This Homemade Chicken Soup recipe is one that my kids beg for almost on a daily basis. It’s fresh and warm and comforting, and made almost completely from scratch!
We are huge fans of soup in our house. I have 4 or 5 that I make on at least a monthly basis, like my Turkey, Kale and Rice Soup, Hamburger Soup and this Homemade Chicken Soup.
Easy Homemade Chicken Soup Recipe
Chicken soup is often the “prescription” most people offer when you’re not feeling well. It’s comforting and soothing and sentimental. There are plenty of canned options out there when you need a quick chicken soup fix, but my preferred method is this from scratch chicken soup recipe you can make at home in under an hour.
My grandma’s chicken soup was almost always accompanied by Matzo Balls, and was always made from scratch. These days, when I make her recipe, I take a few liberties with the “from scratch” purely to save a little time, but the results are just as delicious.
My secret shortcut when making chicken soup from scratch is to cook boneless, skinless chicken breasts and thighs in store-bought chicken stock. This helps to flavor the chicken without taking as much time. You could definitely make your own chicken stock if you have the time, but I never think that far ahead. I do however always have chicken stock or chicken broth on hand.
How to Make Chicken Soup (Almost) from Scratch
When I say almost from scratch, I use fresh ingredients but I use a store-bought chicken stock to save a little time. There aren’t a ton of preservatives in the store-bought box stuff so I don’t worry about feeding it to my family. Let’s talk about the steps to making the best chicken soup!
- Cook the chicken. Cook the chicken in equal parts chicken stock and salted water, then shred the chicken into large chunks. Strain any chicken pieces or fat out of the the leftover stock so I just have the liquid, then set it aside. Note – you can use bone-in chicken if you like, it will just need to be cooked longer, and then the meat picked off the bones.
- Saute the vegetables. I always cook the veggies and herbs in a little olive oil before for a few minutes to soften them and bring out their flavor before adding the leftover stock.
- Simmer. The veggies, chicken and herbs simmer together in the chicken stock for about 20 minutes (or longer for an even richer flavor), and then you’re ready to serve! You can add some cooked pasta or rice but I don’t think it’s always necessary. If you do, be sure to cook the pasta or rice first and don’t just dump it all uncooked into the soup. If you have leftovers, store the soup and the pasta or rice separately or it will get mushy as it soaks up broth as it sits. As the pasta or rice releases starch, it will also thicken the soup which you probably don’t want.
All in all it takes about an hour and you’ve got fresh, hearty, homemade chicken soup that will cure whatever ails you.
Flavoring Your Soup
The herbs that you use are what is going to really impart the most flavor to your chicken soup. I used fresh thyme and parsley, dried oregano, bay leaves, garlic and black pepper. Salt is also an important component to the flavor profile, as it will heighten the flavor. I tend to not add much salt until the soup is finished to avoid over-salting it.
Why is Soup So Good for You?
There really is nothing more comforting than homemade chicken soup. It cures the common cold – the warm broth soothes a sore throat and the anti-inflammatory properties in the broth have been known to reduce congestion. Plus it just makes you feel GOOD.
Chicken broth is naturally low in calories and easy to digest, plus it’s nutritious and the added chicken provides a good dose of protein.
Top Tips and Storage
Leftover chicken soup should be stored in an airtight container in your refrigerator and eaten within 3-4 days. In the freezer, chicken soup will remain fresh for 4-6 months. Reheat on the stovetop. If you add rice or pasta to your soup, store it separately if possible to avoid mushy soup.
And for more delicious soup recipes, try these:
- Split Pea Soup with Bacon
- Tortellini Soup with Italian Sausage & Spinach
- Easy Broccoli Cheese Soup
- Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup
- Chicken Bacon White Chili
- Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Homemade Chicken Soup
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts/thighs
- 32 ounces chicken stock
- 4 cups water
- Salt
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2-3 large carrots peeled and sliced into bite sized pieces
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
Optional:
- cooked egg noodles or rice if desired
Instructions
- First, cook the chicken. In a large soup pot, bring 32 ounces of chicken stock and 4 cups of water to a boil. Add a couple teaspoons of salt and the chicken. You can cut the breasts in half if you want them to cook a little faster. Cover slightly (leave pot lid open so steam can escape) and turn heat to medium (or a little lower depending on your stove - you want it bubbling a little, but not so much that it overflows).
