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Made with a rich homemade broth, tender chicken, and nutrient-dense vegetables, this from-scratch chicken soup is both soothing to the body and soul!
This is the chicken soup to make when someone needs comfort. It uses simple ingredients to create deep, old-fashioned flavor that canned soup just can't touch. Just like Italian Pastina Soup, this chicken soup helps cure whatever ails you.
Kristen's Keys for Homemade Chicken Soup
A few small details make a big difference here. Paying attention to these will help your chicken soup turn out clear, flavorful, and perfectly comforting.
- Bone-in, skin-on chicken matters. The bones and skin are what give the broth its richness. You can skim off fat later, but you can't add flavor back once it's gone.
- Simmer the soup, rather than boil. A gentle simmer over medium-low heat helps to keep the broth clear, the chicken flavorful, and extract the most flavor from the ingredients.
- Add vegetables you like. Yukon gold potatoes, sweet potatoes, and carrots are my go-to. They are nutrient-dense, rich in fiber, and easy to digest. Perfect for a soul-satisfying soup. Feel free to omit one if you don't have on hand.
- Unexpected ingredients make this chicken soup stand out. A jalapeño wakes everything up, garlic helps to flavor and fight congestion, soy sauce builds savory depth, and a squeeze of fresh lemon at the end brightens the soup. Together, they create an unforgettable soup.
5-Star Reader Review
Comfort food made easy and perfect for a very cold Montana day. Wasn't sure about the jalapeño and lemon but both added a great depth of flavor. -Laura
How to Make Chicken Soup From Scratch
Think of this section as me standing next to you at the stove, quietly reminding you why each step matters.
Step One: Simmer Chicken With Aromatics
Place the chicken, onion, garlic, bay leaves, salt, peppercorns, and jalapeño into a large soup pot or Dutch oven. Cover with water and bring it just to a gentle simmer over medium heat. You're looking for small bubbles around the edges of the pot, not a rolling boil.
No bouillon or store-bought broth here! By simmering the chicken and aromatics in water, you will create the BEST base for homemade chicken soup.
Step Two: Skim the Soup As It Simmers
As the soup cooks, you will see foam rise to the surface, which is totally normal. It is best to use a spoon or small strainer to remove it and discard for a cleaner-tasting, clearer broth in the end.
Step Three: Strain
Once the chicken is fully cooked and tender, remove it to a bowl or cutting board. Strain the broth to remove the onion, garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns, and jalapeño.
Step Four: Chill (Optional)
At this point, you can proceed with cooking the chicken soup or pop the broth into the fridge for a couple of hours (or freezer for 20-30 minutes). As the soup chills, the fat will consolidate and rise to the surface of the soup. Then you can easily use a spoon to remove the excess fat.
Why this step matters: You can absolutely skip this step, but this step allows you to get all the flavor from the chicken skin without ending up with greasy soup.
Step Five: Cook Veggies
Bring the broth back to a gentle simmer and add the carrots, potatoes, and soy sauce. Cook just until the vegetables are fork-tender.
Step Six: Shred Chicken
While the vegetables are simmering, use that time to shred or dice the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
You won't use all the chicken! Set aside 2-3 cups of chicken to add the soup. Freeze the leftovers for later use or store in the fridge for up to 3 days and use in any recipe calling for cooked chicken.
Step Seven: Finish Strong
Add 2-3 cups of the cooked chicken back to the simmering soup and and continue to cook until just warmed through. It will just take a few minutes. Remove from the heat and add the juice of a fresh lemon to make the flavors pop.
Recipe Modifications
- Love celery? Toss a few stalks in while simmering the chicken, it really isn't needed in the particular chicken soup recipe.
- Want to add noodles? Cook them separately and add just before serving. This keeps them from soaking up all that precious broth.
- Need it gluten-free?Swap the soy sauce for tamari or coconut aminos.
- Sensitive to spice? Skip the jalapeño. The soup will still be deeply flavorful.
Notes on Storage
This from-scratch chicken soup makes a ton. Which is never a bad thing, especially when it freezes and reheats as well as it does.
- Refrigerate: Allow the chicken soup to cool slightly and then transfer it to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freeze Soup: Allow the chicken soup to cool fully, transfer it to a freezer-safe container, allowing for 1-inch of expansion, and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: If needed, defrost the soup fully in the refrigerator. Reheat on the stove over low heat until just warmed through. Alternatively, heat individual servings in a heat-safe bowl in 60-second intervals in the microwave until warmed through.
