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    Home » Recipes » Soups » Homemade Chicken Soup – a Comforting Family Recipe

    LAST UPDATED: November 9, 2020 • FIRST PUBLISHED: April 2, 2020 By Toni Dash 39 Comments

    Homemade Chicken Soup – a Comforting Family Recipe

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    This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Homemade Chicken Soup title image

    This family recipe for Homemade Chicken Soup is what I always make when someone has a cold. Wholesome, nutritious ingredients and a few ‘secrets’ make a homey, comforting soup that’s delicious anytime.

    Homemade Chicken Soup title image

    There is nothing more comforting than homemade chicken soup. 

    As easy is soup from a can is, making chicken soup from scratch is not difficult and the results are so much tastier!

    The ingredients are simple, wholesome and easy to find.

    Simmering together they create a delicious soup you’ll love anytime.

    Chicken Soup for a Cold

    I originally created this recipe a decade ago after having a long standing respiratory virus I couldn’t shake.

    After my physician tried multiple medications to shake the illness from prescription to homeopathic remedies she announced clearly ‘and you need to have someone make you homemade chicken soup’.

    To be candid I was so under the weather my memory of her lengthy description of its medicinal benefits came across like the voices of the parents in the Peanuts series (Wah-Wah-Wah Wah).

    No recall of what she said.

    Her direction however has stuck and it’s now my first instinct when I feel the creeping in of a cold.

    My kids request it and I keep some in the freezer at all times.

    bowl of Chicken Soup

    I found the following in an article about remedies that DO help colds on the Mayo Clinic website published October 28, 2010:

    “Chicken Soup: Generations of parents have spooned chicken soup into their sick children. Now scientists have put chicken soup to the test, discovering this it does have effects that might help relieve cold and flu symptoms in two ways. First, it acts as an anti-inflammatory by inhibiting the movement of neutrphils – immune system cells that participate in the body’s inflammatory response. Second, it temporarily speeds up movement of mucus, possibly helping relieve congestion and limiting the amount of time viruses are in contact with the nose lining.”

    I’m not a medical practitioner and cannot claim this soup helps with a cold.

    I can say it’s soothing and easy to eat. At a minimum it helps keep liquids coming.

    spoonful of chicken soup with vegetables

    Ingredients

    • Carrots
    • Celery
    • Garlic cloves
    • Onion
    • Olive oil
    • Jalapeno pepper
    • Small chicken fryer OR boneless skinless Chicken Breasts
    • Chicken stock
    • Water
    • Apple cider vinegar

    Homemade Chicken Soup ingredients

    Ingredient Notes

    Preparing the Vegetables – Time Saving Tips

    The most time consuming preparation of this recipe is the vegetables. Here are a couple of short cuts that speed things up and still create a delicious soup.

    1. Put all the vegetables in the Food Processor. If you don’t mind not having sliced and chopped vegetables (e.g. the soup won’t be as visually pretty) this is a perfect way to make the soup quickly. I usually do it this way because I’m in a hurry when I make it.
    2. Buy prepared vegetables. Many grocery stores now offer prepared produce for recipes. This is an even faster way to get what you need with no effort.

    Handling Jalapeno Chile Peppers

    Jalapenos can vary greatly in their spiciness. When cutting them do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth before washing your hands first.

    The seeds create most of the spiciness so removing those before adding the pepper into the soup is key.

    What Type of Chicken to Use

    Small Whole Fryer Chicken

    Originally I would make this recipe with a small whole fryer chicken. It adds more flavor due to the skin and bones.

    However it also takes three times longer to fully cook and requires straining out the bones and shredding the chicken.

    If you have the time, it’s delicious.

    Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

    I began making it with boneless skinless chicken breasts due to often making the soup with little notice and those being on hand.

    The soup cooks faster and the chicken only needs to be cubed so it’s an easier method overall.

    Chicken Stock

    I typically use one quart of regular Chicken Stock and one quart of Low Sodium Chicken Stock. 

    There is some information suggesting the salt in chicken soup is partially what makes people feel better. 

    I think the balance of the two types of stock taste good.

    You can use EITHER regular or low sodium chicken stock.

    Apple Cider Vinegar

    A touch of apple cider vinegar brightens the flavor of the soup.

