Chicken Soup Ever

This is Chicken Soup Ever. We have been enjoying this soup since we were a little baby, and it remains our absolute favorite soup in the world to this day. This soup is the definition of comfort food. Traditionally, our family makes this with “fide” which are thin soup noodles in Bulgaria, but we personally switch between rice, soup noodles, or pasta. Any variety of rice or noodles will work here, so use what you love.

We hope you give it a try and share it with your loved ones. Don’t forget to tag someone who would love this recipe and leave a review on the blog.

What stands out

This soup is made with a few fresh ingredients: chicken, onion, celery, carrot, garlic, and parsley. It’s healthy and comforting and the meal if you’re feeling a bit under the weather.

The flexibility of this soup is so wonderful. From various cuts of chicken, different veggies, and your choice of pasta or rice, you can certainly make this soup your own. The combination of the seared chicken and the vegetables in this soup creates an flavor profile that is not only tasty but also healthy!

How To Prepare

• Firstheat the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat.
• Then, sear the chicken on both sides for a few minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper.
• Add onions, carrots, and celery; let them cook for a few minutes to release their aroma.
• Next, add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute to remove the raw flavor.
• Pour in hot water or stock and bring to a boil.
• Now you can reduce the heat to medium-low, partially cover the pot with a lid, and then let it simmer for 35 to 40 minutes.
• As always, taste and adjust the soup with salt if needed.
• After 40 minutes, remove the chicken and add the rinsed rice to the pot.
• Shred the chicken with a fork after removing any skin and bones and then add it back to the pot once the rice is cooked.
• Finally, you can garnish with fresh parsley and optionally, add a squeeze of lemon juice to each bowl for extra flavor.

Kitchen tip

For enhanced flavor, try using our homemade vegetable stock cubes in this recipe!

Substitutes and Variations

The Best Chicken Soup Ever lends itself to a number of different add-ins or variations. Let us know in the comments if you try any!

• Substitute the rice for quinoa orzo, brown rice, pastina, broken-up angel hair pasta, or couscous. There are so many options for this aspect of the soup! Choose what you love.
• Feel free to try this recipe with different herbs like dill, thyme, or basil for added flavor.
• Try adding other vegetables to your soup, like peasspinach or kale.
• The soup can be made vegetarian by omitting the chicken.
• For enhanced flavor, add our homemade chicken bouillon cube to the broth along with the rice. Alternatively, you can swap half or all of the water for chicken or vegetable broth.

Serve it with

Consider serving this straightforward Best Chicken Soup Ever with some homemade bread. Here are some of our favorites:

• No-Knead Peasant Bread
• No-Knead Gluten-Free Bread
• Cheesy Roasted Garlic Bread
• Grandma’s No-Knead Olive Bread
• No-Knead Focaccia

Similar Recipes

Don’t forget to explore other similar recipes on our blog if you’re interested in comforting soups:

• Lasagna Soup
• Pastina Soup
• Greek Lemon Soup
• The Best Lentil Soup
• Hidden Veggie Orzo Soup
• Healthy Cream of Broccoli Soup
• Healthiest Cream of Hidden Veggie Soup
• Hidden Veggie Meatball Soup
• Chicken Noodle Soup

Questions

What kind of broth do you use?

Can we use something in place of the rice?

Absolutely! Feel free to use fide, orzo, or pastina in this soup instead of rice. You can even break angel hair pasta into small pieces and use that as well. This soup is extremely versatile so be sure to make it your own.

How can we store leftovers in the fridge?

Allow the soup to cool to room temperature before transferring it to an airtight container. Then, place it in the refrigerator within two hours of cooking. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

Why do you cook the rice/pasta separately?

Any time you add starch to soups, it tends to absorb the beautiful broth the following day. Therefore, what we recommend is cooking the rice/pasta/orzo separately or adding more stock to your soup the following day.

Can we freeze this?

If you have more leftovers than you can consume in a few days, freezing is a great option. First, portion the soup into airtight containers or resealable freezer bags, but be sure there’s some room for expansion to prevent containers from cracking. Then, label the containers with the date. The soup can be stored in the freezer for up to 2-3 months.

How do we prepare this from frozen?

When you’re ready to enjoy your leftover soup, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight if frozen. To reheat, use a microwave, stovetop, or an oven. Make sure to heat it thoroughly until it’s steaming hot. You may need to add a bit of water or broth to adjust the consistency.

strong How can we send this with our kids for school?

Start by preheating a thermos with boiling water and keep it closed. While the thermos warms up, heat the soup on the stove. This entire process should only take about 10 minutes. Once the thermos is ready, empty the hot water and add the soup, leaving some space at the top to prevent a vacuum seal, which would make it harder to open. If desired, sprinkle some fresh Parmesan over the soup before serving.

Is there a vegetarian version of this soup?

Yes, you can make this soup vegetarian by omitting the chicken and using vegetable broth instead of water.

What can we do to enhance the flavor of the soup?

For enhanced flavor, you can add any seasonings you enjoy. You can also add a a mark bouillon cube (or 1 tablespoon bouillon paste) to the water/broth, or use Vegeta as our mom does.

What should we do if our soup is thicker than we'd like?

We add 8 to 10 cups of water or broth depending on how much chicken and rice we use. You can definitely add more if you see that it’s way too thick at the end.

Which cut of chicken should we use?

We used 4 skin-on, bone-in thighs, and 3 small chicken breasts – any cut of chicken will work here: bone-in or boneless. You can also use a whole chicken; just increase the quantity of liquid and fully submerge the chicken. Once the chicken is fully cooked, remove the skin and bones and shred the meat. We compost the skin of the chicken but if you like chicken skin, you can chop it up and add it in as well.

What type of salt do you use?

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

• 3 tablespoons olive oil, any oil
• 4 chicken thighs, any cut of chicken works
• 3 chicken breasts, small
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 celery rib, finely diced
• 1 carrot, peeled and diced
• 4 garlic cloves, finely diced
• 8 to 10 cups unsalted vegetable broth, or water
• ½ cup jasmine rice, washed
• fresh chopped parsley, for garnish

Equipment

• Measuring Cups + Spoons
• Soup Pot
• Nakiri Knife
• Cutting Board

Method

1. In a big soup pot over medium heat, add the oil and let it warm. Add the chicken, and let it sear on each side for a few minutes. Be sure to season it with salt and pepper on each side.
2. Add the onions, carrots, and celery and let them cook for a few minutes to release their aroma.
3. Add the garlic and cook off the raw flavor, 1 minute. Add the hot water or stock let everything come to a boil.
4. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and semi-cover the pot with a lid. Let everything cook on medium-low heat for 35 to 40 minutes. Taste and adjust for salt.
5. After 40 minutes, remove the chicken, and add 1/2 cup of rinsed rice to the pot. Remove any skin or bones from the chicken, shred it with a fork, and add it back in once the rice is cooked. Garnish with fresh parsley and enjoy. Squeezed lemon juice in each bowl is optional, but absolutely delicious.