Chicken Vegetable Soup

This is a super-easy stew style chicken and vegetable soup that makes use of summer's best (and most prolific) vegetables.  It's really an excellent way to showcase all the fantastic summer produce available in your garden or at your farmers' market.  Flexible, too - add, remove, or substitute most any fresh vegetable that strikes your fancy.

Of course, you can still make this soup in the winter - just substitute frozen or canned vegetables as necessary.  But it's really at its peak at the height of summer when you can make it with the freshest of veggies.

Step 1: Tools and Ingredients

Tools:
- big soup pot
- cutting board
- vegetable peeler
- knife

Ingredients:
- 4 onions
- 3 pounds boneless/skinless chicken thighs (12-16 depending on size)
- 4 small or 2 large zucchinis (NOT those scary giant ones)
- 12 mushrooms (any type you like; I used ~1" white button mushrooms)
- 6-10 tomatoes, or 1 large can chopped tomatoes
- 3 ears of corn, cut off the cob
- 3-5 cloves garlic
- handful fresh herbs (basil, oregano, thyme, etc) or ~1 teaspoon dried
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- salt & pepper to taste
- 2 Tablespoons cider vinegar (or balsamic, or red wine, or whatever you like)
- 2 Tablespoons heavy cream (optional)

Note that you can and should add/substitute whatever is growing well in your garden/area.  Fresh peas, spinach, kale, herbs, etc are all wonderful additions to this soup.  Also, feel free to take out anything you don't like.  None of these veggies are essential!

Comments

[susanchen2011]

It is delicious.

[jessyratfink]

Wow, that looks awesome!