Create the perfect pot of chicken soup your way! Our ultimate flexible chicken soup recipe is fully customizable. Use any veggies, noodles, or rice. Clear, step-by-step instructions guarantee a hearty, foolproof meal.
Is there anything more comforting than a pot of homemade chicken soup simmering on the stove in the cold of winter? Or autumn, for that matter? It’s the edible equivalent of a warm hug. But if you’ve ever looked at a rigid recipe and thought, “I don’t have half these ingredients,” this soup is for you.
We believe a great chicken soup shouldn’t be a fussy, follow-the-rules-exactly kind of dish. It should be a flexible, forgiving, and foolproof foundation that you can adapt based on what’s in your pantry and fridge. This is the only chicken soup template you’ll ever need. Seriously.
Why This “No-Recipe” Recipe Works
Traditional recipes can box you in. This one sets you free. Here’s our philosophy:
- The Broth is Built, Not Bought: By simmering a simple chicken half with bouillon, you create a rich, from-scratch broth that forms the soul of your soup.
- No Veggie Left Behind: This is the perfect destination for that lone carrot, the half an onion, the last handful of spinach, or that bag of frozen mixed veggies threatening to become a freezer fossil.
- Your Starch, Your Choice: We even give you two perfect methods—one for egg noodles, one for rice—so you can make the soup that fits your craving or pantry stock.
The One Mistake That Ruins Chicken Soup
We’ve all had it: a pot of soup where the noodles have swollen into mushy blobs or the rice has absorbed every last drop of broth, with the consistency of mud pies. The secret to avoiding this isn’t a special ingredient; it’s a simple technique.
The key is to cook your starch in the soup, but to do it off the heat. The residual heat in the broth is plenty enough to perfectly cook your noodles or rice without turning them to mush. Our method walks you through this step-by-step, guaranteeing perfect texture every single time. Even after sitting in the broth overnight!
How to Truly Make This Chicken Soup Recipe Your Own
This isn’t just a recipe; it’s a roadmap. Here’s how to navigate it:
- The Aromatics Base: The onion, celery, and garlic are your flavor foundation. Don’t skip them!
- The Veggie Swap: Use 1 to 1 ½ pounds of any vegetables you like or have on hand. Fresh, frozen, or canned all work (we’ll tell you when to add each).
- The Starch Decision: Choose your adventure with noodles or rice. You can’t go wrong.
So, grab that stockpot and get ready to make the most comforting, customizable, and clear-out-the-fridge soup of your life. This is real family food, the way it was meant to be made.
Ultimate Chicken Soup: The Only Chicken Soup Recipe You’ll Ever Need
Ingredients
Method
- In a 5-6 quart stockpot, add the chicken, bouillon, and 1 gallon of water. Add your chosen aromatics (onion, celery, garlic) and seasoning (poultry seasoning or sage). Add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 90 minutes. Check occasionally and add more water if needed to keep the chicken submerged.
- Carefully remove the cooked chicken from the pot and place it on a plate until it's cool enough to handle.
- If you are using fresh or frozen vegetables, add up to 1 1/2 pounds to the simmering broth now. Taste the broth and adjust seasoning with salt or pepper as needed.
- While the veggies slow-simmer, remove the skin and pick the chicken off the bones. Shred or chop the chicken the way you like. Discard the skin and bones and return the chicken to the simmering pot. Slow simmer for a few more minutes or until all the veggies are hot and tender.
- If you are using canned vegetables, drain 1 or 2 cans of veggies and add to the pot after the chicken has been returned. Let everything slow-simmer for a few more minutes until the vegetables are hot and tender.
- Turn off the heat, add the uncooked egg noodles to the hot soup, and stir. Cover tightly. Remove from the heat and let it stand for 10-15 minutes. The residual heat will cook the noodles perfectly without making them mushy.
- Add the uncooked elbow macaroni to the hot soup and stir. Cook for 1 minute and stir well. Cover tightly.
- Remove from the heat and let it stand for 12-15 minutes. The residual heat will cook the elbows perfectly without making them mushy.
- Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the soup back to a boil. Stir in the uncooked rice, reduce the heat to low, cover tightly, and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Remove from the heat (keep it covered!) and let it stand for 20-30 minutes to allow the rice to finish cooking and absorb the broth.
