Food & Cooking Recipes Soups, Stews & Stocks Soup Recipes Basic Chicken Soup 4.1 (310) This simple recipe delivers classic chicken soup flavor and comfort in less than an hour. Servings: 6 Jump to recipe Chicken soup is good for the soul. It’s a comforting, hearty meal to serve as the weather gets cooler, or if you are feeling under the weather. Our chicken soup recipe is streamlined, delivering maximum comfort and ultimate flavor with minimum time and effort. Simmering for over an hour, it fills your kitchen with the most delicious aromas. The soup begins with a whole chicken. You’re essentially making stock and soup at the same time, and the bones and skin from the whole chicken add depth of flavor to the soup as it simmers. Not only is this technique a huge time saver, but it also creates a rich chicken stock. Cutting the whole chicken into pieces helps to keep the stock concentrated. Doing this means the pieces fit more snugly into the pot without needing to add more water to cover, which would dilute the flavor. It’s flavored simply with onion, celery, carrots, and garlic, which makes it endlessly adaptable. You'll want to eat this rich, fragrant golden soup all winter. Credit: Diana Chistruga 23 Nourishing Soup Recipes That Feed a Crowd The Best Chicken for Chicken Soup We prefer using a whole chicken in this soup. Chicken bones contain a lot of collagen, and the skin adds fat and flavor to the stock. If you use chicken breasts or thighs instead, be sure to use bone-in, skin-on pieces. Cutting up a whole chicken: You need a whole chicken cut into pieces for this recipe. You can follow these instructions, or ask the butcher to do it. 4 Ways to Customize Basic Chicken Soup Stir in cooked egg noodles, orzo, or white rice before serving to make this soup even heartier. Add more protein—a hard-boiled egg or sliced kielbasa sausage will ensure this soup will keep you satiated for a long time. Go heavy on the vegetables—in addition to the vegetables in the recipe, a handful or two of frozen vegetables, green beans, or corn will add color and fiber to your soup. Serve topped with fresh herbs such as chopped dill or parsley. Directions Credit: Diana Chistruga Bring chicken and water to a boil: Bring chicken, water, and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil in a large stockpot. Credit: Diana Chistruga Add onions, celery, and garlic and simmer: Skim foam. Add onions, celery, and garlic. Reduce heat. Simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes. Credit: Diana Chistruga Skimming the soup: We recommend periodically skimming the surface of the soup. Coagulated proteins and other impurities will inevitably rise to the surface as the chicken cooks. Use a large spoon to separate these bits from the stock so you end up with a clear, appetizing soup. Remove breast, add carrots, and cook: Remove chicken breast, and set aside. Add carrots. Simmer, partially covered, for 40 minutes. Credit: Diana Chistruga Remove rest of chicken and cut meat into pieces: Remove remaining chicken; discard back and wings. Let cool slightly. Remove meat from bones, and cut into bite-size pieces. Credit: Diana Chistruga Add chicken to soup and season with salt: Stir in desired amount of chicken; reserve the rest for another use. Skim fat. Season with salt. Credit: Diana Chistruga How to Store Chicken Soup After the chicken soup has cooled completely, place it in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to three days. For longer storage, freeze the soup for up to six months. We suggest freezing it in smaller containers so you can defrost just as much as you need for a meal, whether that is single portions or larger. And, when you defrost the soup, transfer it to the refrigerator to defrost overnight. Frequently Asked Questions What is the difference between chicken stock and chicken broth? The difference between chicken stock and chicken broth is that stock is made using bones, while chicken broth is usually made without. Broth relies on meat and vegetables for flavor. This recipe uses a whole chicken to make stock, which turns into a flavorful soup. What can I add to the soup for extra greens? For extra greens in this chicken soup, consider adding baby kale or spinach. Add a handful or two to the soup when it is almost ready to serve. They can be stirred in at the end, as they do not need time to cook. How can I thicken the chicken soup? There are several ways to thicken chicken soup. One is by mixing cornstarch and water to form a slurry and stirring that into the soup—then stirring the soup as it cooks and thickens. Another method is to blend some of the soup, then add the blended portion back to the soup to thicken it. Can you make ahead and freeze this chicken soup? Yes, you can make it ahead and freeze the chicken soup. Simply follow the recipe and make the soup as directed. Once it has cooled completely, transfer it to an airtight container and freeze. You can keep the soup frozen for up to six months. More Chicken Soup Recipes to Try Test Kitchen's Favorite Chicken Soup Made with a Whole Chicken Peruvian Chicken Soup with Rice and Potatoes Restorative Chicken Soup with Ginger Classic Chicken Vegetable Soup Easy Chicken Noodle Soup Chicken Barley Soup Chicken Zoodle Soup Chicken and Chickpea Soup Updated by Riley Wofford Riley Wofford Riley Wofford is a recipe developer, food stylist, and writer with over 15 years of experience and holds a Professional Culinary Arts diploma from the International Culinary Center. In addition to decorvow.com, Riley's work can be found in TODAY.com, Delish, Food52, and Marley Spoon.