    Some people believe it has home remedy properties for a cold but those claims have not been medically substantiated.

    close up of homemade chicken and vegetable soup with spoon

    Chef’s Notes

    Simmering the Soup. If I have the time I let the soup simmer for a number of hours (or prepare it in my Instant Pot). It greatly reduces the broth to a rich taste.

    Doing this causes some evaporation so I add 2 additional cups of water toward the end to dilute the broth a bit. 

    Garlic is great for your immune system and gives the soup great flavor. Though the kitchen will smell of the amount of garlic, in the soup it does not taste strongly of garlic. Feel free to modify the amount of garlic to your own liking.

    Chile peppers.  I think getting a good sweat on is great for moving a cold along (personal opinion only). I like the heat of the chile pepper in this soup for that very purpose.

    Seasoning. The sauteed vegetables are all that is needed to flavor to the soup. I keep other seasoning to a minimum (salt and pepper only) for this soup. I find frankly when getting a cold I cannot taste much anyway. If you are making this homemade chicken soup under more normal circumstances, add whatever seasonings you like in soup (thyme, oregano, bay leaf would all be nice).

    How to Make Homemade Chicken Soup – Step-by-Step

    STEP 1: Prepare the vegetables by slicing and chopping (photos 1-3). TIME SAVING TIP: all of the vegetables can also be processed together in a food processor.

    If using boneless chicken breasts cut them into bite-size cubes (photo 4).

    Homemade Chicken Soup recipe steps photos 1

    STEP 2: In a stock pot heat the olive oil over medium-high heat (photo 5). Add the vegetables (except the jalapenos) and saute until they begin to soften; 2-3 minutes (photo 6).

    STEP 3: Add the jalapeno peppers (photo 7). Saute an additional 1-2 minutes (photo 8).

    Homemade Chicken Soup recipe steps photos 2

    STEP 4: Add the chicken, chicken broth and water (photos 9-11). Bring to a boil then lower heat to simmer. Follow the cooking time in the recipe card below for the type of chicken you are using.

    Homemade Chicken Soup recipe steps photos 3

    STEP 5: Add the apple cider vinegar a few minutes before cooking is complete (photo 12).

    close up of homemade chicken and vegetable soup with jalapenos

    How to Store

    In the Refrigerator

    Store in a sealed container for up to 3-4 days.

    In the Freezer

    Allow the soup to cool. Pour into a freezer-safe container leaving 1-inch between the top of the soup and the top of the container.

    This allows room for the expansion when freezing.

    Store for up to 4 to 6 months.

    bowl of homemade Chicken Soup with crackers

    More Soup Recipes You’ll Love

    • Homemade Tomato Soup
    • Hearty Vegetable Cabbage Soup
    • Mexican Green Chile Steak Soup (Caldillo)
    • French Potato Leek Soup
    • Coconut Curry Turkey Rice Soup
    • French Onion Soup

    Try these Recipes too!

    Tuscan Chicken

    Did you make it? Please RATE THE RECIPE below!

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    Homemade Chicken Soup title image

    Homemade Chicken Soup

    Homemade Chicken Soup is simple to prepare with natural whole ingredients. Great to keep in the freezer for those times you don't feel like making a batch!
    5 from 23 votes
    Print Save Recipe Recipe Saved! Pin Rate
    Course: Soup
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
    Servings: 10
    Calories: 28kcal
    Author: Toni Dash
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 3 carrots
    • 4 stalks celery
    • 5 garlic cloves
    • ½ large onion
    • 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 Jalapeno pepper , stem and seeds removed, diced (or sliced if preferred)
    • 1 Small chicken fryer OR 2 large boneless skinless Chicken Breasts , rinsed and patted dry with paper towels OR 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed(this simplifies the recipe to remove the bones from the process and speed things up)
    • 2 1-quart containers chicken stock (I use one regular and one low sodium; you can substitute homemade stock as well)
    • 2 cups water
    • 1-2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

    Instructions

    • Combine the carrots, celery (I include some of the celery leaves too), garlic, and onion into a food processor and chop into small bits. NOTE: if you prefer larger pieces of vegetables slice the carrots and celery, dice the garlic and chop the onion.
    • In a stock pot, warm the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the vegetables from the food processor and saute 2-3 minutes until they begin to soften.
    • Add the jalapeno pepper and sauté another 1-2 minutes.
    • Add the whole chicken OR chicken breasts, the chicken broth and the water. Bring to a boil then lower heat bringing soup to a simmer.
    • If using a Whole Chicken: After about 90 minutes the chicken will be cooked and falling off the bone. Separate the meat, discard the bones and skin, add meat back to the soup and taste for seasoning.
      (I recommend taking the whole chicken out of the broth, letting it cool sightly so you can handle it then taking off the meat and hand shredding it)
      If using boneless Chicken Breasts: simmer for 30 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked.
    • Add the apple cider vinegar at the end. Great for your health and brightens the flavor of the soup.

