Classic Chicken Soup (Printable Version)
Tender chicken simmered with vegetables and herbs in a clear, nourishing broth; serves four.
# What You Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1 whole chicken (about 2.6 lb), cut into pieces, or 1.75 lb bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs or breasts
→ Vegetables
02 - 3 medium carrots, sliced
03 - 2 celery stalks, chopped
04 - 1 large onion, diced
05 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 2 bay leaves
07 - 1 parsnip (optional), peeled and sliced
→ Broth & Seasoning
08 - 8 cups cold water or low-sodium chicken broth
09 - 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
10 - 1 small bunch fresh parsley
11 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme or 3 sprigs fresh thyme
12 - 1 ½ teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
→ Optional Additions
13 - About 1 cup egg noodles or rice (5.3 oz)
14 - Fresh dill, chopped, for garnish
# How To Make It:
01 - Place the chicken pieces in a large soup pot. Pour in the cold water or chicken broth and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Use a skimmer to remove any foam that rises to the surface.
02 - Add the sliced carrots, chopped celery, diced onion, minced garlic, parsnip if using, bay leaves, peppercorns, thyme, and 1 ½ teaspoons of salt. Simmer gently uncovered for 45 to 60 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.
03 - Carefully remove the chicken pieces from the pot and set aside to cool slightly. Once cool enough to handle, discard the skin and bones, then shred or chop the meat into bite-sized pieces.
04 - If desired, stir in the egg noodles or rice and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until tender. Return the shredded chicken to the pot.
05 - Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. Remove and discard the bay leaves and any herb stems.
06 - Ladle the hot soup into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley and chopped dill if using. Serve immediately.
# Helpful Hints:
01 -
- The broth tastes like it simmered all day but honestly comes together with almost no fuss.
- Bone in chicken gives you that deep, silky flavor that store bought broth can never match.
02 -
- Do not let the soup reach a hard boil or the broth turns cloudy and the chicken becomes tough and stringy.
- Sautéing the vegetables in a little olive oil before adding liquid adds a deeper, richer layer of flavor worth the extra five minutes.
03 -
- Save the leftover bones in a bag in the freezer and you are halfway to your next batch of homemade stock.
- A squeeze of fresh lemon juice stirred in just before serving wakes up every flavor in the bowl.