This recipe for the best Homemade Chicken Soup is so easy and delicious! It’s ready in under 30 minutes! Come see the secret ingredient that makes it taste so good!
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Best Homemade Chicken Soup Ever
What is more comforting than Homemade Chicken Soup? This recipe is so easy, yet so tasty and nourishing you’ll be coming back for seconds and maybe even thirds! If you have a cold, it’s got you covered!
And the best part? It’s ready in 30 minutes!
Personally, we like soup at any time of the year, but this recipe is especially good during cold and flu season.
When the kids are sick they get a healthy dose of its healing qualities ladled into a bowl and they slurp it up. It has all the classic flavors (carrot, celery, parsley) that remind you of the soup grandma used to make.
My grandmother was an excellent cook who had what seemed like a mile-long garden so fresh vegetables were always in season. Some of my earliest memories were cooking in the kitchen with her. This soup reminds me of the soup she used to make, but way easier!
If you want to slow cook your soup, try this Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup recipe. It can be made with raw or rotisserie chicken.
How to Make Chicken Soup at Home
Grab your chicken and let’s get started!
Put your roasted chicken in a large pot and put enough water to cover the chicken.
I’m all about grabbing a roasted chicken from the store because it’s so much easier on busy weeknights than roasting my own!
Next, add the celery, carrots, onion, garlic, and thyme. Slowly bring this to a boil over medium heat. Simmer for 20-25 minutes. It should start to smell really good right about now 🙂
Remove chicken and shred the meat once it’s cooled.
Season the shredded meat with salt and pepper, and place back into the pot. (add pasta if using and cook until done.)
Now, add your fresh squeezed lemon juice and fresh parsley and your soup is ready to slurrrrp up!
As I said, this is the perfect antidote to colds and cases of flu!
If you’ve tried this Homemade Chicken Soup or any other recipe on Suburban Simplicity, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how it went in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST to see more delicious food, fun crafts + DIYs and what I’m up to on a daily basis!
Best Homemade Chicken Soup Ever
Ingredients
- 1 roasted chicken
- 2 quarts water or chicken broth
- 3 stalks of celery (chopped)
- 2 carrots (chopped)
- 1 small onion (chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 bunch fresh thyme
- sea salt and pepper
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1/4 bunch fresh parsley (minced)
Instructions
- Put the roasted chicken in a large pot and put enough water to cover the chicken.
- Add the celery, carrots, onion, garlic, and thyme. Slowly bring to a boil over medium heat. Simmer for 20-25 minutes. Remove chicken and shred the meat once it's cooled.
- Season shredded meat with salt and pepper, and place back into the pot. (add pasta if using and cook until done)
- Add lemon juice and fresh parsley. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Tips for Homemade Chicken Soup from Scratch
This advice will make your new favorite soup even more delicious, so get your soup spoons ready!
- This recipe is so simple because it starts with a roasted chicken. A whole roasted bird provides the right combination of fat, salt, and flavor that can’t be beaten.
- Did you notice the secret ingredient that makes it all come together? (Shhh, it’s the lemon added at the end 🙂 )
- The best flavor comes from using freshly squeezed lemon juice, but bottled will work in necessary.
- If you don’t have fresh parsley, substitute 1 tablespoon dried or to taste.
- Homemade Chicken Soup is also the perfect backdrop if you want to add noodles or rice. Egg noodles are our favorite when we want a heartier soup, but any pasta can be substituted.
- Other veggies are also good. That’s what makes this soup so versatile. Try corn, parsnips or green beans.
- Freeze your soup after it’s chilled in the fridge overnight. Soups generally last up to two months in the freezer.
Check out some of these other Healthy Chicken Recipes. They make such simple and nutritious weeknight meals!
How to Make My Chicken Soup More Flavorful
As I mentioned, the secret ingredient in this recipe is lemon. It makes the soup come together perfectly and gives it more flavor. Even with the simple ingredients, I find this soup very flavorful. However, you may want more flavor.
Other things you can do to make your chicken soup more flavorful are:
- Add more herbs and spices than my recipe calls for. You could even add a bay leaf while simmering to enhance flavor.
- If you like a little kick, stir in a little cayenne pepper.
- I find the soup has a bit more flavor if you use chicken broth vs. water as the base of the recipe. If you have time, homemade chicken stock is wonderful.