Chicken Soup (Printable Version)
Tender chicken and hearty vegetables simmered in a flavorful broth, finished with herbs and optional noodles or rice.
# What You Need:
→ Chicken & Meats
01 - 1 whole chicken (about 2.6 lbs), cut into pieces, or 1.75 lbs 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 - 1 cup egg noodles or rice (about 5 oz)
14 - Fresh dill, chopped, for garnish
# Directions:
01 - Place the chicken pieces in a large soup pot and pour in 8 cups of cold water or chicken broth. Set over medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface.
02 - Stir in the sliced carrots, chopped celery, diced onion, minced garlic, parsnip if using, bay leaves, peppercorns, thyme, and 1 ½ teaspoons of salt. Keep the pot uncovered and maintain a gentle simmer for 45 to 60 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.
03 - Carefully lift the chicken pieces out of the broth 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, add egg noodles or rice to the simmering broth and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until tender. Return the shredded chicken to the pot.
05 - Taste the broth and season 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.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The bone in, skin on chicken releases collagen that gives you a silky, golden broth without any cream or flour.
- It reheats beautifully the next day, which means lunch is already handled and somehow tastes even better.
02 -
- If you boil the soup aggressively instead of simmering it gently, the broth turns cloudy and the chicken gets tough and stringy.
- Sautéing the onions, carrots, and celery in a splash of olive oil for five minutes before adding the liquid deepens the flavor dramatically with almost no extra effort.
03 -
- Make the soup a day ahead, refrigerate it, and skim the solidified fat off the top before reheating for the clearest, cleanest tasting broth you have ever had.
- A tablespoon of apple cider vinegar added to the cold water before heating helps draw minerals from the bones and adds a barely perceptible brightness to the finished soup.