Ranch Chicken Veggie Soup (Printable Version)

Creamy vegetable chowder with tender ranch-seasoned chicken and fresh herbs

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon salt
04 - ½ teaspoon black pepper

→ Vegetables

05 - 1 large yellow onion, diced
06 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
07 - 2 celery stalks, diced
08 - 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
09 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
10 - 2 cups frozen or fresh corn kernels
11 - 3 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
12 - 3 garlic cloves, minced

→ Broth and Dairy

13 - 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
14 - 1 cup half-and-half or whole milk
15 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
16 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour blend

→ Seasonings and Herbs

17 - 2 tablespoons dry ranch seasoning mix
18 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
19 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
20 - ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
21 - Fresh chives for garnish, optional

# How-To Steps:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper, add to the pot, and sear for 3 to 4 minutes per side until lightly browned. Remove and set aside.
02 - In the same pot, add butter. Once melted, add onion, carrots, celery, and bell pepper. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute.
03 - Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and stir for 1 to 2 minutes to cook out the raw taste.
04 - Gradually pour in chicken broth, stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Add potatoes, corn, ranch seasoning, thyme, and smoked paprika. Return chicken breasts to the pot.
05 - Bring to a gentle boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 18 to 20 minutes until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender.
06 - Remove chicken breasts, shred with two forks, then return shredded chicken to the soup. Stir in half-and-half or milk and spinach. Simmer for 3 to 5 more minutes until spinach is wilted and soup is creamy.
07 - Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with parsley and fresh chives.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It feels like comfort wrapped in a bowl, the kind of meal that makes you feel genuinely cared for.
  • You can have dinner on the table in under an hour, which means less stress and more actual time to enjoy eating.
  • The ranch seasoning does heavy lifting without tasting artificial, creating that creamy, herbaceous magic with minimal effort.
02 -
  • Don't skip the flour step even if you're tempted to rush, because it's what transforms broth into something creamy and luxurious without curdling the dairy.
  • Shredding the chicken after it's cooked rather than before keeps it tender and prevents it from becoming stringy and tough.
  • Add the spinach right before serving because cooked spinach can turn dark and murky if it sits in the hot soup for too long.
03 -
  • Make your own ranch seasoning if store-bought doesn't feel right to you, and you'll taste the difference immediately.
  • Toast your broth carefully so it never boils hard, which can make the vegetables mushy and your soup cloudy.
  • Use half-and-half instead of milk if you're making this for people you want to impress, because the difference is noticeable and worth it.
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