Tag: #ChickenSoup

Posted in Jar Mixes (Meal Starters)

Homemade Chicken & Vegetable Soup Mix

Posted on by simplegoodfood

There is something wonderfully practical about having a jar on the pantry shelf that can become dinner.

This Homemade Chicken & Vegetable Soup Mix is built from dehydrated and shelf-stable ingredients, portioned specifically for a small household.

Instead of opening several cans of vegetables every time you want soup, you measure the dry ingredients into a jar ahead of time. When you’re ready for soup, add water or broth, simmer until the vegetables are tender, and add chicken.

It’s the kind of pantry convenience that makes sense to me: make it once, store it, and have a small meal ready when you need it.

Why You’ll Love This Soup Mix

  • Makes a small batch suitable for one or two people
  • Uses dehydrated and pantry ingredients
  • Doesn’t require refrigerator or freezer space for the mix
  • Lets you use your own dehydrated vegetables
  • Can be prepared several jars at a time
  • Makes a practical lunch or light dinner
  • Easy to customize
  • A good way to use small amounts of dehydrated vegetables

Recipe Information

Yield: 1 soup mix
Mix Container: 1 half-pint (8-ounce) Mason jar
Finished Servings: 2
Serving Size: About 1½ cups prepared soup
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25–35 minutes
Total Time: About 40 minutes
Meal Category: Soups, Stews & Chili
Main Protein: Chicken
Estimated Calories: About 250–300 per serving, depending on the chicken and broth used

simplegoodfood's avatarsimplegoodfood

Homemade Chicken & Vegetable soup

There is something wonderfully practical about having a jar on the pantry shelf that can become dinner.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 2
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Soup
Cuisine: American
Calories: 300
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry Mix
  • ¼ cup dehydrated chicken finely chopped or shredded
  • 2 tablespoons dehydrated carrots
  • 2 tablespoons dehydrated peas
  • 2 tablespoons dehydrated corn
  • 2 tablespoons dehydrated onion
  • 2 tablespoons dehydrated celery if available
  • ¼ cup dehydrated potato diced small
  • 1 tablespoon dry parsley
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon powder
To Prepare the Soup
  • 3 cups water or chicken broth
  • 1 soup mix
  • 1 tablespoon additional dehydrated chicken optional

Method
 

  1. You will need one clean, completely dry 8-ounce (half-pint) Mason jar with a tight-fitting lid.
  2. Place all of the dry ingredients into the jar.
  3. Layering the ingredients can make the jar look attractive, but mixing everything together is perfectly fine.
  4. Seal the container tightly.
Label it:
  1. Chicken & Vegetable Soup Mix
  2. Makes 2 servings
  3. Add 3 cups water or broth
  4. Simmer 25–35 minutes
  5. Add fresh or canned chicken if desired
  6. Prepared: __________
  7. Store the finished mix in a cool, dry place according to the storage recommendations for your individual dehydrated ingredients.
  8. Important: Because the volume of dehydrated ingredients can vary depending on how finely they are cut and how thoroughly they are dried, don’t pack the ingredients tightly into the jar. If your particular batch does not comfortably fit an 8-ounce jar, use the next larger container rather than compressing the ingredients.
How to Make the Soup
    Start the vegetables
    1. Place the soup mix in a small saucepan.
    2. Add 3 cups of water or chicken broth.
    3. Stir well.
    4. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.
    Let the vegetables rehydrate
    1. Cover loosely and simmer for about 20–25 minutes.
    2. Stir occasionally.
    3. The exact cooking time will depend on how finely your vegetables were cut and how thoroughly they were dehydrated.
    4. The potatoes and carrots should be tender before moving on.
    Add chicken if needed
    1. If you used dehydrated chicken in the mix, continue simmering until the chicken is fully rehydrated and heated through.
    2. If you’re using canned chicken instead, drain and add it during the last 5–10 minutes of cooking.
    3. This is also an excellent place to use leftover cooked chicken.
    Adjust the soup
    1. Taste the broth.
    2. Add more water or broth if the soup is thicker than you prefer.
    3. Adjust the seasoning if necessary.
    4. Serve hot.

    Notes

    Kitchen Confidence

    This is a formula, not a recipe that has to be followed to the teaspoon.
    That’s one of the advantages of making your own soup mixes.
    You can change the vegetables based on what you’ve dehydrated.
    No peas?
    Use green beans.
    No celery?
    Leave it out.
    Have extra dehydrated onions?
    Use them.
    Have dehydrated potatoes but no carrots?
    That’s perfectly fine.
    The important thing is keeping the proportions reasonable and making sure all of your ingredients are properly dehydrated and completely dry before assembling the mix.

