This Best Homemade Chicken Soup recipe is quick, easy, and delicious! It's ready in under 30 minutes! Learn the simple secret ingredient that makes it taste so good!
What is more comforting than Homemade Chicken Soup? This recipe is so easy yet so tasty and nourishing that you'll be coming back for seconds and maybe even thirds!
It's filled with tender onions, carrots, celery, and juicy shredded chicken. And if you're sick, it's got you covered! Instant Pot Chicken and Rice is also a comfort meal worth trying.
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Why We Love This Soup
Beyond its fantastic flavor, we love this soup because:
- It's so easy to prepare, and ready in 30 minutes!
- It freezes wonderfully.
- The recipe is perfect during cold and flu season.
When the kids are sick, they get a healthy dose of its healing qualities scooped into a bowl and slurp it up. It has all the classic flavors (carrot, celery, parsley) that remind you of the soup grandma used to make.
If you want to slow-cook your soup, try this incredible Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup recipe. You can make it with raw or rotisserie chicken.
Ingredient Notes
- Whole roasted chicken - the reason this recipe is so flavorful and easy is that you use an entire roast chicken to make the rich broth. You can usually find them in the deli section of your grocery store.
- Water or chicken broth - we like to use chicken broth because it makes the soup nice and rich. However, water works well too.
- Onion, celery, and carrots - this classic combination of veggies gives the soup its essential flavor base.
- Garlic, thyme, and parsley - are the essential herbs in the soup, giving it a nice, even flavor that pairs perfectly with the vegetables. If you don't have fresh parsley, substitute 1 tablespoon dried or to taste. You can also add dried rosemary.
- Lemon - the secret ingredient that makes this soup soooo good! The best flavor comes from freshly squeezed lemon juice, but bottled will work if necessary.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Grab your chicken, and let's make chicken soup at home!
Step 1 - Place Chicken in Pot
First, put your roasted chicken in a large pot and put enough water to cover the chicken.
We're all about grabbing a roasted chicken from the store because it's so much easier on busy weeknights than roasting my own!
Step 2 - Add Veggies and Herbs
Next, add celery, carrots, onion, garlic, and thyme to the pot with the chicken.
Step 3 - Cook
Slowly bring this to a boil over medium heat. Simmer for 20-25 minutes. It will start to smell amazing right about now 🙂
Step 4 - Shred Chicken
Remove the chicken and shred the meat once it's cooled.
Season the shredded meat with salt and pepper, and place it back into the pot. (add pasta if using and cook until done.)
Secret Ingredient
Add your freshly squeezed lemon juice and fresh parsley, and your soup is ready to slurp up!
This Chicken Soup is the perfect antidote to colds and cases of flu!
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 whole roasted chicken. An entire roasted bird provides the right combination of fat, salt, and flavor that You can't beat.
- Did you notice the secret ingredient that makes it all come together? (Shhh, it's the lemon added at the end!)
- 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 you can substitute any pasta.
- Other veggies are also good. That's what makes this soup so versatile. Try corn, parsnips, or green beans.
How To Store
To Refrigerate - place your soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave until warm.
To Freeze - Let your soup cool ( you can chill it in the fridge overnight if needed), then place it in an airtight container in the freezer. Soups generally last up to three months in the freezer. Here is a guide for Freezing and Thawing Chicken Noodle Soup.
How to Make Chicken Soup More Flavorful
As mentioned, the secret ingredient in this recipe is lemon. It makes the soup come together perfectly and gives it an enhanced flavor. Even with the simple ingredients, we 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.
- We find the soup has a bit more flavor if you use chicken broth vs. water as the recipe base. If you have time, homemade chicken stock is wonderful.
Recipe FAQs
The main ingredients for chicken soup are chicken, water or chicken broth, celery, onions, carrots, garlic, and thyme. That's it!
Yes, you can make chicken soup without celery. If you have picky eaters, omit the celery and cook the soup per the recipe instructions.
Yes, you place the chicken in the water or broth in a large pot over medium-high heat and bring it to a boil. Then, reduce heat and simmer for 25-30 minutes.
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Printable Recipe
Best Homemade Chicken Soup Recipe
Equipment
- Large pot
- knife
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
- ½ bunch fresh thyme
- sea salt and pepper
- juice of ½ lemon
- ¼ bunch fresh parsley (minced)
Instructions
- Put the roasted chicken in a large pot and put enough water (or broth) to cover the chicken.
