Hey there, soup lovers! I’m SO excited to share with you one of my absolute favorite recipes: Chicken Cabbage Soup. This isn’t just any soup, this is a WARM bowl, perfect for a chilly day, when you’re feeling under the weather, or when you just want something healthy and DELICIOUS!
If you’re craving another hearty soup for dinner, you’ll love this Green Chili Chicken Soup zesty, comforting, and perfect for warming up your evening!
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Why Chicken Cabbage Soup?
Let’s be real for a second: sometimes, you just NEED something simple, wholesome, and satisfying. Chicken cabbage soup is exactly that! It’s packed with nutrients, easy to make, and tastes AMAZING! Think tender chicken, soft cabbage, and flavorful broth that will make your tastebuds sing. It is honestly one of those magical meals that comes together with not much effort but tastes like a LOT! The beauty is, it can fit even in a very BUSY week with its “dump everything in the pot” quality.
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Ingredients You’ll Need For Chicken Cabbage Soup
Here’s a list of what you’ll need to make this incredible soup:
- Chicken: About 1.5 to 2 pounds of bone-in, skin-on chicken. I think bone-in pieces add SO MUCH flavour to a simple broth! You can totally go with boneless chicken if that is what you like, but make sure that if you choose breast it doesnt cook to dry!.
- Cabbage: One medium head of green cabbage, roughly chopped. Green cabbage is so affordable and nutritious and gives amazing flavour here!
- Carrots: 2-3 carrots, peeled and sliced or diced. Carrots are such good sources of so many amazing vitamins that always provide nice colours to a dish!
- Onion: One large onion, diced. Just like garlic, onions build up FLAVOUR!.
- Celery: 2-3 celery stalks, sliced. I love a good crunch with the broth!.
- Garlic: 3-4 cloves of garlic, minced. If you like the bold taste add even more! We LOVE GARLIC.
- Chicken Broth: About 8-10 cups. Choose a high-quality brand for the BEST taste.
- Seasoning: Salt, pepper, dried thyme, bay leaf. SIMPLE seasonings.
- Olive Oil: A drizzle for sautéing veggies. Not a MUST have, you can make it healthy by just sauteeing on broth if you’re oil averse
- Optional Extras: Fresh parsley, lemon juice for serving. Fresh parsley for me is the BEST, especially with warm food. The freshness and earthiness always complements each other.
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Step-by-Step: How to Make Chicken Cabbage Soup
Okay, let’s get down to business. Making this soup is seriously a breeze, even for a beginner chef. Follow these easy steps:
Prep Time:
GET READY. Chop all your veggies: onion, garlic, carrots, celery, and cabbage. THIS SHOULD ONLY TAKE 20 MINUTES to prep. Get everything cut, cleaned and ready to cook!
Sauté Veggies:
In a large pot (I use a stockpot, something I CAN TRUST, for all my big batch recipes), drizzle some olive oil over medium heat. Add your chopped onions, carrots, and celery. Saute them for about 5-7 minutes, until they soften and start smelling delicious!
Add Garlic and Chicken:
Throw in your minced garlic and cook for another minute or two, until fragrant. I’m talking until you start to smell that amazing garlic-y scent – YOU’LL KNOW!. Now it’s time to add in your chicken pieces.
Pour the Broth:
Pour all of that chicken broth right on top. Season the broth with salt, pepper, a teaspoon of thyme and 2 bay leaves. Now, bring the broth to a boil! Let it start BOILING and after that bring down the fire to let the chicken simmer nicely.
Simmer Time:
Once the soup is boiling reduce heat to a low and let it all simmer gently. The chicken should get nice and tender (it’ll get pretty much falling of the bones at that time). THIS should be 45 minutes, about!
Shred the Chicken:
Take out the chicken, if they are whole legs like my sister in law used you can take out the meat now, shred it to your liking, I love it into pieces! When it’s cooler is EASIER to handle too!
