Classic Chicken Soup (Printable)
Tender chicken and hearty vegetables simmered in a clear, herb-scented broth for a nourishing, warming bowl.
# What You Need:
→ 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, peeled and sliced (optional)
→ 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 - 1½ teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
→ Optional Additions
13 - 1 cup egg noodles or rice
14 - Fresh dill, chopped, for garnish
# How-To:
01 - Place the chicken pieces in a large soup pot. Pour in the cold water or chicken broth and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface to keep the broth clear.
02 - Add the sliced carrots, chopped celery, diced onion, minced garlic, parsnip if using, bay leaves, peppercorns, thyme, and 1½ 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 let them cool slightly. 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 dill if using. Serve immediately.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The broth develops a deep, golden richness that tastes like it took all day but barely asks anything of you.
- Bone in chicken makes everything better and you will never go back to boneless once you taste the difference here.
02 -
- Resist the urge to crank the heat to a full boil or the broth turns cloudy and the chicken turns tough and stringy.
- Sautéing the vegetables in olive oil for five minutes before adding liquid creates a noticeably deeper, more complex base flavor.
03 -
- Skim the foam early and often during the first fifteen minutes for the clearest, cleanest tasting broth you have ever made.
- A thumb sized piece of fresh ginger added with the vegetables gives the broth a quiet warmth that people always notice and never quite identify.