This Homemade Chicken Soup Recipe is my absolute favorite and so easy to make from scratch. Made with a homemade broth and filled with onions, carrots, celery, and juicy shredded chicken, stay warm this winter with this beloved chicken soup.
The Best Chicken Soup
This classic chicken soup is my all-time favorite soup. Practically identical to my chicken noodle soup recipe, this noodle-free version is wholesome, delicious, and filled with zero processed carbohydrates. Whether you make your own broth or purchase pre-made, this wintertime staple is perfect for chilly nights, sore throats, good days, and bad days. It’s also my family’s favorite.
Filled with onions, carrots, and celery, feel free to add all your favorite vegetables including leeks, cucumber, parsnips, potatoes, and kale.
Ingredients
For the full list and amounts of ingredients, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Chicken: I have prepared this soup using chicken breasts, bone-in skin-on chicken thighs, boneless skinless chicken thighs, a combination of each, and every other combination you can imagine. While there is no “wrong” chicken for chicken soup, if you plan to prepare your own “quick” broth like I explain in this recipe (different from chicken stock or bone broth), I find that skinless bone-in chicken thighs are the best. The broth is flavorful, but not overly fatty and the chicken remains juicy- unlike chicken breasts which are prone to drying out from prolonged boiling.
Broth. Prepare your own or use your favorite store-bought broth, it’s totally up to you. In this recipe, I simply simmered chicken thighs in water for the broth base and it was perfect. For heartier broth recipes, check out my chicken stock or beef bone broth recipe.
Vegetables. Nearly every country has its own version of chicken soup. As such, each version will look and taste a little different from the next. The most common vegetables, however, include a mixture of onion, celery, and carrots (also known as the mirepoix).
Herbs. Keep it simple or go wild, the herbs you choose to flavor your soup is entirely up to you. In this version, I left things super simple and only added a touch of fresh chopped parsley after the soup was finished cooking. Other popular herbs, dried or fresh, include oregano, rosemary, and thyme.
How to Make Chicken Soup
To make this easy homemade chicken soup recipe you’ll need the following tools and equipment: Two large stockpots or Dutch ovens, cooking tongs, and cheesecloth or a fine-mesh strainer.
Step 1. Make your broth.
Add the chicken thighs to a large stockpot. Add approximately 3 quarts of cold water to the pot and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for approximately 30-45 minutes. If using chicken breasts, avoid cooking the chicken for longer than 30 minutes or so. Sometimes (not always) the chicken dries out and becomes chewy, rather than juicy.
- Pro-Tip: Cut back on cook time and use store-bought chicken stock with shredded rotisserie chicken. Adjust seasoning as needed.
Step 2. Cook the vegetables (mirepoix)
As the broth simmers, chop and prepare your vegetables. Heat one tablespoon olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for 4-5 minutes or until the onions start to soften and turn translucent.
Next, add the carrots and celery to the onions and mix well to combine. Continue to cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring often. In the last two minutes stir in the minced garlic and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix well to combine and add the bay leaves.
- Pro-tip. The mirepoix is not intended to be sauteed (or cooked quickly over medium to high heat). We want to cook these vegetables low and slow. If the mirepoix starts to brown or burn, reduce heat to medium-low.
Step 3. Strain the broth.
After the broth has finished simmering and the chicken is cooked, remove from heat. Use tongs to remove the chicken from the pot and transfer to a clean cutting board to cool. Carefully strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer into the same pot as the vegetables.
Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, use two forks (or your hands) to shred the chicken.
Step 5. Simmer & serve.
Add the shredded chicken and lemon juice to the pot and return soup to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes or until vegetables are fully cooked. Season with additional salt and pepper, to taste and garnish with fresh chopped parsley if desired.
ps- don’t forget to remove those bay leaves before serving.
How to Freeze Leftover Chicken Soup
To freeze, allow your soup to cool at room temperature before transferring to the refrigerator to cool completely. Next, transfer to freezer-friendly containers or double-bag in freezer-friendly zip-lock bags. Remove most of the air, leaving just a small amount of space to allow the liquid to expand as it freezes.
- To reheat, allow the soup to thaw in the fridge overnight, then transfer to a pot and cook until heated through.
- Keep frozen for up to 6-8 months.
But what about if you don’t plan to freeze the leftovers? Enjoy within 5 days, thoroughly reheating each time.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do you add flavor to chicken soup? For the best possible flavor, make your own stock or broth using fresh ingredients. Ditch the bouillon cubes (most contain MSG) and make as simple a homemade broth or as complex a broth as you would like. For extra flavor, brown your chicken pieces, add different vegetables or toss in some fresh herbs before simmering your broth.
- Can you put raw chicken in soup to cook? Yes. In my opinion, this is the best way to do it.
- How long does it take for chicken to cook in soup? It will take 30-45 minutes for raw chicken pieces to fully cook (or poach) in a pot of simmering broth.
More Chicken Soup Recipes,
- Aguadito de Pollo (Peruvian Chicken Soup)
- Greek Lemon Chicken Soup Recipe
- Chicken Enchilada Soup Recipe (Instant Pot)
- Easy Chicken Avocado Soup Recipe
- Healthy Buffalo Chicken Soup
If you try making this Homemade Chicken Soup Recipe, please leave me a comment and let me know! I always love to hear your thoughts.
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Chicken Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 10-12 bone-in skinless chicken thighs
- 3 quarts cold water
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 yellow onions (peeled and diced)
- 8 large carrots (peeled and chopped)
- 6 ribs celery (chopped)
- 5 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- Juice from one lemon
- 2 bay leaves
- fresh chopped parsley (to garnish)
Instructions
- Make your broth. Add the chicken thighs to a large stockpot. Add approximately 3-4 quarts of cold water to the pot and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for approximately 30-45 minutes.
- Cook the vegetables (mirepoix). As the broth simmers, chop and prepare your vegetables. Heat one tablespoon olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for 4-5 minutes or until the onions turn translucent. Add the carrots and celery to the onions and mix well to combine. Continue to cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring often. In the last two minutes stir in the minced garlic and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix well to combine and add the bay leaves. If the mirepoix starts to brown or burn, reduce heat to medium-low.
- Strain the broth. After the broth has finished simmering and the chicken is cooked, remove the broth from heat. Use tongs to remove the chicken from the pot and transfer to a clean cutting board to cool. Carefully strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer into the same pot as the vegetables.
- Shred the chicken. Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, use two forks (or your hands) to shred the chicken.
- Simmer. Add the shredded chicken and lemon juice to the pot and return soup to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes or until vegetables are fully cooked.
- Serve. Season with additional salt and pepper, to taste and garnish with fresh chopped parsley if desired.
Jessica's Notes
Nutritional Information
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)
Best ever!
Thanks for the best comment, Ella 😀
It’s the first time I made this recipe. The time estimate to complete is pretty much on the mark. The flavor is good. I’m debating whether to add noodles or boil them separately. I used two chicken leg quarters because I didn’t have any separate thighs. Worked fine. Thank you for the wonderful recipe.
I have made this recipe before. It is amazing. I love that it will auto adjust by putting in how many servings desired. Thank you:)
Thanks, Christine. Technology has definitely made cooking easier 🙂
The absolute BEST ever! Jessica, you are a true gem.
Thank you for the BEST comment Kim 🙂