Cabbage In:
Now add in the chopped cabbage. And bring it to the pot to simmer for about 15 minutes. The cabbage is better to go now after we take the chicken out, that way we will not be OVERCOOKING it. You don’t want that mushy texture. We need crunch in our bowls!.
Return Chicken:
Add the shredded chicken BACK into the soup and heat through, and you are GOOD TO GO. You’re done! You DID it! YAAAAY!!
Serve it UP:
Take out those bowls. If you like, some fresh chopped parsley makes a NICE touch. I also love a few drops of fresh lemon juice – it’s SO good!
EAT, and ENJOY:
A warm hug of nourishment and comfort is awaiting!
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Making it Your Own
I think that every good recipe is actually just a good foundation! It can be very open to personalization according to our taste or availability of products. And so is this chicken cabbage soup! Here are some fun ideas to play with the recipe, according to what we have in our pantry!.
- Spice it Up: Want a little KICK? Add some red pepper flakes to the broth. This will provide an EXTRA dimension for people who LOVE spice in their lives, and a perfect way to warm even a bad day up!.
- Add Other Veggies: You can easily add potatoes, sweet potatoes, zucchini, or turnips! Veggies ARE healthy! The more the merrier!
- Rice or Noodles: For more filling soup try adding some rice, quinoa or even noodles when adding the cabbage, that will increase its satiability, specially if that will be a dinner choice.
- Herbs Galore: Go wild wild on different herbs – dill, rosemary, or oregano would all work great in the dish!.
- Tomato Based: Do you love tomato based broth? You can use this very recipe, change the base of chicken broth for tomato sauce! Still super yum!.
- Lemon: For extra zest and a nice freshness add fresh lemon juice right before serving.
- Heavy Cream or Milk: Add just a dollop of heavy cream or milk just at the end of serving for an EXTRA creamier base.
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The Health Benefits
Besides tasting awesome, chicken cabbage soup is loaded with GOOD stuff. I am talking vitamins and nutrients, protein, and dietary fiber: it truly is A WHOLE FOOD.
- Packed with Nutrients: Cabbage, carrots, celery, they’re all loaded with vitamin that will boost your immune system. YES TO THAT!
- Lean Protein: Chicken is RICH with protein, that is necessary to build muscle, keeping you fuller for longer. This also makes the meal MUCH more balanced!
- Gut-Friendly: This is a recipe that is so GOOD for the GUT due to fiber!
- Hydrating: Soup helps keep you hydrated, something we forget about in the colder seasons.
- Weight Management: It’s filling, low in calories, making it an AMAZING meal if you’re focused on eating healthier!
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Tips and Tricks for the BEST Chicken Cabbage Soup EVER
To help make it an AMAZING chicken cabbage soup that you make OFTEN and enjoy FULLY I am providing a couple more pro tips!.
- Use Good Quality Broth: Trust me, good quality broth can take any simple soup up several notches!
- Do Not Overcook the Cabbage: No one wants mushy cabbage! Adding it after you remove the chicken helps to preserve some crunch and avoid any unpleasant mushiness.
- Bone-in, skin-on is best: That means MAXIMUM flavor.
- Taste as You Cook: Never forget that! Always check for salt and adjust all the flavours as you cook!. It really DOES make a difference!.
- Storage: You can freeze the chicken cabbage soup up to three months! After this period it will probably not keep its original form very well. But if you have a glass container (I recommend the usage for soups due to staining) they are great on the fridge too for up to three days!
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What to Serve With Your Chicken Cabbage Soup?
Okay! What to accompany a delicious, healthy, full of flavours Chicken cabbage soup? Well, I have your back!
- Crusty Bread: Seriously. Some crusty bread to soak up that yummy broth – yes please!
- Side Salad: A simple side salad will help make this meal EXTRA healthy.
- A Spoon of Sour Cream or Yogurt; Adds amazing depth and creaminess to an otherwise very basic broth! I HIGHLY recommend this trick if you have the opportunity!
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I AM SO HYPED for you to try this chicken cabbage soup recipe! I promise you, it is gonna be a game changer! It’s easy, healthy, flavorful and will make you come back again and again! Give this recipe a go, leave a comment here for how YOU and YOURS enjoyed!