- Continue to cook until chicken is tender and cooked through and shreds easily; 20-30 minutes, or up to one hour. The longer it cooks, the more tender the chicken.
- Remove chicken from the pot and shred or cut into large, bite sized pieces with two forks. Pour the leftover stock through a strainer into a large bowl. Set both aside.
- Return the empty pot to the stove over medium heat. Add a tablespoon of olive oil or butter and the chopped onion and carrots. You can also add some diced celery if desired. Season with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring frequently until they start to become tender; about 4 minutes.
- Stir in minced garlic, thyme, oregano and bay leaves and cook for about a minute. Pour in leftover chicken stock and 32 ounces more chicken broth or stock and the chicken. Bring to a boil. over, reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Carefully taste (it will be very hot!) and add salt as desired.
- Stir in fresh chopped parsley and serve hot.
- *Optional: while the soup is simmering, cook 1-2 cups small pasta or rice to add to the soup when you serve it.
Notes
Nutrition
Updated March 2020
Just made this last night and had it with a French baguette from Panera. It was delicious and is a new weapon in my dinner
thank you, the recipe is very easy to understand
Ahhhhh-MAZING!!!!!
Thank you Marissa! Thanks for stopping by.
This is the best chicken soup I’ve ever made! Delicious
That’s awesome! Thanks for stopping by.
I made this for my boyfriend when he was sick and he and his daughter loved it! I’m making more… they’re sick again. Also, I use golden potatoes in place of pasta. I didn’t add salt as they do not like salt. I am a vegetarian so lucky for me this is a great recipe! Thank You!
You are so welcome Anna. Thank you so much for stopping by.
Hi Kristin can I put some small pieces of potatoes in this recipe?
Sure! If you cook the potatoes with the broth keep in mind the starch is released and will thicken the soup a bit.
how many servings in the homemade chicken soup ?
It will make 4-6 decent sized servings.
I have made this twice for my family & can’t wait to make it again. It’s sooo amazingly good. It’s an easy recipe to follow & cook.
Thanks Joe! So happy that you and your family loved this recipe!
How many servings does this recipe make? I was thinking of cutting it in half as it sounds like too much for two people.
It does make a lot, but it makes great leftovers! Freezes beautifully, too.
I made this Chicken Soup and yes, it IS SO GOOD! I used cooked rotisserie chicken, barbeque flavored, from the local grocery store, instead of cooking a raw chicken. It is MUCH faster and you are assured that the chicken is cooked. I just took the chicken off the bones and put in the cooked vegs. with chicken broth and water mixture. I also used Orzo pasta, a whole 1 lb. box, and put it dry, right in with the broth and chicken to cook that way. It softened up just fine and delicious! I also used small baby carrots packaged instead of slicing up large whole carrots. That was delicious too because by the time the little carrots were soft, the pasta was cooked. It is so delicious and is my FIRST TIME EVER making homemade chicken soup. Yummy! And Thank You so much for this recipe! 5 Stars
Love that you made it your own!
Yumm, Chicken soup is my husband’s favorite. I added a little fresh lemon juice, it perks up the soup a little and sneaks in a little Vitamin C!
I go the cooked rotisserie route, too. One added game changer, add 1/4th cup of fresh dill weed chopped at the end when you add lemon zest and juice. Sometimes I add a handful of fresh kale or other greens at the end, too. I don’t add in wide egg noodles anymore. I found this freezes better without pasta and it does freeze very well. I cook this for my two adult children and they love it. One question: if you don’t have fresh thyme sprigs, would you use the ground thyme and if so, how much? Thanks.