    Build Your Own Vegetable Combination

    Think of this mix as a starting point.

    You might make:

    Chicken + Carrot + Pea + Potato

    or

    Chicken + Corn + Green Bean + Potato

    or

    Chicken + Mixed Vegetable + Onion

    You could even make several different jars so that opening one doesn’t always mean eating exactly the same soup.

    That’s the beauty of doing your own preservation.

    You’re building a pantry around the foods you like.

    Stretch Every Grocery Dollar

    This mix is particularly useful for using vegetables that you’ve dehydrated yourself.

    A small amount of several different vegetables might not look like much individually.

    Together, they make soup.

    That’s a great way to get more value from produce purchased when it’s inexpensive or plentiful.

    And because you’re making a small jar at a time, you don’t need to commit a huge quantity of your dehydrated food to one recipe.

    Waste Not, Want Not

    Soup is one of the best ways to use small quantities.

    A tablespoon or two of dehydrated vegetables that isn’t enough for another meal can become part of a soup mix.

    The same goes for small amounts of dehydrated chicken.

    Instead of having several nearly empty jars taking up space, combine compatible ingredients into a meal.

    Just be sure that every ingredient going into the mix is completely dry and suitable for long-term storage.

    Cooking for One or Two

    This recipe intentionally makes only two servings.

    For one person, that’s dinner tonight and lunch tomorrow.

    Or make half the mix if you prefer truly single-serving portions.

    You can also prepare several jars at once and keep them ready for busy days.

    That’s where homemade convenience mixes really start to earn their keep.

    Meal Prep Note

    If you’re already dehydrating vegetables, consider assembling several soup mixes while everything is out.

    Prepare the jars, label them, and store them together.

    Then you’ve created your own small-batch convenience food without having to purchase a commercial soup mix.

    For your own pantry, you could even keep a few different versions:

    • Chicken & Vegetable
    • Chicken & Potato
    • Chicken & Rice
    • Chicken & Noodle

    That gives you variety without requiring a large collection of ingredients.

    Storage & Food Safety

    The finished soup mix should be stored only after you are certain that every dehydrated ingredient is properly dried and cooled.

    Keep the mix in an airtight container in a cool, dry, dark location.

    For specific dehydration temperatures, preparation methods, and storage recommendations, follow tested food-preservation guidance for the individual ingredients.

    When working with dehydrated foods, it’s especially important not to improvise on food-safety steps simply because the ingredients are going into a soup mix.

    One Jar, Two Bowls of Soup

    This is exactly the kind of pantry convenience I want to explore during Pantry to Table.

    Not a giant emergency-food bucket.

    Not a shelf full of things nobody remembers buying.

    Just a small jar containing ingredients you’ve already prepared and know you’ll eat.

    Add broth.

    Add heat.

    Give it time to rehydrate.

    And you’ve got soup.

    That’s a pantry doing its job.

    Posted in Kitchen Tips, Seasonal, Soups & Stews

    Freezer Clean-Out Vegetable Soup

    Posted on by simplegoodfood

    There comes a point when a freezer needs more than another package added to it.

    It needs a little cleaning out.

    That’s not a failure of freezer planning. It’s actually part of successful food preservation.

    All week, we’ve been talking about putting food back: freezing green beans while they’re plentiful, saving cooked chicken for another meal, portioning vegetables for future dinners, and keeping an inventory so we know what we have.

    Now it’s time to use some of it.

    This Freezer Clean-Out Vegetable Soup is exactly the kind of meal I want waiting at the end of a week like this. It’s flexible, comforting, economical, and designed around the odds and ends already living in your freezer.

    You don’t need exactly the vegetables listed below.

    Look in the freezer. See what needs to be used. Make soup.