- Add celery, carrots, onion, garlic, and thyme. Slowly bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes.
- Remove chicken and shred the meat once it's cool enough to touch. 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!
Video
Notes
-
- 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 you can substitute any pasta.
-
- Other veggies are also good. That's what makes this soup so versatile. Try corn, parsnips, or green beans.
-
- If you like a little kick, stir in a bit of cayenne pepper.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published on November 8, 2018. We updated it with enhanced instructions on July 20, 2021.
Letitia says
I’ll be making your soup this week. For the thyme, is it with the stems or just the leaves? Thank you!
Erin Henry says
I tend to go easy and throw the bunch of time in there, but the leaves work by themselves if that's what you prefer.
Liz says
I just made the soup and the recipe is simple and delicious. The secret lemon juice was an added plus. I can't have any salt in my diet so the lemon juice was a great substitute. Thanks
Erin Henry says
We're so glad you enjoyed the lemon juice addition and it met your low salt diet requirements. Thanks for giving it a try!
Shelley Singleton says
This is the exact chicken soup I remember as a kid. Never watched my mom make it but now that I have the recipe I can make it for my family. It’s on the stove now. I’m excited to have it for dinner with orzo.
Erin Henry says
So glad you are enjoying the soup and it reminded you of childhood. What a great way to make memories around the table--homemade chicken soup!
Vanessa says
So you grab an already cooked roasted chicken from the store and boil again with the chicken broth?
Erin Henry says
Yes, Vanessa. While the chicken is boiling in the broth, it makes the recipe even richer and tastier (and healthier, like a bone broth). This homemade soup is amazing.
Christopher says
Can you put poultry seasoning in chicken soup?
Erin Henry says
Great question, Christopher. We like to keep this recipe simple, but the spices that makeup poultry seasoning should be fine in this soup. Give it a try and let us know how it goes!
Audrey Schumacher says
Am a big soup fan and this one is great! So easy and quick. Perfect for our chilly rainy days.
Erin Henry says
So glad you enjoyed it, Audrey! It's a family favorite around our house!
Maryellen says
As I write this, I have a pot of Chicken Soup on the stove. This recipe is excellent; the one thing I do differently is that I cook the egg noodles separately, so they do not become "mushy". Keep them in them in the refrigerator next to the soup and add individually for leftovers.
Erin Henry says
Thanks for your tip, Maryellen. Yes, if you are eating leftovers, the noodles can get soft.
Anna says
This soup was exactly what I needed. It's filling and so delicious. Food for the soul!
Doris Layhe says
There's nothing better than homemade chicken soup! This is my perfect comfort food!
Erin Henry says
So glad to hear you love it as much as we do, Doris. This recipe is so easy to make at home and tastier than store-bought.
April says
This was amazing! Some of the best chicken noodle soup I've ever had. Noms!
Cheryl says
If I want to add noodles or rice..how much and how much more liquid/broth should I add?
Thanks for helpful replies!
Erin Henry says
Hi Cheryl, how much noodles or rice to add to this recipe is somewhat a personal preference. If you like a thick, hearty noodle soup, I would add about 1/2 pound of noodles to the existing recipe. For rice, 1-2 cups, depending on preference. We hope this helps!
Natalie @ Best Blenders says
I have never liked homemade chicken soup...but before trying your recipe. But now when I have your recipe and I follow this, I never order chicken soup when we are eating out because I can have the best soup at home so why waste money hehe
Erin Henry says
Ah, thanks, Natalie. We love the simplicity of this recipe as well as it's rich, comforting flavor.
Betsy says
Oh my gosh I just made it and it is amazing. Thank you so much for sharing
Erin Henry says
One of our favorite recipes because it's so easy and so tasty. So glad you enjoyed it, Betsy.
Amy says
Chickens soup is perfect for today, we have a few colds and we just got a couple inches of snow! This soup will be healing all the way around.????
Erin says
Yes, we make it a lot this time of year. It's healing and comforting. Plus, it has great flavor!
Shiny says
Wow that looks yummy! I have never used roasted chicken in my soup. Will surely give it a try. ?
Erin says
Thanks, Shiny! I think this recipe is so easy and delicious with the roasted chicken. Hope you like it too!
Mike says
Oh my gosh yes on the homemade chicken soup, Erin! And today/tonight would have been a perfect day for it with snowing here off/on. Have a great upcoming, weekend! 🙂