I just posted my grandma’s Homemade Chicken Soup and I’m not kidding when I say it makes colds pack up and leaves everyone at the table begging for the recipe.

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I’m obsessed with my grandma’s chicken soup because it hits like real food, not some bottled sadness. I love that deep, clear broth, How To Make Homemade Chicken Broth is basically my religion, and the way Homemade Chicken Soup smells when a yellow onion and garlic finally get serious.

It’s cold-busting, honest, and actually makes you feel like you swallowed something that cares about you back. Not froufrou.

Not trendy. Just big-flavor, soul-fixing soup that remembers where it came from.

Bring on the kleenex. Bring on the bowl.

I want it for every low day and every sick one soon.

Ingredients

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Whole chicken: the cozy protein that makes rich, comforting broth.
Water: basically the base that brings everything together, plain and honest.
Kosher salt: it seasons the broth so it actually tastes like something.
Black pepper: warms the soup, gives gentle heat and a peppery kick.
Carrots: add sweet earthiness and a little bite when cooked down.
Celery: brings subtle crunch and classic soup aroma, leaves add charm.
Yellow onion: gives savory backbone and caramelized sweetness when it simmers.
Garlic: pops with warmth and that cozy, homey garlicky comfort.
Fresh parsley: bright, herby lift, stems add extra flavor too.
Fresh dill: basically fresh brightness, makes the soup feel lighter.
Fresh thyme: little woody notes that keep the broth grounded.
Bay leaves: subtle background herbal warmth, you’ll hardly notice but miss.
Fresh ginger: plus spicy zing, great when you’re feeling under the weather.
Turmeric: golden color and gentle anti inflammatory touch, subtle earthiness.
Fresh lemon juice: adds a quick, bright pop at the end.
Olive oil or schmaltz: gives fat for flavor and silky mouthfeel.
Parsnip: optional sweet, nutty root note if you want depth.
Chives or green onion: fresh oniony finish, pretty and tasty on top.

Ingredient Quantities

Whole chicken, 3 to 4 pounds, giblets removed (or 4 bone in chicken thighs if you prefer)

Water, 10 to 12 cups, enough to cover chicken comfortably

Kosher salt, 2 teaspoons plus more to taste

Black pepper, 1 teaspoon ground plus 10 whole peppercorns

Carrots, 3 large, peeled and cut in big chunks

Celery stalks, 3, cut in chunks (include leaves if you got em)

Yellow onion, 1 large, peeled and halved

Garlic, 3 cloves, smashed

Fresh parsley, 1 small bunch (stems and all)

Fresh dill, 1 small bunch or 2 teaspoons dried dill (optional but lovely)

Fresh thyme, 4 sprigs or 1 teaspoon dried thyme

Bay leaves, 2

Fresh ginger, 1 inch piece, sliced (optional for cold busting)

Turmeric, 1/2 to 1 teaspoon (optional for color and anti inflammatory boost)

Fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon (optional, to brighten)

Olive oil or schmaltz, 1 tablespoon (optional, for sautéing veggies if you want)

Optional add in: parsnip, 1 medium, peeled and chopped

Optional add in: chopped fresh chives or green onion for serving, 2 tablespoons

How to Make this

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1. Rinse the chicken and put it in a large stockpot, cover with 10 to 12 cups water so the bird is comfortably submerged; if using bone in thighs, stack them in the pot the same way.

2. Add 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, and 10 whole peppercorns, then toss in the halved onion, smashed garlic, carrots, celery (with leaves if you have them), parsnip if using, parsley (stems and all), thyme, bay leaves, and the sliced ginger and turmeric if you want the cold busting boost.

3. Bring to a gentle boil over medium high heat, then immediately lower to a bare simmer; skim any foam or scum that rises to the surface in the first 10 minutes so the broth stays clear.

4. Partially cover the pot and simmer gently for 1 to 1 1/2 hours for a whole chicken, or 45 minutes to 1 hour for thighs, until the meat is falling off the bone and the broth tastes rich.

5. If you like deeper flavor, remove the chicken after 45 minutes, cool slightly, shred the meat off the bones, and return shredded meat to the pot; otherwise remove the whole chicken, shred the meat and discard skin and bones, then return meat to the broth.

6. For a brighter, cleaner soup, strain the broth through a fine mesh sieve into another pot, pressing on vegetables to get all the good liquid, then add back the shredded chicken and some of the cooked veggies if you want them in the soup.