Happy cooking and ENJOY this amazing, cozy meal.
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FAQs: Your Chicken Cabbage Soup Questions Answered
I’ve put together some of the most asked questions, that will make sure we leave NO question about this amazing soup unadressed!
Can I use boneless chicken?
YES! Although bone-in chicken adds a lot of flavor, boneless, skinless chicken works fine too. Just adjust your cooking times.
Can I add other veggies?
Absolutely! Add any veggies you enjoy – this recipe is VERY flexible!.
How long can I store it in the fridge?
This will last up to 3 days if stored correctly in an airtight container in your refrigerator
Can I freeze chicken cabbage soup?
Yes, it freezes well. Use freezer safe containers or freezer bags! It will be safe for around three months
How can I make this soup spicier?
You add a pinch or two of red pepper flakes, or hot sauce to taste while cooking, just be sure to not over spice, otherwise the soup wont taste as great!
Chicken Cabbage Soup for Quick Fat Burning
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Description
Healthy Fat-Burning Chicken Cabbage Soup that’s packed with tender chicken, crunchy cabbage, and hearty vegetables in a rich, savory broth.
Ingredients
- Chicken: 1.5–2 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (adds extra flavor! Boneless works too, but avoid overcooking chicken breast).
- Cabbage: 1 medium head green cabbage, roughly chopped (nutritious and affordable).
- Carrots: 2–3, peeled and sliced or diced (for color and vitamins).
- Onion: 1 large, diced (builds flavorful base).
- Celery: 2–3 stalks, sliced (adds crunch).
- Garlic: 3–4 cloves, minced (bold flavor, add extra if you LOVE garlic).
- Chicken Broth: 8–10 cups (high-quality for the best taste).
- Seasoning: Salt, pepper, 1 tsp dried thyme, 2 bay leaves.
- Olive Oil: Drizzle for sautéing veggies (or use broth for a lighter option).
- Optional Extras: Fresh parsley and lemon juice for serving (adds freshness).
Instructions
Prep Time:
Chop all your veggies: onion, garlic, carrots, celery, and cabbage.
Prep should take 20 minutes max!
Sauté Veggies:
Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat.
Add onions, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5–7 minutes until softened and fragrant.
Add Garlic and Chicken:
Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1–2 minutes until aromatic.
Place chicken pieces into the pot.
Pour the Broth:
Add chicken broth, salt, pepper, thyme, and bay leaves.
Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
Simmer Time:
Let the soup simmer for 45 minutes, allowing the chicken to cook through and become tender.
Shred the Chicken:
Remove the chicken from the pot and let it cool slightly.
Shred the meat and set it aside.
Cabbage In:
Add chopped cabbage to the simmering broth. Cook for 15 minutes, keeping the cabbage slightly crunchy.
Return Chicken:
Stir shredded chicken back into the pot. Let it heat through for a few minutes.
Serve It Up:
Ladle soup into bowls, garnish with fresh parsley, and add a squeeze of lemon juice if desired.
Notes
For Maximum Flavor: Sauté the vegetables until slightly golden to deepen their flavor. Don’t rush this step!
Shredding Chicken Made Easy: Let the cooked chicken cool slightly before shredding. Use two forks or your hands for easy shredding.
Don’t Overcook the Cabbage: Add the cabbage after the chicken is cooked and simmer only until tender-crisp for the best texture.
Upgrade the Garnish: Top with a dollop of sour cream, a sprinkle of Parmesan, or crunchy croutons for extra deliciousness.
Batch Cooking: Make a big batch and freeze individual portions for a quick and healthy meal later. It freezes well without the cabbage—add fresh cabbage when reheating.
Make It Low-Carb: Skip carrots if you’re watching carbs and add extra cabbage or even zucchini noodles.
Boost Nutrition: Stir in spinach or kale in the last few minutes for added greens.
Nutrition
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sodium: 4 g
- Fat: 6 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Protein: 20 g
