Chicken and Leek Soup
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cups leeks, cleaned and thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 large carrots, diced
- 1 celery rib, diced
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 large russet potato, peeled and diced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried dill
- Juice of ½ lemon
- ½ cup heavy cream or half-and-half (optional)
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Then add in the leeks and allow them to soften for about 5 minutes. Stir so they do not burn.
- Add garlic, carrots, and celery, and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Pour in the chicken broth and give a few good stirs.
- Add the chicken, diced potato, salt, pepper, thyme and dill. Bring to a low simmer and cover for 25-30 minutes. The chicken and potatoes should be cooked through.
- Remove the chicken from the pot and shred it with two forks.
- Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until it is about half smooth. Leave some smaller pieces of vegetables. Add the chicken back into the pot. (Skip this step if you like a chunky soup)
- Add in the lemon juice and stir to combine.
- Stir in the heavy cream off heat until even. Bring back to a gentle simmer for 1-2 minutes. Ladle into bowls and enjoy.
Notes
- Skip the cream and use a splash of coconut milk for a subtle sweetness. Or skip the cream altogether for a lighter version.
- You can add some rice or orzo to the soup along with the chicken for some extra hardiness.
- We used almost the entire leek, just avoided the tippy tops of them. Slice them fine and wash thoroughly. Allowing them to soften by themselves will break down the fibers and make for great flavor.
- You can use boneless chicken thighs instead of breasts or a combination of different cuts if you have leftover chicken to use.
- You can use a blender if you do not have an immersion blender. Just give it a few pulses and not a full blend.