a bit of olive oil on the bottom of an 8×13 glass dish and make sure it coats the entire bottom. Lay the raw chicken thighs along the bottom of the glass dish and season generously with sea salt (and pepper if desired).
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the juices run clear. Set aside until cool enough to handle. While you wait for the chicken to bake, move on to Step 3.
- In a large soup pot, heat the garlic oil (or whatever cooking fat you’ve chosen) over medium heat for 1 minute. Toss a couple pieces of carrot into the pot. If it sizzles, throw the rest of the hard veggies (carrot, celery, and daikon) into the pot and sauté for 5-7 minutes. This helps release the flavors a bit.
- Add the zucchini and cook for another 4-5 minutes.
- While you wait, tie the sprigs of thyme and rosemary together with a piece of baking twine. Using dried herbs instead? Add them to the pot and give it a good stir.
- Add the 4 quarts of broth and heat to boiling. Add the bay leaves. If using fresh thyme and rosemary, add the tied sprigs to the pot.
- Once it boils, lower the heat to low-medium, cover, and simmer about 20-25 minutes.
- While you wait, tear the leaves of the chard and kale into bite-size pieces (roughly 1-2-inch-size pieces). Also chop the chicken thighs into bite-size pieces (I prefer tiny pieces, but you may prefer larger pieces. It’s up to you!).
- Salt to taste and test a few veggie pieces to see if they are the softness you like. If they’re soft enough for you, add the chopped chicken, green onion, chives, arugula, spinach, kale, and chard to the soup and stir to combine.
- Turn off the burner and wait about 5 minutes for the greens to wilt. Remove the bay leaves and tied herb sprigs before serving. Of course I don’t have to tell you that it’s best when served hot. Will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. Enjoy!
Notes & Tidbits
If you’re short on time
Do either one of the below tips, or both. It’ll result in a slightly less-flavorful soup, but you’ll still get all the benefits and nutrients.
- Bake and chop the chicken, chop all the vegetables, and wash, dry, and tear up the greens up to 3 days before you plan to make the soup. Store it all in the fridge until about 20 minutes before you plan to make the soup.
- Throw the 4 quarts of broth, 2 tablespoons of oil, carrots, celery, daikon, zucchini, and herbs into a large soup pot and heat to boiling. Then start at Step 7.
If you’re vegetarian/ vegan
Sub 3-4 soaked and cooked white northern beans or adzuki beans for the chicken and use homemade veggie broth or water instead of chicken bone broth. Green lentils would also be good in this soup.
What to do with your kale and chard stems
I like to chop the chard stems into tiny pieces and throw them in when I add the carrots, celery, and daikon. Adds a few extra nutrients!
For the kale stems, you can:
- Add them to your next homemade juice
- Freeze them with your other vegetable scraps for the next time you make veggie broth or bone broth
- Compost them
I wouldn’t recommend adding kale stems to the soup – they’re too hard and fibrous. I’ve tried it and it was awful. I forgot about that and did it again – awful the second time. I think I did it a 3rd time before it finally stuck…
The stuff I used
I made the Winter Soup recipe this past weekend and really enjoyed it. I like the fact that I can add or subtract to accommodate not only my personal preference but what’s available in my refrigerator! The overall flavor wasn’t one I have encountered before so this was an interesting taste adventure. Plus it was really colorful! I halved the recipe but still had some left over to freeze.
I’m glad you really liked it! You’re right, it’s a very versatile recipe. That’s what makes soups so much fun!
Tried the Winter Soup Recipe. Made a couple of substitutions as could not/did not have some of the ingredients. As you said it was ok to do this. It turned out very well and we will be enjoying it this week. There will also be some to freeze. Love all the greens and the flavors blended nicely. Thanks for providing such healthy and satisfying meal(s) for us.
So glad you liked it! And yes, I love being able to substitute items and freeze some for later. I love having so many greens and veggies in one meal.