Why This Chicken Vegetable Soup Meal Prep Works for the Week
The batch cooking approach means one pot Sunday morning handles lunches through Thursday. Jake inspects every bowl for “green stuff” but the carrots and celery are small enough he doesn’t even notice them.
Rachel texts me photos of her lunch containers during February tax season with actual heart emojis instead of the usual fire emojis she saves for spicy food. Emma helps me label containers with dates using painter’s tape every Sunday now.
✅ One pot feeds the whole family
✅ Reheats perfectly without getting mushy
✅ 5 day lunch plan in three hours
✅ Freezer friendly for backup weeks
✅ Low sodium when you control the broth
The low sodium chicken broth means I’m not worried about Jake getting too much salt at age five. After what happened in March 2022, controlling exactly what goes into our food matters more than convenience ever will
What Makes This Soup Meal Prep Gold
This chicken vegetable soup comes together with ingredients from Sendik’s Sunday morning run. The chicken breast cooks right in the broth, so you’re building flavor while batch cooking.
✔ Chicken breast : boneless, skinless, stays tender when reheated all week
✔ Carrots celery onion : classic mirepoix base Dad always used for catering batches
✔ Low sodium chicken broth : lets you control salt levels for the whole family
✔ Bay leaf and thyme : dried herbs that actually get better after a day in the fridge
✔ Frozen mixed vegetables : green beans and corn add color without extra Sunday morning chopping
The frozen vegetables shortcut saves twenty minutes of prep time, which matters when Emma’s asking what we’re making and Jake’s inspecting the celery pieces.
How to Batch Cook This Sunday Morning
Sunday chicken vegetable soup meal prep takes about ninety minutes start to finish, including cool and portion time. Pepper sleeps in the open kitchen cabinet during the whole session like always.
- Sauté the mirepoix in butter until the onion turns translucent and your kitchen smells amazing
- Add garlic and spices for thirty seconds until fragrant but not burned
- Pour in the broth along with chicken breast and let everything simmer together
- Cook chicken through for about twenty minutes until it shreds easily with two forks
- Shred the chicken right in the pot and add all your vegetables
- Simmer everything for fifteen more minutes until carrots are fork tender
- Cool properly at room temp for thirty minutes before portioning into airtight meal prep containers
- Label with dates using painter’s tape and store in the coldest part of your fridge
That cooling step before containers? Not negotiable. Dad’s voice still echoes: “Good food keeps people alive. Bad food storage kills them.”
Switch It Up Without Extra Work
Sometimes chicken vegetable soup meal prep needs variety by Wednesday, and these swaps keep things interesting without starting from scratch.
Swap the Protein
Turkey breast works just as well if that’s what’s on sale at Costco this week. I’ve done this during post-Thanksgiving weeks when we have extra turkey in the freezer, or we make turkey meatball meal prep instead.
The cooking time stays exactly the same. Jake doesn’t notice the difference if there’s enough broth.
Make It Freezer Friendly
Skip adding any starchy vegetables if you’re planning to freeze portions. Starchy vegetables can absorb water during freezing and thawing, making them mushy when reheated.
Add fresh vegetables to individual portions when you reheat instead. Rachel discovered this works better for her February lunch routine.
Boost the Veggies
Double the frozen mixed vegetables for a heartier soup that feels more like a meal. Emma actually requests this version now because she likes finding “treasure vegetables” in her purple container.
Just make sure your containers have enough room for the extra volume.
First time I tried meal prepping soup, I learned the hard way that hot liquid plus sealed containers equals either cracked glass or leaked plastic everywhere.
Sunday Prep Strategy That Actually Works
The container situation matters more than you’d think for soup meal prep. After the dollar store plastic disaster that soaked Jake’s backpack with adobo sauce, I only use specific setups now.
Glass containers with vented lids prevent the condensation problem that ruins good soup by Wednesday. Wide mouth openings make microwave reheating way easier at work.
Glass containers with vented lids prevent the condensation problem that ruins good soup by Wednesday, and divided ones shine for chicken curry meal prep. Wide mouth openings make microwave reheating way easier at work.
Store soup in the fridge for up to 4 days in airtight containers, but I push it to five days if everything cooled properly Sunday and stayed under 40°F the whole time. Label everything with dates so Wednesday morning brain fog doesn’t make you guess.
Cool soup completely before sealing any containers. I learned this from watching Dad prep dozens of portions for catering events back in Daly City. Hot soup creates steam, steam creates moisture, moisture creates the perfect environment for bacteria between 40°F and 140°F.
What to Serve With Your Soup Bowls
At home, we serve this chicken vegetable soup different ways depending on the day and who’s eating.
Crusty Bread on the Side
The bakery at Sendik’s makes sourdough that Emma calls “the crunchy bread.” She dips it in her soup until the bread gets soggy and then complains it’s too soggy, but she eats every bite anyway.
Toast it lightly before packing if you’re bringing it to work. Keeps the texture better in your lunch bag.
Over Rice for Heartier Meals
Rachel discovered this during her first tax season after I started meal prepping. She reheats her soup portion, adds a scoop of leftover rice from chicken rice broccoli meal prep, and suddenly lunch feels like an actual meal instead of just soup.
The rice soaks up extra broth and makes the whole thing more filling.
With a Simple Green Salad
Baby spinach from the Wednesday evening Sendik’s run stays crisp next to hot soup if you pack them separately. Light vinaigrette on the side keeps things fresh tasting even by Friday.
Jake won’t touch this version but Emma requests it weekly.
