Chicken Soup

Comforting. Easy. Delicious. Everything homemade chicken soup should be.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 medium Vidalia (sweet) onion, diced

• 3 carrots, peeled and diced

• 3 stalks celery, diced - include the leaves for extra flavor

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 3 sprigs of thyme - stems will be discarded

• 2 cups shredded chicken - I like to pick apart a rotisserie chicken and use the meat for soup. Save the bones for homemade chicken stock.

• 6 cups low sodium chicken broth

• 2 bay leaves

• 5 oz baby spinach

• Fresh cracked pepper (to taste)

• Salt (to taste)

Directions

• Heat a large stock pot over medium heat. Add olive oil. Once oil is hot, add diced onion. Cook until translucent, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat slightly if onions start to brown around the edges.

• Add carrots and celery to onions. Cook until they start to soften. Add a pinch of salt and fresh cracked pepper.

• Add garlic and thyme and stir into vegetables. Allow to cook for 3 minutes.

• Add shredded chicken, chicken broth and bay leaves to the pot.

• Bring soup to a slow boil and reduce to simmer for 30 minutes.

• Remove bay leaves and thyme stems before adding spinach to the pot.

• Allow soup to cook for 10 more minutes to allow spinach to wilt.

• Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired.

Serves 4