What are the ingredients for chicken soup?
The very basic ingredients for homemade chicken soup should be stored in your pantry for when you’re ready to make it.
For your convenience, I’ve included some substitutions here in case you don’t have anything on hand.
- Extra virgin olive oil, or any mildly flavored oil such as canola, vegetable, or avocado oil
- Skinless, boneless chicken breasts, though thighs are also an option if that’s what you’d prefer
- Onions—yellow or white onions are perfect
- Celery
- Carrots
- Unsalted chicken stock—you’re going to need 2-32 oz. containers of this! COOL if you have chicken stock that has been salted or only slightly salted. It’s important to taste the soup while cooking to avoid adding too much salt.
- Kosher salt and pepper
Why I love this recipe:
I have no memories of my grandmother making spaeztle for me, but every time I make these German noodles, I am reminded of her.
The traditional chicken noodle soup, chicken spaetzle, is made with homemade, thicker egg noodles. It’s tasty, warming, and ideal for a chilly winter day—or, if you’re feeling under the weather, ideal for a winter day that’s somehow in the 70s.
This recipe is also quick to prepare, so it won’t take much time or hassle if you’re cooking for yourself or your sick child.
Traditional chicken soup is incredibly comforting, and it’s elevated to a whole new level with the addition of these tiny, soft German noodles.
If you’re looking for dinner ideas but don’t know where to start, take a look at my Dinner Recipe Index!
How to make Homemade Chicken Soup
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
While the oil is heating, season your chicken with salt and pepper. You’ll use a little more than a teaspoon here, but season to your preferred taste. I like to season chicken with about 1 teaspoon of salt for every pound of chicken. The soup can always have more salt added to it, but once it’s in there, it can’t be taken out.
Cook the chicken breasts until golden brown on all sides in hot oil. Fear not if they aren’t cooked all the way through; they will finish cooking when we re-add them to the broth.
Once the chicken has turned golden brown, take it out of the pan and place it on a plate to serve later.
Add the chopped onions, celery and carrots to the pot. Cook until softened. Stirring the vegetables frequently will enable them to scrape browned bits from the pot’s bottom. These crispy bits that were left over from the chicken are incredibly flavorful!
Add the unsalted chicken stock once the vegetables are tender. Add the whole chicken breasts back in, too.
Simmer until the chicken is tender, about 30 minutes. I use a fork to test mine, and it’s done when the chicken practically falls apart when I try to remove it from the soup.
Remove the chicken breasts from the soup and shred. (I usually shred the chicken with two forks or tongs, but if you’d rather not get your hands dirty, you can shred it in a stand mixer.) ).
Return the shredded chicken to the soup after tasting it and adding more salt and pepper if necessary.