Now here’s the part where meal prep really proves its worth during busy Wisconsin winters.
Keeping Your Soup Safe All Week
Storage isn’t optional when you’re feeding your family meal prepped soup. Leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days, and I push mine to five when I know the batch cooling and portioning happened correctly Sunday morning.
Storage
- At room temperature: Two hours maximum after cooking, one hour if your kitchen is above 90°F during summer
- In the fridge: Five days in airtight meal prep containers, labeled with date, stored away from the door where temps fluctuate
- In the freezer: Three months in freezer safe containers, leave headspace for expansion, thaw overnight in fridge before reheating
Reheating
Microwave reheating works perfectly for chicken vegetable soup meal prep. Cover your container loosely to let steam escape, heat for two to three minutes, stir halfway through, and check that the center is steaming hot before eating.
Stovetop reheating gives you better control over texture. Pour your portion into a small pot, heat over medium until it bubbles gently, and you’re done.
The vegetables stay firmer with stovetop method. Rachel prefers microwave because she’s eating at her desk during tax season anyway.
Anti-waste tip
Day five soup that’s pushing the safety limit? Pour it over cooked pasta with extra parmesan for a completely different meal. Jake ate this version three times before realizing it was “that vegetable soup” he usually inspects for green stuff.
Real talk, most people ask me the same questions every time I mention soup meal prep.
The Complete Weekly Recipe
This is what I prep every other Sunday when our meal rotation needs something warm and Wisconsin winter appropriate. Emma drags her step stool to watch the chicken go into the pot now.
Chicken Vegetable Soup Meal Prep
Equipment
- Large stock pot or Dutch oven
- Sharp knife
- Cutting board
- wooden spoon
- Airtight meal prep containers with vented lids
- Painter’s tape for labeling
Ingredients
- 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/4 lbs chicken breast boneless and skinless
- salt and black pepper to season
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 small yellow onion finely diced
- 3/4 cup carrots diced
- 2 ribs celery chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 7 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups frozen mixed vegetables green beans and corn work perfectly
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 bay leaves for simmering
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in your largest pot over medium heat and season chicken breast with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Sear chicken for about 3 minutes per side until golden but not cooked through; remove to a plate and set aside.
- Add butter to the same pot and sauté the diced onion, carrots, and celery until the onion turns translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in minced garlic, hot sauce, and Worcestershire sauce for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in the low sodium chicken broth and return the seared chicken to the pot along with the bay leaves.
- Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover partially, and cook for about 20 minutes until the chicken shreds easily.
- Remove chicken to a cutting board, shred with two forks, then return the shredded chicken to the pot with frozen mixed vegetables, dried parsley, dried basil, dried oregano, mustard powder, and black pepper.
- Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes until vegetables are tender and flavors meld; remove bay leaves and adjust salt to taste.
- Cool the soup at room temperature for 30 minutes before portioning into 5–6 airtight meal prep containers.
- Label each container with the date using painter’s tape and refrigerate promptly.
Notes
- Storage: Refrigerate portions in airtight containers for up to 4–5 days; keep them away from the door where temps fluctuate. Do not leave soup at room temperature longer than 2 hours (1 hour if above 90°F).
- Freezer: Freeze up to 3 months in freezer-safe containers. Leave headspace for expansion and thaw overnight in the fridge. For best texture when freezing, skip starchy vegetables and add fresh veg when reheating.
- Reheating: Microwave 2–3 minutes loosely covered, stirring halfway until steaming hot. Stovetop: warm over medium heat until gently bubbling for firmer vegetables.
- Meal prep timing: Plan about 60 minutes active cooking plus 30 minutes cooling before sealing lids. Portion slightly warm for even dividing, then cool fully before sealing.
- Food safety: Cool quickly, label with dates, and keep under 40°F. Ensure chicken reaches 165°F before shredding.
- Container tips: Use glass containers with vented lids for less condensation and easier reheating.
- Day-five refresh: If you’re at the end of the storage window, pour over cooked pasta with parmesan for a new meal.
Your Soup Prep Questions Answered
Sunday morning while I’m portioning soup into containers, Rachel always has at least one new question about how long things actually last.
How to meal prep chicken vegetable soup for the week?
Cook a large batch Sunday, cool completely for thirty minutes, portion into airtight containers, label with dates, and store in the coldest part of your fridge for up to five days.
Can you freeze chicken vegetable soup meal prep?
Yes, freeze in portions for up to three months. Skip starchy vegetables if freezing, and always thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating for best texture.
How long does chicken vegetable soup last in the fridge?
Three to four days safely, five days if cooled and stored properly immediately after cooking. Always label containers with prep dates to track freshness.
What are the best containers for chicken vegetable soup lunches?
Glass containers with vented snap lids prevent condensation and are ferret proof. Wide mouth openings make microwave reheating easier at work or school.
Share Your Sunday Soup Session
This chicken vegetable soup meal prep saved our Wednesday nights after I realized ordering pizza twice a week was costing more than our Sendik’s Sunday haul. Emma asks to help portion it now, and Jake actually eats vegetables when they’re swimming in enough broth.
Leave a comment if you try this recipe. I want to know if your kids inspect for green stuff as thoroughly as mine do.
Post a photo of your meal prep containers on Sunday and tag #NextWeekMeals or @NextWeekMeals so I can see how you’re handling the Wisconsin winter lunch situation. If you’re looking for more batch cooking recipes that actually last all week, like lasagna meal prep, the newsletter has what I test on my own family before sharing anywhere else.
