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    Home » Soups

    Chicken Soup Recipe with Quinoa & Vegetables

    Published: Jan 7, 2019 · Modified: Jul 6, 2019 by Dara · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 13 Comments

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    A great chicken soup recipe is a must for any household, particularly during the cold and flu season! The fiber in this recipe is pumped up with the addition of quinoa and vegetables. 212 calories and 3 Weight Watchers Freestyle SP

    A great chicken soup recipe is a must for any household, particularly during the cold and flu season! The fiber in this recipe is pumped up with the addition of quinoa and vegetables. 212 calories and 3 Weight Watchers Freestyle SP #chickensoup #quinoarecipes #weightwatchers

    Chicken Soup Recipe with Quinoa & Vegetables

    As many of us are freezing of our behinds in these winter temperatures, I thought it was high time for another soup recipe. And nothing is better for warming the soul and the belly than a hearty chicken soup recipe.

    And since many of you are walking, running, skiing and snowshoeing in these frigid temps and burning some serious calories (or logging your 10,000 steps or strength training), I knew it needed to be something that was not only warming and satisfying, but would also fuel you with whole grains and lean protein.

    Enter...chicken quinoa soup with plenty of veggies to help meet your daily fruit and veggie goals.

    Dry quinoa, plus onions, carrot and celery on a cutting board.

    How do you make easy chicken soup?

    • This soup follows a basic formula, which makes it easy to switch up the ingredients depending on what's available in your fridge and pantry. Also, it just uses one large saucepan, which means less dishes to clean!
    • Start by sautéing the chicken in the saucepan with some olive oil until the chicken just turns white on the outside. It will cook more in the simmering stage. Transfer the chicken to a bowl and set aside.
    • Next, sauté the veggies and herbs. In this case, that's shallots, carrot, celery and dried thyme.
    • Stir in the dry quinoa, broth and chicken, bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer, cover the pan and cook until the quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes.
    • Add the peas in the last few minutes so that they don't become overcooked and start to shrivel.
    • Feel free to switch out a small pasta, such as ditalini or orzo, for the quinoa. If you decide to sub the quinoa with a longer-cooking grain, such as barley or farro, hold off on the adding the chicken until the last 10 to 15 minutes so that it doesn't become tough. Also, you'll need to increase the amount of broth to compensate for any evaporation during the longer cooking time.
    • You'll likely have leftovers. If you don't feel like slurping up the rest for lunch the next day, the soup freezes well.

    Sauteed chicken and vegetables in a saucepan.

    What do you need for this chicken soup recipe?

    • A large saucepan: If you're hoping to cut back on the amount of olive oil you use, either a nonstick saucepan (affiliate) or a ceramic saucepan are the way to go. That being said, a stainless steel one works just as well - you might find you need to lightly coat it with cooking spray or increase the olive oil.
    • Olive oil: Since you're just using it to sauté the chicken and vegetables, a light olive oil (rather than a really flavorful drizzling olive oil) will do.
    • Vegetables: Shallots, carrots, celery and garlic all add flavor for the base of the soup. Frozen green peas are added at the end.
    • Chicken: I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts in this recipe, but chicken thighs - or a combination of the two -  would also work well.
    • Chicken broth: I used a regular, fat-free chicken broth for this recipe. If you're watching your sodium, swap it with a reduced sodium broth.
    • Seasonings: Simple as can be! Dried thyme, salt and pepper.

    Chicken quinoa soup is packed with flavor and nutrients, and comes together quickly for an easy weeknight meal. 212 calories and 3 Weight Watchers Freestyle SP #cleaneating #chickensoup #quinoa

    Other healthy soup recipes:

    Thai Noodle Soup with Shrimp & Cabbage {Cookin' Canuck}
    Whole Wheat Orzo, Cauliflower & Kale Soup {Cookin' Canuck}
    Black Bean & Butternut Soup {Sprouted Kitchen}
    Sweet Potato, Carrot & Red Lentil Soup {Green Kitchen Stories}

    A great chicken soup recipe is a must for any household, particularly during the cold and flu season! The fiber in this recipe is pumped up with the addition of quinoa and vegetables. 212 calories and 3 Weight Watchers Freestyle SP #chickensoup #quinoarecipes #weightwatchers

    Chicken Soup Recipe with Quinoa & Vegetables

    A great chicken soup recipe is a must for any household, particularly during the cold and flu season! The fiber in this recipe is pumped up with the addition of quinoa and vegetables. 212 calories and 3 Weight Watchers Freestyle SP
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Soups
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: Gluten Free, Healthy Dinner Recipes
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 35 minutes
    Total Time: 50 minutes
    Servings: 8 Servings
    Calories: 212.1kcal
    Author: Dara Michalski | Cookin' Canuck

