Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 3 medium leeks white and light green parts only, sliced
- 3 carrots sliced
- 3 ribs celery sliced
- 1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes diced
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
- 1/2 cup half-and-half
- Kosher salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley chopped, for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts in a large soup pot or Dutch oven. Pour in enough chicken broth to cover the chicken by about an inch. If necessary, add water to achieve this level. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then lower the heat and let it simmer for 15 minutes.
- Once cooked, transfer the chicken to a plate to cool. When it's cool enough to handle, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
- While the chicken is cooling, add the leeks, carrots, celery, potatoes, and dried thyme to the broth in the pot. Bring the broth back to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.
- Stir the shredded chicken and half-and-half into the pot with the broth and vegetables.
- Season the soup to taste with the kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Continue to cook and stir the soup over medium heat until it's thoroughly heated, about 7-10 minutes more.
- Serve the soup while hot, garnished with chopped fresh parsley if desired.