    Notes

    Ingredient Notes
    Whole Fryer Chicken: I use all natural, no antibiotic, no steroid, free range meat but any chicken will do.
    Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts: using them simplifies the recipe with no need to remove the bones  and speed things up.

    Simmering Time

    To deepen the flavor of the broth, the soup may be left to simmer on low temperature for a number of hours. If doing so check the liquid level and add more water as needed.

    How to Store

    In the Refrigerator

    Store in a sealed container for up to 3-4 days.

    In the Freezer

    Allow the soup to cool. Pour into a freezer-safe container leaving 1-inch between the top of the soup and the top of the container.
    This allows room for the expansion when freezing.
    Store for up to 4 to 6 months.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 28kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 0g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 28mg | Potassium: 117mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 3145IU | Vitamin C: 4.3mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 0.1mg
    Did you make this recipe?Mention @boulderlocavore or tag #boulderlocavore!

    Originally published: October 29, 2010

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    ABOUT THE AUTHOR

    TONI DASH
    Toni Dash head shot

    Toni Dash, is a Certified Nutrition Coach and the writer/blogger, photographer, recipe developer and creator of Boulder Locavore®. She has been developing easy to make, well-tested recipes since 2010. Her seasonal recipes bring excitement to the dining table for both gluten-free and gluten diners. Toni has been featured in numerous publications and on culinary websites for her creative, delicious recipes and travel features. For more details, check out her About page.

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Erin says

      April 05, 2020 at 2:58 am

      Chicken soup sounds really good right now. Soup really does make everything better!! 🙂

      Reply
    2. Gemma says

      April 04, 2020 at 12:55 pm

      Yum! I can only imagine how delicious this soup would be with a cold, a soup makes everything feel better xo

      Reply
    3. Sara Welch says

      April 03, 2020 at 2:58 pm

      5 stars
      This is everything a gourmet soup should be, and then some! Adding this to my dinner line up; looks too good to pass up!

      Reply
    4. Sarah says

      April 03, 2020 at 11:05 am

      5 stars
      This is so yummy and fit perfectly into my meal prep!

      Reply
    5. Lindsay Cotter says

      April 03, 2020 at 9:45 am

      5 stars
      Made this soup for dinner last night since I had some veggies I needed to use up before losing them. It was so comforting and delicious! And the leftovers were perfect for lunch today!

      Reply
    6. katerina @ diethood.com says

      April 03, 2020 at 7:10 am

      5 stars
      I love how hearty and delicious this is! The perfect comfort food!

      Reply
    7. Lisa Joy Thompson says

      April 03, 2020 at 3:21 am

      I’ve never made homemade chicken soup using a jalapeno. I actually just chopped up carrots and celery yesterday with plans to make homemade chicken soup. Now I need to go find a jalapeno! 🙂

      Reply
    8. Catalina says

      April 03, 2020 at 2:33 am

      5 stars
      Oh my goodness! How good this chicken soup looks! A must try recipe!

      Reply
    9. Erin | Dinners,Dishes and Dessert says

      April 03, 2020 at 1:32 am

      5 stars
      This Chicken Soup looks incredibly delicious!

      Reply
    10. Kita Bryant says

      April 03, 2020 at 12:33 am

      5 stars
      Homemade chicken noodle soup is unbeatable when it comes to comfort food. I could go for a bowl of it right now.

      Reply
      • Toni Dash says

        April 03, 2020 at 5:39 am

        This recipe does not include noodles Kita but you could certainly add them!

        Reply
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    Welcome! I’m Toni. I’m a Certified Nutrition Coach and my goal is to MAKE YOUR LIFE EASIER with delicious, well-tested recipes and travel tips! More About Me …

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