Collard Greens Chicken Vegetable Soup (Printable)

A hearty bowl featuring tender chicken, potatoes, and collard greens in flavorful broth.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Poultry

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 14 oz) or 3 thighs

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 large yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
04 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
05 - 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
06 - 4 cups collard greens, stems removed and leaves chopped
07 - 3 garlic cloves, minced

→ Broth & Seasonings

08 - 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
09 - 1 bay leaf
10 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
11 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Oil

13 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5-6 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add the chicken breasts or thighs to the pot, followed by the potatoes, chicken broth, bay leaf, thyme, oregano, salt, and pepper.
04 - Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
05 - Remove the chicken from the pot and shred with two forks.
06 - Return the shredded chicken to the soup. Add the chopped collard greens and simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes until the greens are tender.
07 - Discard the bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.
08 - Serve hot, garnished with fresh herbs if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's the kind of soup that tastes even better the next day, so weeknight cooking becomes weekend comfort without extra effort.
  • Collard greens pack more nutrition than you'd expect, and here they're soft enough that even skeptics ask for seconds.
  • One pot, straightforward timing, and the whole thing comes together in about an hour, which honestly beats anything you'd order.
02 -
  • Don't skip removing the bay leaf before serving—it looks harmless but tastes bitter and sharp if someone bites into it by accident, which I learned the uncomfortable way.
  • The greens will seem to take up half the pot when you first add them, but they wilt down dramatically once heat hits them, so resist the urge to hold back.
03 -
  • If your potatoes are taking forever to soften, cut them smaller next time or parboil them for five minutes before adding to the pot to speed everything along.
  • Taste the broth before you add the greens and adjust your salt then, because the greens themselves are fairly mild and won't mask under-seasoning.
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