A big-ass bowl of comfort, perfect for a cold winter night. I use (and ADORE) my Le Creuset enameled cast-iron dutch oven to make this – and any soup, for that matter. It seems silly that a pot should make that much of a difference, but trust me, it does.
In a large dutch oven or soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the chicken, season with a little salt and pepper, then cook about 5 minutes or so, until underside is golden. Flip, season again, and cook another 5 minutes or so, until underside is golden. Remove chicken to a plate and set aside.
Add onion, carrots and celery to the pot, season with a little salt and pepper, and stir occasionally, cooking until onions are translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
Stir in garlic and thyme, cooking another minute or so, just until garlic is fragrant, but not browned.
Remove and discard skin from chicken and place chicken back in pot. Add chicken broth and stir.
Raise the heat and bring broth to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer covered for about 40 minutes.
Remove chicken from the broth, cut into bite-size pieces and return chicken pieces to broth, discarding the bones.
Add peas and green beans and stir to incorporate. Cook another 5 minutes or so, just to heat the veggies through.
Season to taste with sea salt and pepper.
Enjoy curled up under a blankie for extra comfort.