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Grandma’s Chicken Soup From Scratch

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Some call this soup Jewish penicillin, others just say this homemade chicken soup busts through cold and flu season. I just call it delicious.

This is the homemade chicken soup from scratch recipe I grew up enjoying. If you love chicken soup as much as we do, you will want to check out all of my delicious homemade Gluten Free Soup Recipes!

Two bowls of homemade chicken soup from scratch. A garlic press and garlic bulb is next to the bowls.

Do you love homemade chicken soup?

For some reason, I only make this soup when someone is sick. This soup is as close to comfort food as it gets. I remember my grandmother making this soup every time we went to visit. The memories come back every time I make this soup.

This chicken soup recipe takes time to make…but I promise it is worth it! You can also make the Instant Pot Version of this Homemade Chicken Soup! Delicious flavor in a fraction of the time!! If you love all types of chicken soup, check out all of these fun gluten free chicken soup recipes too!

My Grandma’s Homemade Chicken Soup is Comfort Food

This soup is as close to comfort food as it gets. I remember my grandmother making this soup every time we went to visit. The memories come back every time I make this soup. This chicken soup takes time to make…but I promise it is worth it!

This chicken soup takes time to make…but I promise it is worth it!”

Our whole family loves this soup, and I really need to make it more often. Fall is finally here and soon cold and flu season will be here. We also love this delicious Turmeric Chicken Vegetable Soup during cold and flu season!! (And this turmeric chicken soup is quick and easy to make!)

Simple fresh ingredients make the best homemade chicken soup

This easy chicken soup recipe is made from scratch, with fresh simple ingredients.”

It is so easy to make a bowl of good chicken soup from scratch. You don’t need many ingredients. Just add chicken, broth, carrots, onion, garlic, and celery to a pot. You can add noodles to make chicken noodle soup, or add rice. We usually make chicken and rice soup because gluten free noodles tend to get pretty mushy. You can use brown or white rice in this soup recipe.

This soup is Whole 30, Paleo, Keto, and Gluten Free. Perfect for anyone who has food allergies. Pair this soup with these delicious gluten free bread for easy dipping: Gluten Free Light and Fluffy Cheddar Muffins or this Gluten Free Focaccia Bread.

top view of two bowls of grandma's chicken soup

This recipe uses a whole chicken to make this soup

For my grandma’s old-fashioned chicken soup, you will need a whole chicken. (You can also use chicken that isn’t whole. You need to make sure your chicken pieces are with the bone as the bone minerals are what makes this soup so good!!)

I prefer to use an organic whole chicken. Include the neck and organs…it all goes into the pot. You will want to cook this down for a couple of hours so the chicken flavor is infused into the broth. If you love this soup, you will also want to try my Gluten Free Matzo Ball recipe. This soup is great with matzo balls!

The vegetables used to make chicken soup from scratch

Classic chicken soup has onion, carrot, and celery. I have added turnip and rutabaga to my chicken soup recipe over the years, but for this post, I wanted to keep it close to my grandma’s recipe. (If you decide to add other vegetables, you would want one small turnip and one small rutabaga chopped up.) You can also try this easy Instant Pot Vegetable Soup with Chicken for a soup with lots of extra vegetables.

Chicken soup seasoning

This soup is full of flavor from these spices and herbs:

  • thyme
  • basil
  • parsley
  • garlic
  • salt and pepper

I used dried thyme and dried basil. I did use fresh garlic cloves because dried garlic powder just doesn’t add the same flavors to the soup broth. Fresh parsley is also better to use.

How to make Jewish chicken soup from scratch:

Put chicken in a stock pot

Chicken soup with a whole chicken

I love making my Grandma’s soup with a whole chicken. The raw chicken cooks in the soup! If you do not have a whole chicken on hand, you can easily use other chicken parts…it is best to use chicken with the bones as the bones add a lot of nutrients to the soup while cooking.

Add your raw whole chicken to a stockpot. Add in low sodium chicken broth, seasonings, vegetables, and water. Cover and bring the chicken soup to a boil. Turn down the heat and allow this chicken soup to simmer for two hours.

Is chicken broth gluten free?

Most chicken broth is gluten free but I highly encourage you to read the labels. Look for any artificial ingredients, and also make sure the broth wasn’t made on shared equipment!

Cover and bring the chicken soup to a boil. Turn down the heat and allow this chicken soup to simmer for two hours.

chicken cooking in soup

After the chicken cooks in the soup for 2 hours, remove the chicken to a separate pan so the bones don’t all fall apart in the soup.

Two bowls of the he best homemade chicken soup

Can you use gluten free noodles?

