Homemade Chicken Soup Recipe
This warm and comforting homemade chicken soup recipe is perfect for using up leftover chicken.
When the cooler weather hits, soup is my go to recipe. I love something that feels nourishing and comforting at the same time. This Warm & Comforting Escarole, Bean & Italian Sausage Soup and this Easy Butternut Squash Soup are some of my favorites.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It’s economical by using up leftover chicken
- You can make chicken soup or just plain chicken broth to use later
- It’s nourishingÂ
Ingredients
Leftover Whole Roasted Chicken – You can use a leftover whole chicken or a store bought rotisserie chicken. Make sure it has some meat still left on it.
Celery – You will need 2 stalks
Carrots – For sweetness, you will need 2-3 carrots
Onion – 1 whole onion
Thyme – Use fresh thyme if you can, but you can substitute 1/2 tsp of dried thyme
Parsley – Fresh parsley, or you can substitute in 1 tbsp of dried parsley
Black Pepper – For extra flavor
Salt – You will salt to taste
Water – The basis for the soup
Pasta – Use a small shaped pasta like ditalini. Gluten-free pasta can be used instead.
Parmesan Cheese (Optional) – This is optional to top the soup when serving.
- Place the roasted chicken carcass, celery, carrots, and onion into a large stock pot or dutch oven. Fill it with 8 cup of water or enough to cover most of the chicken.
- Add the thyme, parsley, and black pepper. Stir
- Bring the soup to a boil then lower the heat to a low simmer 1-2 hours. Keep the simmer low and to prevent a cloudy soup.
- Simmer the chicken and veggies until the veggies are fork tender.
- Remove the chicken, herbs (if using fresh) and veggies from the pot and place on a platter.
To Make Chicken Soup
- Cut the veggies into bite size pieces and return to the chicken broth.
- Remove and shred or cut the remaining chicken left on the bone into bite size pieces and place the pieces back into the broth.
- Discard the remaining carcass.
- Stir everything together and add the salt. Taste and adjust to your preference.
- Cook the pasta to package directions, then strain the pasta and add it to the chicken soup. Stir until well blended.
- Ladle into serving bowls and top with grated parmesan cheese if desired.
To Make A Broth
- Strain the broth into glass jars.
- Let the broth cool, then place the jar in the refrigerator overnight to cool down completely.
- Freeze up to 6 months.
Recipe Tips
- Make sure the chicken has some meat left on it to be able to shred into the soup.
- Cook the pasta in a separate pot of boiling salted water, then drain and add it to the chicken soup. This prevents the pasta from soaking up all the chicken broth.
- Grated parmesan cheese is optional and not necessary.
- If you are only making broth, do not salt the broth until ready to drink or use in a recipe.
Homemade Chicken Soup Recipe
A delicious recipe that uses leftover chicken carcass to create a cozy chicken soup or a basic chicken broth.
Yield: 4
Calories: 236kcal
Materials
- 1 Whole Roasted or rotisserie chicken carcass Make sure there is still some meat on the bones.
- 8 cups Water
- 2 Celery Stalks
- 2-3 Carrots, ends trimmed and peeled
- 1 Onion, peeled and left whole
- 2 sprigs Fresh Thyme sub in 1/2 tsp of dried thyme
- 3-4 sprigs Fresh Parsley sub in 1 tbsp of dried parsley
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper, ground
- 1 tsp Salt
- 8 oz Small pasta, such as ditalini Use gluten-free if needed
- Parmesan cheese (optional)
Instructions
- Place the chicken carcass, celery, carrots, whole onion into a large stock pot or dutch oven.
- Cover the chicken and veggies with water until the chicken is mostly covered in the water.
- Add the fresh parsley, thyme, and black pepper.
- Bring the pot to a boil then cover it and lower the temperature to a low simmer for 1 -2 hours or until the vegetables are fork tender.
- Remove the veggies, herbs and chicken and place them onto a platter.
To Make Chicken Soup
- If making pasta, in a separate pot, boil the water then salt and cook the pasta to package directions.
- While the pasta is cooking cut the celery, carrots, and onion into bite size pieces and return it to the pot of broth.
- Remove the chicken from the carcass, shred or cut the chicken into bite size pieces. Then return it to the pot of broth. Stir to blend all together.
- Add the salt, taste and adjust to your preference.
- Strain the cooked pasta then add it to the broth. Stir until mixed in.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the grated parmesan cheese if desired.
To Make a Sipping Broth or Regular Chicken Broth
- Discard the chicken, herbs, and veggies from the broth.
- Strain the broth into glass jars, leaving a 1 inch gap at the top. Cool the jars at room temperature until warm then cover them and placed them into the fridge to cool overnight.
- Place the jars into the freezer for up to six months.
Notes
Keep the broth at a lower simmer to ensure the broth is not cloudy.
If only making broth, do not add salt this way you can use it in recipes. If using it as a sipping broth then gently warm and then add salt to taste.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 236kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 0.2mg | Sodium: 633mg | Potassium: 279mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 5193IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 1mg
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