So, You Want My Best Chicken Soup?

Alright, pull up a chair! If you ask my family, they’ll tell you I’ve been making “the best Chicken soup” for ages, though my first version tasted like salty dishwater (not my finest hour). Now? It’s my all-weather, feel-better, fix-everything dish. Side note: my dog always tries to steal a carrot or two while I’m chopping. He’s an optimist, I’ll give him that.

Mountains of bowls later, this recipe is the one I come back to whether it’s cold and rainy or I’m just feeling the need for a bit of kitchen therapy. I mean, what else do you do when it’s chilly and you’ve watched everything decent on TV?

Why You’ll Love This Chicken Soup

I make this when folks are under the weather (it’s mandatory in my house; I play nurse and chef), or sometimes just because I’m craving food that feels like a warm hug. My family goes crazy for this—not fancy, but somehow downright magical. Probably the sheer amount of garlic. That, or nostalgia in a pot. And, look, I’ve had soups flop hard before (once added way too much dill—it still haunts me), so trust me when I say: this one’s easy and forgiving if you mess up a bit. Which, let’s be honest, I usually do somewhere along the way.

Things You’ll Need: Ingredients & All the Useful Swaps

1 whole Chicken (about 1.5kg; or, if I’m in a rush, I just use a pile of thighs—seriously, use what you’ve got, Chicken-wise)
3 big carrots (peeled & chopped; or a good handful of baby carrots if that’s all you have, works just as well)
2 celery sticks (I omit this if none’s in the fridge; parsley stems work in a pinch, too)
1 huge onion (quartered—red onion will absolutely do, despite what my grandmother said)
4-5 garlic cloves (smashed; and sometimes, honestly, I just toss in a spoonful of garlic paste if it’s late)
1 big potato (peeled & cubed—optional, but I like the extra comfort)
Bay leaf or two (though if you forget it, I promise this still tastes lovely)
Handful of fresh parsley (stems too—waste not)
Salt & pepper (go heavy on black pepper if you like a spicy kick)
Approx. 2L water or Chicken stock (if I’m being lazy, bouillon is my shortcut)
Noodles or rice (optional)—honestly, sometimes I just drop in a torn-up bread roll. Who’s judging?

How I Throw This Together (Casually Speaking)

Plop (yes, scientific) the chicken into your biggest pot, along with carrots, celery, onion, garlic, bay leaf, and parsley. Add the potatoes if you’re using ’em, and pour in enough water or stock to just cover everything.
Bring the whole thing to a gentle boil. Skim off that foamy stuff on top (if you forget, no biggie—it’s just less pretty). Then turn it down and let it simmer, half-covered, for around 50 minutes. Sometimes I wander off, then suddenly remember, oh heck, the soup!
Fish out the chicken once it’s nice and tender. I let it cool a bit (burnt fingers = not fun) then shred with two forks. By the way, this is the bit my partner always tries to sneak a taste from—watch out!
Chuck the chicken back in. Add salt & pepper to taste. If you want noodles or rice, this is your moment to toss them in. Cook until those are just the way you like ’em (about 8 minutes for noodles, though who’s counting?).
Sneak a wee taste. Adjust seasoning if you need to (I always do, but maybe your spoon is luckier than mine). Stir in fresh parsley for good measure.

If it looks suspiciously cloudy, that’s fine. It always does when I make it, and it honestly just means it tastes like you did it from scratch (because you did!).

What I’ve Learned Along the Way

If you forget the bay leaves, honestly, nobody will notice unless you tell them. Ask me how I know.
Using a rotisserie chicken totally works, and means soup in half the time. Though, the flavor’s a smidge different—still brilliant.
Soup is one of those things you can’t really ruin unless you wander off a bit too long (guilty), or salt like a sailor. I err on the side of ‘under-salt, then adjust’.
Let it sit off-heat for 10 minutes before serving—the flavors just seem to get friendlier.

If You Want to Mix It Up (My Wild Experiments)

Lemon juice at the end = super refreshing. Especially good if your nose is stuffy.
I tried throwing in sweetcorn once, but it was a bit weird with the noodles. Not my finest hour. But hey, worth mentioning. Someone else might love it?
Swap half the water for veggie juice if you like things robust. Not subtle, but I think it’s nice sometimes.
Fresh dill, but I swear only a little, unless you want a borscht-leaning situation.

Stuff You Might (or Might Not) Need

Big soup pot—well, obviously. But honestly, I once made a tiny batch in a saucepan. Just halve everything.
Colander or slotted spoon (though a clean mug works if you’re desperate… been there)
Sharp knife and a chopping board, but in a real pinch, tear the veggies with your hands—nobody will know after simmering an hour.

How to Store This (If You Actually Have Leftovers)

Pop it in the fridge, covered, and you’re good for about 3 days. Freezes like a dream, though the noodles go a bit squidgy (fancy term). In my house, there’s hardly ever enough left for lunch the next day, which drives me mad when I’m actually planning ahead.

Serving Up (And My Favourite Add-Ons)

We go all-in: big bowls, plenty of fresh bread for dunking (ciabatta if I’m being posh, supermarket sliced if not). My cousin insists on adding a splash of hot sauce—me, I just go on with truckloads of black pepper and a bit more parsley. Oh, and, sometimes a swirl of cream if I’m feeling flash. Not traditional, but life’s short, right?

The Stuff I Learned the Hard Way (Pro Tips…Sort Of)

I once tried to rush shredding the chicken when it was still hot—regretted it and so did my fingers. Let it cool a bit.
Don’t skimp on tasting as you go, really—it never comes out perfect the first time for me, and I always end up adding something weird (sometimes it’s magic, sometimes not).
Let the soup hang out for a few minutes before serving. Sounds small, but the flavors mingle (or whatever the science is, it just tastes better to me).

Wait, Did You Ask?

Can I make this with boneless chicken? Sure! It’ll cook faster, but the broth’s less rich. Just toss in a bouillon cube if you want extra oomph.
Is it okay to make this vegetarian? Absolutely—just skip the chicken, double the veggies, and toss in a drained can of chickpeas. It’s different, but still cozy.
What if I don’t have parsley? No one’s ever died from parsley shortage. Use chives, dill (sparingly!) or just skip it.
Can I leave this cooking unattended? Not really! You’ll regret it—trust me, I let it go too wild once and everything turned mushy.
Why does mine look cloudy? Means it’s homemade. Take it as a badge of honor.
Any secret ingredient? A splash of apple cider vinegar wakes up the flavors (but only a tiiiny splash or it’ll taste odd—learned that the hard way!).

And if you were wondering, yes, you absolutely should make a double batch. It’s somehow even better the next day. Or, so I hear, since mine disappears before I can check.