    Why You’ll Love This Recipe

    • A practical way to use assorted frozen vegetables.
    • Perfect for small amounts of several different vegetables.
    • A great home for leftover cooked chicken, turkey, or beef.
    • Makes about 6 cups, or 4 smaller servings.
    • Uses inexpensive pantry staples.
    • Naturally adaptable to whatever you have available.
    • Helps prevent preserved food from becoming forgotten food.
    • Freezes well, making it possible to enjoy some now and save the rest.
    simplegoodfood's avatarsimplegoodfood

    Freezer Clean-Out Vegetable Soup

    This Freezer Clean-Out Vegetable Soup is exactly the kind of meal I want waiting at the end of a week like this.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 25 minutes
    Total Time 35 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Course: Dinner, Lunch, Soup
    Cuisine: American
    Calories: 400
    Ingredients Method Notes

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1/2 cup diced onion
    • 1 medium carrot diced
    • 1 celery stalk diced
    • 1 clove garlic minced, or 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
    • 1 can 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes, undrained
    • 2 cups assorted frozen vegetables
    • 1 cup cooked chicken chopped or shredded
    • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
    • 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
    • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
    • 1/2 cup cooked pasta rice, or diced cooked potatoes, optional
    • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley optional, for serving

    Method
     

    Start With the Fresh Vegetables
    1. Heat the olive oil in a 4-quart saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat.
    2. Add the onion, carrot, and celery.
    3. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.
    4. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
    5. If you’re using garlic powder instead, add it with the other seasonings later.
    Build the Soup
    1. Add the broth and diced tomatoes.
    2. Stir in the thyme, parsley, black pepper, and salt.
    3. Bring the soup to a gentle boil.
    4. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, giving the fresh vegetables time to become tender.
    Clean Out That Freezer
    1. Now comes the fun part.
    2. Add your 2 cups of assorted frozen vegetables.
    3. This is where you get to look at what you actually have.
    4. Green beans?
    5. Absolutely.
    6. Corn?
    7. Throw it in.
    8. Peas?
    9. Perfect.
    10. Mixed vegetables?
    11. That’s practically what this recipe was waiting for.
    12. A few broccoli florets? Some frozen carrots? Peppers? Zucchini?
    13. All fair game.
    14. You don’t have to use exactly two cups, either. If you have a little more or a little less, adjust the amount of broth to keep the soup consistency you like.
    Add the Chicken
    1. Stir in the cooked chicken.
    2. Simmer for another 8–10 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and everything is heated through.
    3. If you’re using previously frozen cooked chicken, make sure it has been thawed safely and reheated thoroughly.
    Add a Little Something Extra
    1. If you have leftover cooked rice, pasta, or potatoes, this is a wonderful place to use them.
    2. Add about 1/2 cup during the last few minutes of cooking, just long enough to heat through.
    3. This is optional, but it can turn a simple vegetable soup into a more substantial meal.
    Taste and Adjust
    1. Taste the soup.
    2. Does it need more salt?
    3. A little more thyme?
    4. Another splash of broth?
    5. Adjust it to suit what you’ve put into the pot.
    6. Remember that your vegetables and broth may already contain salt, so it’s better to start conservatively and add more if needed.
    Serve
    1. Ladle the hot soup into bowls and finish with fresh parsley if you have it.
    2. Serve with a piece of crusty bread, crackers, or a simple sandwich if you’d like.
    3. Or just enjoy a bowl of soup.
    4. Sometimes that’s enough.

    Notes

    What Counts as a “Freezer Clean-Out” Vegetable?

    Almost anything that’s appropriate for soup.
    Here’s a handy way to think about it.

    Great Choices

    • Green beans
    • Corn
    • Peas
    • Carrots
    • Mixed vegetables
    • Broccoli
    • Cauliflower
    • Diced peppers
    • Spinach
    • Zucchini
    • Shelled lima beans
    You can combine several vegetables or use just one or two.

    Vegetables That Cook Quickly

    Tender vegetables such as peas, corn, and spinach generally don’t need as much cooking time.
    Add them toward the end.

    Vegetables That Need More Time

    Carrots, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, and similar vegetables may need a little longer to become tender.
    That’s why they’re added before the final few minutes of cooking.
    The beauty of a clean-out soup is that you can adjust the timing based on what’s actually in your pot.

    Change the Protein

    Chicken is a natural fit, but it isn’t required.

    Try:

    • Cooked turkey
    • Leftover roast beef
    • Cooked pork
    • Beans
    • Lentils

    Or leave the meat out completely.

    If you have several small amounts of cooked meat in the freezer, this is a great opportunity to use them rather than letting them become permanent freezer residents.

    Change the Flavor

    The recipe above is intentionally mild.

    But you can take the soup in different directions without completely changing the basic idea.

    For a more Italian-style soup, add Italian seasoning and a little Parmesan when serving.

    For a chicken-and-herb soup, use thyme, parsley, and a little rosemary.

    For a tomato-rich vegetable soup, add another small can of tomatoes.

