Vegetable Chicken Soup

Instructions

1. 01

   Sear chicken: Heat 1 ½ tablespoons oil over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven/soup pot. Season chicken thighs with ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper then sear until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Remove to a plate but leave drippings.

2. 02

   Sauté vegetables: Heat one tablespoon oil over medium-high heat in then now empty pot with drippings. Add onions, carrots and celery and sauté until onions are tender, about 5-7 minutes, scraping up the golden bits on the bottom of the pan. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté one minute.

3. 03

   Simmer: Add chicken thighs (don't add rotisserie yet if using) back to the pot along with all remaining ingredients up to Add Later. Partially cover the soup with about a one-inch opening. Bring to a simmer over high heat; once simmering, reduce to medium-low. Gently simmer until the chicken is tender enough to shred, about 5-10 minutes after it starts to simmer.

4. 04

   Remove chicken: Remove chicken to a cutting board to cool. Meanwhile:

5. 05

   Add green beans and corn: Add green beans and corn to the soup and continue to simmer the soup over medium low for an additional 10-15 minutes, partially covered or until potatoes are tender. Stir occasionally while simmering, partially replacing the lid.

6. 06

   Shred chicken: While simmering, shred chicken once cool enough to handle (don’t add back to soup yet).

7. 07

   Add chicken and Parmesan: Reduce heat to low and stir in Parmesan until melted. Add shredded chicken OR rotisserie chicken to the soup. Stir in additional broth if desired for a less “chunky” soup. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if desired (I like more salt).