Here’s a simple, hearty chicken soup recipe that’s comforting and easy to make:
Ingredients (serves 4–6)
- 1 whole chicken (3–4 lbs) or 4–6 bone-in chicken thighs
- 8 cups water or chicken broth
- 2 medium carrots, sliced
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ tsp dried thyme (or 1 tsp fresh)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup noodles, rice, or diced potatoes (optional)
- Fresh parsley or dill, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Cook the chicken
- In a large pot, place the chicken and cover with water or broth.
- Add a pinch of salt, bay leaf, and half of the garlic.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30–40 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.
- Prepare the vegetables
- While chicken cooks, chop carrots, celery, and onion.
- Shred the chicken
- Remove the chicken from the pot. Let it cool slightly, then shred the meat, discarding bones and skin (or saving some skin for flavor if you like).
- Cook the vegetables
- Add carrots, celery, onion, and remaining garlic to the broth.
- Simmer for 10–15 minutes until vegetables are tender.
- Add chicken and optional starch
- Return shredded chicken to the pot.
- If using noodles, rice, or potatoes, add them now and cook until tender.
- Season and serve
- Taste the soup and add salt and pepper as needed.
- Garnish with fresh parsley or dill before serving.
💡 Tips
- For extra flavor, roast the chicken or vegetables before adding to the soup.
- Leftovers taste even better the next day as flavors meld.
- You can freeze portions for up to 3 months.
If you want, I can also give a quick 30-minute version that uses boneless chicken and still tastes homemade. Do you want me to do that?