    For a heartier meal, add cooked pasta, rice, barley, or potatoes.

    The point isn’t to follow a rigid recipe.

    It’s to have a reliable framework for using what you already have.

    Stretch Every Grocery Dollar

    This may be one of the most economical recipes you’ll make all month.

    The broth and canned tomatoes form the foundation.

    The vegetables can come from your freezer.

    The chicken can be leftover or previously meal-prepped.

    The rice, pasta, or potatoes can be leftovers.

    You’re taking ingredients that might otherwise sit around separately and turning them into one satisfying meal.

    That’s not just economical.

    It’s smart cooking.

    Waste Not, Want Not

    This is probably the most important section of this particular recipe.

    A freezer clean-out isn’t an excuse to throw away food simply because it has been frozen for a while.

    Instead, it’s an opportunity to pay attention to what you have and use food while it’s still at its best quality.

    That’s why labeling and inventory matter.

    If you’ve been dating your freezer packages and rotating older food forward, you already have a head start.

    And if you discover something you no longer remember putting away?

    That’s a pretty good sign that it’s time for a freezer reset.

    Cooking for One or Two

    This recipe makes about 6 cups, which gives you approximately 4 servings of 1½ cups each.

    For one person, that’s several easy meals.

    For two people, it’s dinner with leftovers.

    If you’d rather make a smaller batch, simply cut the ingredients approximately in half.

    This is also one of those recipes where a little variation isn’t going to hurt anything.

    Don’t have exactly 2 cups of vegetables?

    Use what you have.

    Have extra chicken?

    Add it.

    Have only one kind of vegetable?

    That’s fine, too.

    Soup is forgiving.

    Meal Prep Note

    Soup is one of my favorite foods to prepare ahead.

    Once cooled appropriately, portion the soup into containers sized for the meals you expect to eat.

    Keep what you’ll use soon in the refrigerator and freeze the rest if desired.

    For the best quality, leave appropriate space in freezer containers for expansion and label them with the contents and date.

    The National Center for Home Food Preservation’s guidance on packaging and labeling frozen foods offers useful recommendations for choosing containers, allowing for expansion, and labeling frozen foods.

    Storage & Freezing

    Refrigerate leftover soup promptly in shallow containers so it cools more quickly.

    For best quality, refrigerated leftovers should generally be eaten within 3–4 days.

    If you want to freeze the soup, portion it into freezer-safe containers, leaving appropriate headspace for expansion. Label each container with the name and date.

    The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service guidance on leftovers and food safety provides current recommendations for cooling, storing, reheating, and using leftovers safely.

    When reheating soup, heat it thoroughly before serving.

    A Little Freezer Math

    Here’s something I hope you notice about this recipe.

    Earlier this week, we froze green beans.

    We talked about cooked chicken as a freezer ingredient.

    We discussed portioning food according to future meals.

    We started an inventory.

    And now we’re using those things.

    That’s the cycle.

    Buy or harvest.

    Prepare.

    Preserve.

    Organize.

    Use.

    Then do it again.

    That’s a much healthier freezer habit than simply adding more and more food.

    Preserving Food Is Only Half the Job

    A freezer full of carefully preserved food can feel like an accomplishment.

    And it is.

    But there’s another step.

    Eat it.

    If you never use the green beans, they weren’t really helping you.

    If the cooked chicken sits untouched for a year, it wasn’t much of a meal plan.

    If your freezer is so full that you can’t see what you have, the abundance has become a problem instead of a solution.

    Successful preservation isn’t measured by how full the freezer is.

    It’s measured by how often that food makes your life easier.

    Today’s Harvest, Tomorrow’s Dinner

    This soup is a fitting way to finish our week because it doesn’t require perfection.

    It doesn’t care whether you froze your vegetables in matching containers.

    It doesn’t care whether you have exactly the right combination of vegetables.

    It doesn’t even care whether you planned this meal last Tuesday.

    It simply asks:

    What’s in the freezer that needs to become dinner?

    Pull out a few vegetables.

    Add some chicken.

    Open a can of tomatoes.

    Pour in some broth.

    Give everything a little time together in the pot.

    And there you are.

    Dinner.

    That’s the whole philosophy behind “Today’s Harvest is Tomorrow’s Dinner.”

    Put a little back when food is plentiful.

    Know what you have.

    Use what you saved.

    And when the freezer needs a little breathing room, make soup.

    Preservation isn’t successful because we saved the food.

    It’s successful because we eventually enjoyed it.