Easy Homemade Chicken Soup

For as long as I can remember I thought I hated cooking. It turns out I was wrong! I just need recipes that were simple, bulletproof, and made from everyday staples. Here you will find the easy homemade chicken soup recipe that sold me on the whole cooking thing.

I always thought tottering around in the kitchen could be fun but I had no desire to hunt down obscure ingredients in my pantry or at the grocery store. If an ingredient list is longer than a handful of items or if the directions number in the double digits I’m just plain annoyed. It seems every recipe now needs some obscure ingredient or a special kitchen gadget. I am inclined to return to simplicity. I want to be able to cook from memory or by instinct, not based on some hefty set of instructions. Isn’t it amazing when recipes can be passed along in a simple conversation and adapted as you see fit?

How It All Started

We received a Le Creuset dutch oven as a wedding gift and I stumbled across a recipe for chicken broth that looked simple enough even for me, the antithesis of Julia Child. I found The Healthy Foodie also had a simple recipe for making the actual chicken. Genius. Make the chicken, make the broth, and the soup makes itself.

Doesn’t this seriously look fancy? It’s not.

Why This one?

It is a fantastic recipe for a day when you will be stuck at home for a day, over the course of multiple days as you have time, or freeze the broth and use it later. I love that you can make it with whatever you have on hand and it is difficult to ruin the dish at any step. It’s easy enough that you don’t even actually need a recipe. With minimal planning ahead you can tackle this recipe too!

Did you know studies show chicken soup may actually be help relieve illness like upper respiratory infections? Grandma was onto something.

What I Used

You will need these supplies (or something equivalent) to make this recipe work. Yes the Le Creuset looks expensive, if it’s too much of an investment get a less expensive one like this or phone a friend.

The Recipe

The Healthy Foodie has fabulous pictures and directions but here are the basics:

Make the Chicken

• Whole Chicken
• Vegetables (carrots, onions, celery, garlic or whatever floats your boat)
• Seasoning (salt and pepper, and whatever else you want to add… rosemary is one of my favorite)

1. Preheat oven to 325*F- if your oven is anything like mine you will be done preparing before that lovely little beep goes off.
2. Take some washed veggies like carrots, onions, celery and cut or break them. NO NEED TO PEEL. How awesome is that?
3. Make a bed of the veggies in the bottom of the dutch oven but save some to put in the chicken
4. Prep the chicken. I put mine in a strainer to make it easier. Salt, pepper, some random seasoning outside and INSIDE. Then I stuff the bird with the rest of the veggies.
5. Put it in the dutch oven, stick the lid on, and then throw it in the oven for about 4-5 hours basting about once a hour….but it’s okay if you forget to baste sometimes.

Make the Broth

Now we can move on to the broth. Of you run out of time after baking the chicken just make the broth tomorrow.

• Chicken bones and the roasted veggies
• Apple cider vinegar (1 tbsp)
• Water
• Salt, Pepper, and more seasoning (whatever you want)

1. Remove the meat from the chicken and set aside (in the refrigerator…or eat it)
2. Add vinegar, seasoning, and enough water to cover your chicken bones
3. Cook at 325*F for another 5-6 hours
4. Strain contents, make sure to press all the yummy juices out

 

 

Voila! You have broth.

Make the Soup

• Chicken
• Veggies
• Seasoning
• Starch (optional)

Really at this point everything you put in the soup is up to you. Mine changes on a weekly basis depending on what is available in my pantry and fridge. Typically I will put in carrots, onion, celery, garlic, chicken, and then pasta (like filini) or rice. These 90 second rice packets made a fantastic addition to the soup this week!

1. Return broth to Le Creuset (or another pot)
2. Add vegetables and water as desired. Simmer until veggies are cooked to you liking
3. Add your chicken and cooked starch. Both of these ingredients are already cooked so they just need to be warmed.
4. Serve with some delicious bread and butter.

This soup is different every time I make it but it is always delicious. What variations did you try?

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