Feel Better Chicken Soup (2024)

This recipe for Feel Better Chicken Soup with lemon and ginger is healing and soothing and will warm you to your bones! Brothy and flavorful, it is the perfect base for noodles, rice, beans or grains, or keep it keto and low-carb!

Hi friends, I wanted to share a soup we’ve been making for years around here, especially when feeling under the weather with a cold or flu-Feel Better Chicken Soup!

I like to make a big batch and keep it in jars in the fridge, or even freeze it for times when I don’t feel like cooking. It makes a lovely gift to someone who is feeling sick. This chicken soup recipe has the best flavor – lemony and gingery and very soothing for stuffy heads and sore throats. The ultimate in comfort food!

But the best part is once you have the basic soup made, you can take it in all sorts of directions, using what you have on hand. (If you are vegan or vegetarian- I highly recommend this AyurvedicTurmeric Detox Broth instead. )

Feel Better Chicken Soup | 60-second video

Chicken Soup Ingredients

1. Onion- red onion, white onion or yellow onion, or sub shallots or leeks
2. Garlic- fresh garlic cloves!
3. Ginger- use ginger root or ground ginger in a pinch.
4. Vegetables: Celery and carrots, or feel free to add other veggies like mushrooms, or other veggies.
5. Chicken broth (store-bought or homemade) or chicken bouillon or low-sodium chicken broth.
6. Chicken: skinless chicken breast, skinless chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs.
7. Lemon- you’ll need fresh lemon juice
8. Herbs and seasonings: fresh parsley or cilantro and white pepper.

How to make Chicken Soup (instructions)

Step 1. This flavorful soup starts with sauteing onion, garlic and ginger until tender and fragrant and golden. Sometimes I’ll add celery and carrots, sometimes not. I like to add a lot of garlic, feel free to cut back if you want.

TIP: if using bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, sear the skin side until deeply golden in the pot first. This adds lovely flavor, depth, and collagen to the soup. Remove the thighs and saute the onion, garlic and ginger.

Step 2. Add the chicken stock (or broth) and whole chicken thighs (or chicken breasts). Bring to a simmer and cover, cooking until the thighs are cooked through, about 20 minutes. Bone-in will take longer.

TIP: If adding rice or quinoa, you couldadd directly to the pot of simmering broth, only adding about 1/2 cup. Same with canned beans- just add one can, drained.

I prefer to keep my rice or noodles separate, to prevent the soup from getting cloudy, but do as you like.

Step 3. Simmer covered for 20 minutes, more or less depending on size of the chicken pieces.

Step 4. Use two forks or tongs, and pull apart the chicken. You can do this in the pot, or use a cutting board if using bone-in chicken. Return the chicken (discarding bones and skin) to the pot and bring to a simmer for 3 minutes. Taste and adjust the broth. Squeeze with lemon to taste.

Serving Suggestions

Serve in a bowl with chili flakes if you want; a drizzle of sesame oil is nice, and some scallions or fresh parsley or cilantro. You can ladle it over cooked noodles or leftover grains if you want.

Chicken Soup Variations:

• Pasta or noodles: Add leftover pasta or noodles from the pantry, like egg noodles, orzo, rice noodles, linguini or even spaghetti. It’s a great way to use up stray bags of half-used noodles.
• Grains: Add cooked quinoa, millet, rice, or farro at the end of cooking.
• Beans: Add can of white beans or lentils or cannellini beans for more fiber.
• Veggies: Toss in diced carrots, celery, mushrooms, or leeks (to the simmering broth) or add baby spinach at the end and drizzle it with sesame oil and sprinkle with scallions and call it good.
• Creamy Chicken Soup: If you like some creaminess, stir in some coconut milk at the very end. Adjust salt and lemon to taste.

Storage

Leftovers will keep up to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Or freeze in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, before reheating on the stovetop

Whichever direction you choose to take this flavorful soup, I know you will be happy with the base. I’m excited to see where you take this! Please share your variations in the comments below.

Other Chicken soup recipes you may like

• 20 Broth-Based Soup Recipes
• Chicken Meatball Soup with Bok Choy
• Chicken Noodle Soup
• Lemony Chicken Orzo Soup with Dill
• Authentic Tom Kha Gai (Thai Coconut Chicken Soup)
• Kale, Chickpea and Chicken Soup with Rosemary Croutons
• Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
• Instant Pot Chicken Artichoke Soup with Wild Rice

Feel better, friends.

xoxo

Sylvia

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