7. If you want sauteed vegetables, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil or schmaltz in a skillet, brown a few extra diced carrots and celery, then add them to the soup for more texture and flavor.

8. Taste and adjust with more kosher salt and ground pepper as needed, stir in 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice and the dill if using for brightness.

9. Serve hot, garnished with chopped chives or green onion if you like, and a little extra parsley; soup keeps in the fridge 3 to 4 days or freezes well for months.

Equipment Needed

1. Large stockpot (big enough to comfortably hold a whole chicken and 10 to 12 cups water)
2. Fine mesh sieve or chinois for straining the broth
3. Cutting board (preferably one for meat and another for veg if you can)
4. Sharp chef’s knife for chopping and carving
5. Slotted spoon or tongs to lift the chicken and skim foam
6. Ladle or large serving spoon for scooping soup
7. Measuring spoons for salt, pepper and turmeric
8. Skillet (for optional sautéed carrots and celery)

FAQ

Q: How long should I cook the whole chicken so the meat is tender but the broth stays clear?

A: Start in cold water, bring to a gentle simmer, then lower heat and cook 1 to 1 1/4 hours for a 3 to 4 pound chicken. Too high a boil makes cloudy broth and stringy meat. If using bone in thighs, simmer about 35 to 45 minutes.

Q: Do I salt up front or at the end?

A: Add about 2 teaspoons kosher salt when you start, it helps extract flavor. Taste and adjust at the end, since reduction concentrates salt. If you plan to add noodles or rice later, wait to finish seasoning until those are in.

Q: How do I get a clear broth and remove scum or excess fat?

A: Skim foam with a spoon during the first 20 minutes of simmering. For fat, cool the soup and refrigerate, the fat will solidify on top and peel off easy. Or use a fat separator or ladle off surface fat while hot.

Q: Can I add noodles or rice and when should I do that?

A: Cook noodles or rice separately and add to bowls when serving so they don't soak up all the broth. If you prefer them in the pot, add short pasta about 8 to 10 minutes before serving, or rice about 15 minutes before, but expect the broth to thicken.

Q: How long will the soup keep and can it be frozen?

A: In the fridge it's good 3 to 4 days. Freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months. If you freeze with noodles they get mushy, so freeze broth and meat only and add fresh noodles when reheating.

Q: Any tricks to make the flavor pop or help with colds?

A: Add the ginger and turmeric while simmering for warmth and anti inflammatory kick. Finish with fresh lemon juice and chopped dill or parsley right before serving to brighten the soup. A splash of schmaltz or olive oil at the end rounds the mouthfeel.

The Best Chicken Soup Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Whole chicken → Rotisserie chicken or bone in chicken thighs. If you’re short on time use a store bought rotisserie bird, shred the meat and simmer bones for more flavor. Thighs work great too, darker meat gives richer broth.
Water → Low sodium chicken stock or a mix of stock and water. Stock gives instant depth, or use half stock/half water to keep salt under control.
Fresh parsley, dill, thyme → Dried herbs. Use 1/3 the amount when substituting dried for fresh; crush them between your fingers to wake up the flavor. If you only have Italian seasoning, it will do in a pinch.
Turmeric or fresh ginger → Ground ginger or a small splash of apple cider vinegar. Ground ginger mimics the warm note if you dont have fresh. A little apple cider vinegar can brighten and help extract flavor from bones if you dont want the spice.

Pro Tips

– Start cold, low and slow: Put the chicken in cold water and bring it up to a bare simmer, not a rolling boil. If it bubbles hard you get cloudy broth and stringy meat. Skim the foam the first 10 minutes, even if you hate doing dishes, it makes the soup taste cleaner.

– Save and reuse the carcass: After shredding the meat, keep the bones and simmer them again with fresh water and a few herbs for another batch of broth. You’ll squeeze out extra gelatin and flavor that way, and it freezes great.

– Brightness at the end, not the start: Add the lemon juice and fresh dill only at the very end. Acids and delicate herbs fade with long cooking, but a little at the finish lifts the whole pot. Taste, then add salt slowly; broth concentrates as it cools.

– Layer texture and flavor: Brown a few diced carrots and celery in olive oil or schmaltz while the broth simmers, then add them in at the end. You get caramelized sweetness and a nicer mouthfeel instead of limp boiled veg.

– Chill for fat control and clarity: If you have time, cool the soup in the fridge and skim the solidified fat before reheating to serve. It makes the broth look clearer and keeps the flavor from being greasy, but save that fat, it’s great for frying or to flavor future soups.