    Ingredients

    • 2 ½ teaspoons olive oil divided
    • 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into ¾-inch cubes
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    • 1 ½ large shallots minced
    • 1 ½ cups diced carrots
    • 1 cup diced celery
    • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
    • 4 garlic cloves minced
    • 1 cup cup quinoa
    • 5 ¼ cups 99% fat-free chicken broth
    • 1 cup frozen green peas
    • ⅓ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
    • freshly ground black pepper to taste
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large saucepan set over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breast meat, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until the chicken has just turned white on the outside. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
    • Reduce heat to medium and add 1½ teaspoons olive oil to the pan. Add chopped shallot, carrots, celery, and dried thyme. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are just tender, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
    • Stir in quinoa, chicken broth and chicken. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and let simmer until quinoa is translucent, about 15 minutes.
    • Add frozen peas and heat for additional 5 minutes. Taste and season with additional ground pepper, if desired. Stir in chopped parsley and serve.

    Notes

    Weight Watchers Points: 3 (Freestyle SmartPoints), 5 (Points+)

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1.25cups | Calories: 212.1kcal | Carbohydrates: 21.4g | Protein: 22.4g | Fat: 3.6g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 44.5mg | Sodium: 914.7mg | Fiber: 3.3g | Sugar: 2.8g
    Tried this recipe?If you make this recipe, I'd love to see it on Instagram! Just use the hashtag #COOKINCANUCK and I'll be sure to find it.

    Easy chicken soup for a healthy, comforting weeknight meal! Plenty of quinoa and vegetables for added nutrients. 212 calories and 3 Weight Watchers Freestyle SP #weightwatchers #wwfreestyle #chicken #soup

    This recipe was originally published on January 8, 2014, and has been updated.

    Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

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      Reader Interactions

      Comments

      1. Arpita Patel

        January 09, 2019 at 5:28 am

        5 stars
        Great recipe. I make a big pot at the beginning of each week and have it for lunch and it’s so healthy and delicious. Thanks

        Reply
      2. Rocky Mountain Woman

        January 08, 2019 at 3:46 pm

        5 stars
        This looks so healthy and hearty! Just what I need on this cold, snowy day.

        Reply
      3. Robin M

        January 08, 2019 at 3:58 am

        I noticed in the photo above, that the quinoa was in a 1/2 measuring cup . Is the 1 cup of quinoa in the recipe correct ?

        Reply
      4. Flavia

        September 24, 2014 at 7:59 am

        Every morning when Peter sits down to eat his breakfast before leaving for the office, he takes my iPad and peruses my Instagram feed. He loves it because I follow so many food bloggers and he loves all the food photos. Your IG feed is one of his favorites. When he came across the photo of this soup, he told me to print out the recipe because he loved the ingredients and how delicious it sounds. I'm happy to oblige! 🙂

        Reply
      5. NURUNNAHAR amily

        January 13, 2014 at 9:50 am

        Your post look yummy & delicious, I must try it. Thank you.

        Reply
      6. Jeanette | Jeanette's Healthy Living

        January 09, 2014 at 7:46 pm

        I've been craving lots of soup lately with the cold temps. This is definitely one that I'd love - packed with protein and healthy!

        Reply
      7. Donna

        January 09, 2014 at 11:23 am

        It warms me up just looking at this soup!

        Reply
      8. Laura (Tutti Dolci)

        January 08, 2014 at 10:46 pm

        I love comforting soups and this looks like the perfect fuel for my runs!

        Reply
      9. Kelli @ The Corner Kitchen

        January 08, 2014 at 11:26 am

        Great soup Dara! I love the quinoa addition!!

        Reply
      10. Liz

        January 08, 2014 at 10:03 am

        Nice soup - thank you Dara. Have a wonderful day!

        Reply
      11. LuAnn

        January 08, 2014 at 10:30 am

        Sounds delish! I'm actually having quinoa now with a little crushed red pepper, Mrs. Dash, and a tsp. of shredded reduced fat sharp xheddar cheese.

        Reply
      12. Taylor @ FoodFaithFitness

        January 08, 2014 at 6:30 am

        I love quinoa, but have yet to put it in a soup! This looks like the perfect, easy way to give 'er a try! Plus, since it's only me and my hubs, we tend to have a lot of leftovers...love love love x 10 that this soup freezes well!

        Pinned! 🙂

        Reply
      13. Kim (Feed Me, Seymour)

        January 08, 2014 at 5:50 am

        I'm not a runner. In fact, I kind of hate it. But my daughter loves it and is dying to do a 5K so I think I'm going to give it a whirl, for her. We'll need this soup to fuel us! I love the addition of quinoa, so yummy and healthy!

        Reply

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