- Note on Leftover Chicken: Store any leftover shredded chicken in the an airtight, freezer-safe bag or container in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Use in any recipe calling for cooked chicken.
More Delicious Soup Recipes
If today isn't a "from scratch" day, my Instant Pot chicken noodle soup or Chicken orzo soup are excellent backups that still beat canned soup by a mile. Alternatively, you can browse all of my cozy soup recipes, Instant Pot soups, or a few favorites below.
Homemade Chicken Soup
Video
Ingredients
- 3-4 pound whole fresh chicken, giblets removed
- 2 large yellow onions, peeled and halved
- 1 head garlic, cut in half horizontally
- ½ small jalapeno, seeded and ribs removed
- 2 dried bay leaves
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, + more to taste
- ½ tablespoon peppercorns, or 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 12 cups water
- 2 large Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and cut into ½-inch cubes
- 2 large sweet potatoes, scrubbed, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
- 3 large carrots, peeled and diced into ½-inch cubes
- 1 teaspoon reduced sodium soy sauce
- 1 large lemon, juiced
Instructions
- Remove any giblets, gravy packet, thermometer, or plastic ties for a whole chicken and discard. Place the chicken into a large stock pot or Dutch Oven. Add onions, garlic, jalapeño, 2 dried bay leaves, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and ½ tablespoon peppercorns. Cover with 12 cups water.
- Bring the stock to a simmer over medium heat. As the soup comes to a simmer, remove any cloudy material that rises to the top of the broth with a fine-mesh strainer scum off the top of the soup as it forms and discard.
- Once the soup is simmering (small bubbles around the edges of the pan), turn the heat to medium-low and cover the pan with a lid. Simmer for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until the chicken is tender and falling apart.
- Remove the chicken and place it on cutting board or large bowl/casserole dish. Strain the broth using a colander over a large bowl OR simply use a spoon to fish out the onions, garlic, jalapeño, bay leaves, and peppercorns from the broth.
- Optional: Refrigerate broth for a few hours or overnight to let fat consolidate and harden on the surface of the soup. Once the fat rises to the surface, scoop it out and discard.
- If needed, return the broth to the soup pan and bring back to a simmer over medium heat. Once simmering, add the potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, and 1 teaspoon reduced sodium soy sauce and cook until vegetables are tender, about 20-30 minutes.
- While the vegetables are simmering, prepare the chicken. Remove the skin and discard. Remove the meat from the bones and discard the bones. Shred or dice the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Measure out 2-3 cups of the chicken and save the rest to use in another recipe.
- Once the vegetables are tender, add 2-3 cups of the shredded chicken to the soup and simmer for 2-5 minutes, just to warm through.
- Remove the soup from the heat and add the juice the lemon to the soup. Stir to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Originally shared in 2016 and updated in 2026.
YUM chicken soup is perfect for this cold winter's day. Thank you for this simple yet healthy and delicious recipe my whole family loves!
I am so glad you enjoyed Lisalia! It is a cold night here as well.
Yum!! Just made this today because I’m sick, and this is so tasty!! I added star of anise and lemongrass for the health properties, but I’m sure it’s great without it! I’m feeling better already 🙂
I hope you KEEP feeling better 🙂 Glad you enjoyed
Yum! This soup sounds amazing. I love the addition of soy sauce and sweet potatoes! Can't wait to try this recipe. I will be sharing a link to your recipe in my upcoming post, Easy Healthy Lunch Ideas (on a Budget). I am sure my readers will love your recipe too!
Thank you so much Tina!! The soy sauce and sweet potatoes are a great addition for sure!
It's crazy that a 'soup' can do so much, but chicken soup is really a miracle elixir! I love your addition of ginger and pepper! I can already feel my sinuses clearing!
Bookmarking this for when my family will (inevitably) need it this fall/winter. With school back in session I am always waiting for my son to come with something.
Oh I hear you Allison! As soon as school starts, the sniffling begins. Hopefully you can avoid it!
I was sick on our trip to Disney last spring! Flying with a cold is so uncomfortable. I am so glad that your cold passed without infection. This soup would hit the spot for sure. {Love the soy sauce and lemon.}
Oh man, I am so sorry for you Katie--it is NOT fun to be sick on ANY vacation.
Chicken soup is the best comfort soup.
100% Agree!