Grandma’s Homemade Chicken Soup Recipe
Grandma’s Homemade Chicken Soup is a comforting, classic recipe featuring tender chicken simmered with fresh vegetables and aromatic herbs. This hearty soup is perfect for warming up on chilly days or whenever you need a nourishing, homemade meal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes
- Yield: Approximately 6 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Halal
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Broth
- 1 whole raw chicken
- 1 quart low sodium chicken broth
- 4 cups water
Vegetables
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 5 carrots, chopped
- 3 celery stalks, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Herbs and Seasonings
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Fresh parsley (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Add Chicken and Liquids: Place the whole raw chicken into a large stock pot and add 1 quart of low sodium chicken broth. Then add 4 cups of water to ensure the chicken is fully covered.
- Add Vegetables and Seasonings: Chop the onion, carrots, and celery and add them to the pot along with the minced garlic. Stir in the dried basil, dried thyme, salt, and ground black pepper. Cover the pot and bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Simmer the Soup: Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and let the soup cook for 1 hour. Stir occasionally and make sure the chicken stays submerged, adding more water if necessary. Afterward, lower the heat to low and simmer for an additional hour with the lid on.
- Prepare the Chicken: When the soup is done, the chicken will be tender and fall-off-the-bone soft. Carefully remove the chicken from the pot using two spatulas to keep it intact. Cut the meat into pieces and return it to the soup pot. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.
- Serve: Serve the soup hot. It pairs wonderfully with rice or noodles, just as Grandma used to serve it, but serving with rice is optional.
Notes
- Adding more water during simmering will keep the chicken fully submerged to ensure even cooking.
- Use low sodium chicken broth to better control the saltiness of the soup.
- Fresh parsley adds a bright flavor but can be omitted if unavailable.
- The soup can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
- For a clearer broth, strain the soup before serving and add chicken and vegetables back afterward.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 26 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg
Keywords: chicken soup, homemade chicken soup, classic chicken soup, comforting soup, easy chicken soup
