Absolutely Wonderful Chicken Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced, or more to taste
• 10 roma (plum) tomatoes, quartered
• 7 carrots, chopped
• 4 potatoes, chopped
• 3 zucchinis, chopped
• 3 yellow squash, chopped
• 1 large green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 large yellow bell pepper, chopped
• 1 large red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 chayote squash, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, or to taste (optional)
• 1 tablespoon tomato bouillon with chicken flavoring (such as Knorr®)

Directions

Method written by CompKitchen from the ingredient list. Not the original author's method, not kitchen-tested.

1. Place the whole chicken in a large stockpot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer and skim off any foam from the surface.

2. Add the sliced onion, minced garlic, and tomato bouillon to the pot. Simmer the chicken for about 50 minutes, until it reaches 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part of the thigh.

3. Lift the chicken out, let it cool slightly, then pull the meat from the bones and shred it into bite-size pieces. Return the bones to the broth and simmer 10 minutes, then strain if desired.

4. Add the chopped carrots and potatoes to the broth and simmer for 15 minutes, until they begin to soften.

5. Add the quartered tomatoes, chopped chayote, and the green, yellow, and red bell peppers. Simmer for 10 minutes.

6. Add the chopped zucchini and yellow squash and simmer for 10 minutes, until all the vegetables are tender.

7. Return the shredded chicken to the pot, stir in the chopped cilantro if using, and heat through for 5 minutes before serving.