Chicken & Rainbow Carrot Soup; Colorful & Hearty

Chicken & Rainbow Carrot Soup

A light but comforting soup filled with tender chicken, colorful vegetables, and fresh herbs. Perfect served with penne or over rice.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This soup feels nourishing without being heavy. The rainbow carrots make it beautiful, the leek adds depth, and the fresh dill and lemon keep everything bright. It’s simple enough for a weeknight & can be made to last for days.

Ingredients

• 1 pack chicken thighs

• Salt and black pepper

• Onion powder

• Garlic powder

• Olive oil

• 1 leek, washed carefully and diced

• 5 rainbow carrots, chopped

• 4 celery stalks, chopped

• 1 onion, chopped

• Handful fresh spinach

• 8 cups chicken broth

• Handful fresh parsley, chopped

• 2–3 sprigs fresh dill

• Juice of ½ lemon

For Serving

• Fresh cracked black pepper

• Cooked penne pasta

• Or cooked rice

Instructions

1. Season and Brown the Chicken

Season the chicken thighs with salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder.

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Brown the chicken on both sides until golden. Remove from the pot and set aside.

2. Sauté the Vegetables

In the same pot, add the leek, carrots, celery, and onion. Sauté for 5–7 minutes until softened.

Add the spinach and cook just until wilted.

3. Build the Soup

Return the browned chicken to the pot and mix everything together.

Pour in 8 cups of chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook until the chicken is fully tender and cooked through.

If using boneless thighs, you can shred the chicken directly in the pot once tender.

4. Finish with Fresh Herbs

Stir in the chopped parsley, dill, and the juice of half a lemon.

Taste and adjust with additional salt and pepper as needed.

How to Serve

Serve hot with freshly cracked black pepper on top.

You can:

• Spoon it over cooked penne

• Stir pasta directly into the soup

• Or serve it over rice for something extra cozy

A Recipe by Madeline May

Chicken & Rainbow Carrot Soup

Soup • Chicken • Cozy Dinner

Prep

20 mins

Cook

35 mins

Total

55 mins

Yield

6–8 servings

Category

Soup

Difficulty

Easy

This soup is light but comforting. Rainbow carrots make it beautiful, while fresh dill and lemon keep every bite bright and fresh. Serve it with penne or rice for an extra cozy meal.

Ingredients

Soup

• 1 package chicken thighs
• Salt and black pepper
• Onion powder
• Garlic powder
• Olive oil
• 1 leek, washed well and diced
• 5 rainbow carrots, chopped
• 4 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• Handful fresh spinach
• 8 cups chicken broth
• Handful fresh parsley, chopped
• 2–3 sprigs fresh dill
• Juice of ½ lemon

For Serving

• Fresh cracked black pepper
• Cooked penne pasta
• Cooked rice

Instructions

1. Season the chicken Season the chicken thighs with salt, black pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder.
2. Brown Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Brown the chicken on both sides, then remove and set aside.
3. Cook the vegetables In the same pot, sauté the leek, carrots, celery, and onion for 5–7 minutes. Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted.
4. Simmer Return the chicken to the pot, pour in the chicken broth, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
5. Finish Stir in the parsley, dill, and lemon juice. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
6. Serve Serve hot with cracked black pepper and cooked penne or rice, if desired.

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Make Ahead

Make the soup up to 2 days ahead. Cook pasta or rice separately and add when serving.

A Note from Madeline May

Boneless chicken thighs can be shredded directly into the soup once tender. The flavor is even better the next day.

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A Recipe by Madeline May • madelinemayco.com

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