Harvest Chicken Quinoa Soup is packed with good for you protein and veggies. A warming and hearty fall and winter soup.
Cleaning out the cupboards never tasted so good!
That is to say, recently I got bit by the organizing bug. Tired of seeing mass chaos when opening the cupboards, I filled up a couple boxes with plates, bowls, cups, and mugs that we no longer (if ever) use to take to Goodwill.
Ahhh, that feels SO much better! Anyone else have a mug hoarding problem, btw? What’s sick is that I’m the only one that drinks coffee, and I use travel mugs every morning – not ceramic!
Anyway, I also cleaned out my cookbook cupboard and in addition to loading 15 or so into a box to take to 1/2 Price Books, I found a few gems that were worth saving like this bad boy, Eating For Life.
I used to work for a publishing company and was always getting super random cookbooks like this one for free. While it’s aimed at people with diabetes, or those eating for healthier hearts, the flavorful, easy, and impressive recipes like Harvest Pork Soup inside made me pick it up and take home.
Although I’m not a huge fan of pork in soups (love it in chili though) I really liked the idea of a harvest-themed soup recipe, so I swapped the pork for chicken then added tons of fall veggies and protein-packed quinoa for staying power.
A creamy duo of sweet and regular potatoes mingling with quinoa, earthy herbs, and hearty kale made this soup kind of taste like chicken soup on ‘roids. It is perfect for the cold and blustery week we’re having around here!
Start the Harvest Chicken Quinoa Soup soup by gathering all the ingredients together before you begin cooking.
Heat 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat, then saute 1/2 cup each chopped celery, carrots, and onion (cut big so Ben can pick out!) with salt & pepper until soft, about 10 minutes.
Once the veggies are soft, add 4 cups chopped kale, and 2 minced garlic cloves, then season with more salt & pepper (important to season each layer!) and cook for 2 more minutes.
Next add 7 cups chicken broth and classic chicken soup herbs including 1 bay leaf, 1 teaspoon parsley flakes, and 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme.
Recipe Tip
Purchase 8 cups (2-32oz containers) of chicken broth then save the remaining cup to add when reheating leftovers, as the quinoa will absorb a lot of the broth as it cools.
Bring the broth up to a boil, then nestle in 2 large chicken breasts that have been cut in half to poach in the hot broth.
I like cooking chicken this way because, a.) you don’t have to add any additional fat, and b.) the chicken gives the soup even more flavor.
Once the chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes later, remove it to a plate then shred it all up.
Meanwhile, add 1 large chopped sweet potato, 1 large chopped russet potato, and 2/3 cup rinsed and drained quinoa to the boiling broth.
Place a lid on top of pot, turn the heat down to medium, then let the potatoes and quinoa cook for about 10 minutes, then add the shredded chicken back in.
Finally, stir in 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese. The cheese adds a depth of flavor and richness that the veggie-full soup needs.
Ladle into bowls, and enjoy!
It’s ridiculous how healthful you will feel while eating this soup. If there was ever a two bowl minimum serving suggestion, this is it!
I love the subtle sweetness of the sweet potato in an otherwise savory soup. I know you will too. Enjoy!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium carrot, thinly sliced
- 1 rib celery, thinly sliced
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- salt and pepper
- 4 cups chopped kale
- 1 clove garlic, pressed or minced
- 8 cups chicken broth, divided
- 1 teaspoon parsley flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 2" parmesan cheese rind, optional
- 2 chicken breasts, ~1lb, sliced in half
- 1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped into 1/2" cubes, ~2 cups
- 1 large russet potato, peeled and chopped into 1/2" cubes, ~1-1/2 cups
- 2/3 cup quinoa
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Directions
- Heat oil in large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add carrot, celery, and onion, season with salt and pepper, then saute until tender, 10 minutes. Add kale and garlic, season with more salt and pepper, then saute for 2 more minutes. Add 7 cups chicken broth, parlsey flakes, dried thyme, bay leaf, and parmesan cheese rind (if using), then bring to a boil.
- Add chicken breasts to the pot then cook for 10 minutes, or until no longer pink in the center. Remove to a plate to cool slightly. Add sweet potato, russet potato, and quinoa to boiling broth then place a lid on top of the pot, lower heat to medium-low, then cook for 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender and quinoa is cooked. Meanwhile shred chicken.
- Add shredded chicken back to the soup, remove bay leaf, then add parmesan cheese and stir to combine. Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary. Serve topped with additional parmesan cheese, if desired.
Notes
- Use remaining 1 cup chicken broth to add when reheating soup, as quinoa will absorb much of the broth as it cools.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
I’ve been avidly reading your blog since I stumbled upon it a couple of months ago. Your recipes are awesome! I just made this soup — with slight variations — and loooooooove it. Thank you!
I’ve been sick all week and nothing sounds better than this soup! Making it tonight :)
I made this soup over the weekend and my boyfriend said it’s the best chicken soup he’s ever tasted! High praise, coming from him.
I added an extra clove of garlic and a little mustard powder. Delicious!
Eating this right now. SO delicious!
LOVE this! Under the weather, and just finished making it…I think it’s going to do the trick! Thanks again for an awesome recipe!
This was outstanding, especially since almost everything here is a pantry staple. I even had a couple of parm rinds in the freezer.
The only change I made was to cook the quinoa in it’s own pot. That way it keeps its little bitey texture and doesn’t get greedy and soak up all the liquid. That and I wanted quinoa leftover for breakfast :)
Thanks for a great recipe
This was wonderful … so easy and all I needed to run to the grocery for was carrots/celery (I know those should be staples, but I tend to leave them out as I’m not a celery fan!) We crumbled a few Food Should Taste Good Tortilla chips on top … extra yum! Gonna see if I can’t whip up the Fresh Apple Cake after a conference call this morning!
This sounds SO good! I make mostly vegetarian recipes because raw meat REALLY freaks me out. However, for my boyfriend’s sake I try to cook at least a little bit of chicken. Poaching chicken is the best method because (a) it’s impossible to mess up and (b) I hardly have to touch it :D
This soup sounds great- fall comfort food FTW!
I made this last night and what a delicious bowl of soup I enjoyed! With the temperature hovering just above freezing and all the clouds blocking out the sun this was the perfect, I’ll say it again, Perfect! comfort dinner! Can’t wait to reheat for dinner tonight as I try to restrain myself from making a very early dinner so I can chow down. Thanks for the great soup recipe! :)
Awesome recipe! I made it this evening without chicken and with vegetable broth because I’m a vegetarian. I added a little extra quinoa. The kale was surprisingly delicious.
I have not yet figured out how to rinse and drain quinoa?????? Help please
I pour the quinoa into a fine mesh strainer ) let it rinse under cold running water for about a minute, then shake off the excess water. Does that help at all??
Yes!! Thank you!! I will use my Bed, Bath and Beyond coupon to purchase a strainer like the one you mentioned.
I saw this first thing this morning and ran to Whole Foods to get the supplies. I make a ton of different varieties of chicken soup and this will now be my go-to recipe. The sweet potato is the PERFECT addition! I also added the parmesan rind with the potatoes and it turned out to be the perfect lunch!
Wahoo – so glad you enjoyed it!!
This is my kind of soup. Chicken, kale, sweet potatoes and quinoa……all some of my absolute favorite ingredients to cook with!