This Tasty Italian Chicken and Zucchini Soup is loaded with healthy fresh vegetables and will keep you warm and cozy on those chilly days!
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Why eat this Italian chicken and zuchini soup?
Because, not only is this soup full of flavors, but it is also filled with a bunch of healthy ingredients such as zucchini’s, carrots, corn, spinach and chicken.
This is one of my favorites to make during the fall/winter seasons as it is very easy to make and makes tasty leftovers for lunch the next day.
Every time I think about this soup, I want to make it. This Italian chicken and zucchini soup is pure comfort food! Love that it contains simple ingredients and, if you own a garden like me, will allow you to use up your abundant supply of zucchini’s! I also love that this soup is extremely versatile.
Try This Instead:
If making this after the holidays, instead of chicken, why not use leftover turkey? Turkey also works really well with this soup.
You can also switch out the vegetables for your favorites such as, kale, green beans, butternut squash, or watever else your little heart desires.
Why not make it vegan, by removing the chicken, and maybe adding beans for protein? Next, switch out the vegetable broth for the chicken broth and your golden.
Tips and Suggestions:
- PARMESAN RIND – This is completely optional but I highly, highly recommend it! It’s a little hack I learned a little while ago and it makes a huge difference!! Add a parmesan rind to your soup, this will greatly enhance the flavors. When your done grating your parmesan cheese, instead of throwing out the rind, freeze it, and use it for soups. You just pop it in there and when the soup is done you take it out. It is the secret ingredient to a perfect soup!
- LEMON JUICE – Even if you don’t like it, do not skip the lemon juice! This is a key ingredient and you don’t even taste it, unless you end up putting too much. A small amount of an acidic ingredient like lemon juice, when added at the end of cooking, will brighten the flavors. Especially in a long-simmered soup. Just start with a little bit at a time, taste it, and adjust until you have a well balanced flavored meal.
- SLOW AND STEADY WINS THE RACE – Don’t try to make this cook faster by turning up the heat or you will miss out on a very yummy soup. Cooking any soup too fast doesn’t give the flavors time to blend and could result in a bland and unbalanced soup. The longer it cooks, the tastier it will be. Just make sure not to cook it too long or the vegetables will become mushy, which is why it’s so important to always cook it on low, at a simmer, for as long as you can.
More Amazing Soups You Need To Try:
- Butternut Squash, Kale and Sausage Soup
- The Best Chickpea and Lentil Soup
- Roasted Pepper, Chicken and Gnocchi Soup
- Leftover Ham and Tortellini Soup
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Healthy, Italian Chicken and Zucchini Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 tbsp butter, unsalted
- 7 cups chicken or vegetable broth, low sodium
- 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 cup celery, thinly sliced
- 1 cup carrots, diced
- 1 large sweet potato or 2 small ones, diced
- 3 cups zucchini, cut into slices, and then quarters or half moons
- 1 can corn, drained
- 2 cups baby spinach
- ½ tbsp freshly minced garlic (2-3 cloves)
- 1 can fire roasted tomatoes, undrained (796 ml)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp Italian seasonings
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes, optional
- 3-4 bay leaves
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ of a medium-sized lemon, juiced (2-3 tbsp)
- 1 parmesan rind (optional but highly recommended)
- grated parmesan cheese for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Heat oil and melt butter in a large pot over medium-high heat.Add onions, carrots, and celery, season with salt and pepper to taste, and allow to cook until vegetables have softened (7-8 minutes). Make sure you stir often.Add garlic and cook for an additional 30-35 seconds.
- Add sweet potatoes and corn. Season with a little salt and pepper to taste and continue to cook, stirring constantly for about a minute.Add tomato paste and red pepper flakes and cook for an additional minute.
- Add your can of fire-roasted tomatoes, broth, cooked chicken, Italian seasoning, bay leaves, salt, pepper, and parmesan rind if you decided to use it. Stir to combine.
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and allow to simmer for 15 minutes or until potatoes are almost cooked.
- Add zucchini and lemon juice and continue to simmer, covered, for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until the zucchini is cooked to your liking.
- Taste test and add more seasonings if needed.Turn off the heat and add your spinach. Stir until spinach is wilted. Remove the bay leaves and parmesan rind, if any are left, before serving.
- Serve with some fresh bread, biscuits, and/or grated parmesan cheese on top if desired. Enjoy!
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