Gluten free noodles are tricky, and for this reason, I do not recommend cooking your noodles in this soup recipe. Gluten free chicken noodle soup has to be made with the noodles cooked separately, and then added to your bowl just before adding your cooked soup.

What gluten free noodles are best for chicken soup?

Some brands of gluten free pasta definitely hold up better than others. I like Jovial and Barilla pasta brands for chicken soup. As I mentioned above, you do not want to cook these in your soup…but these noodles will hold up to sitting in a bowl of soup for a little while.

More Delicious Homemade Soup Recipes to Try:

If you love chicken as much as we do, you will want to check out ALL of my delicious easy Gluten Free Chicken Recipes!! Making chicken soup is so easy!!

Tools You Need To Make This Recipe:

  1. A big soup pot that is large enough to hold a whole chicken.
  2. A vegetable chopper to chop up your vegetables.
recipe love
Grandma's Homemade Chicken Soup

Grandma's Homemade Chicken Soup

Yield: 10
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes

An easy homemade chicken soup made from scratch. Grandma's chicken soup recipe is easy to make using a whole chicken and vegetables.

Ingredients

  • 1 whole chicken, raw
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 5 carrots, chopped
  • 3 celery stalks, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons basil
  • 2 teaspoons thyme
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 quart chicken broth, low sodium
  • 4 cups water
  • parsley is optional

Instructions

  1. Add a whole raw chicken to a large stock pot.
  2. Add all ingredients, cover and simmer on medium low until it boils.
  3. Once the soup is boiling, turn down the temperature to low and simmer for 2 hours.
  4. Remove the chicken to a pan. Do this carefully so the chicken doesn't fall apart. Cut the chicken meat into pieces and add back to the soup. Garnish with fresh parsley if you like.
  5. Serve hot. (My grandmother served it over rice, this is totally optional.)

Notes

This recipe uses a whole raw chicken. The chicken cooks directly in the soup making the broth full of rich chicken flavors!

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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 355Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 130mgSodium: 584mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 28g
Please note this nutrition information is calculated by a recipe plugin and is an estimate based on the ingredients used in this recipe.
© Sandi Gaertner
Cuisine: American / Category: Gluten Free Soup Recipes

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. DANIEL LUKENSOW

    Super great recipe. Five stars. However, watching Diners, Driveins,& Divers the chef flayed the chicken, placed it on a tray, based oil and baked for an hour first. The theory was by baking it all the flavors were released into the meat. Then made soup.

    Reply

  2. Phil

    Hi! I’m cooking this for my wife who is currently sick in bed. She wants it with the frozen egg noodles… Do I cook those separately or put them in the pot towards the end of the simmer so they have more flavor? Thanks so much, it smells delicious.

    Reply

    • Sandi Gaertner

      I am so sorry your wife is sick. I always cook the noodles separately…but then again it may be because gluten free noodles would turn to mush. I hope she feels better soon!

      Reply

  4. Krista Doerr

    Planning on making this today. Sick momma here with two sick kiddos (flu! 😣), hoping this recipe gets us on the mend fast!

    Reply

  5. Angiemom23

    Currently in the simmer stage with this and by smell alone we are all drooling just waiting for it to finish up! I came looking for a recipe because our son is running a 102 degree fever, when your first few lines talked about Jewish Penicillin and it being a grandma’s recipe I knew I found what we needed! Thank you for sharing!

    Reply

  6. Justine

    Awesome chicken soup. Made it especially for my mom in law that has pancreatic csncer. She said it’s the best chicken soup she has had in a very long time. Thank you:)

    Reply

  7. Bonny

    We raise our own chickens but skin them, can’t wait to try this recipe. What about canning it? Thinking it would make great Christmas presents.

    Reply

    • Sandi Gaertner

      Hi Donna, you can use pieces of chicken but I highly recommend making sure the pieces are bone-in. There are a lot of nutrients in the bones that cook into this soup, giving it that awesome cold and flu busting benefit.

      Reply

    • Sandi Gaertner

      Hi Jodie, the long cook time didn’t make our veggies mushy. You can cook less, we do cook on a simmer for much of this for flavor, but it isn’t necessary. You can also add the veggies in a little later.

      Reply

  10. patti deblasi

    Beat soup ever! I do the chicken boil then strain it and refrigerate the broth over night. The fat rises to the top and can be skimmed off. Then add all the good stuff~ AMAZING!!!

    Reply

  11. Keith

    Hey Miss Sandi – during the simmer process do I scoop off any foam or excess fat?? I can’t wait to try this. Thanks for your help. Thanks to Grandma too!

    Reply

    • Sandi Gaertner

      You would want to cook the rice separately and add it to your bowl and pour the soup over it. My grandmother never cooked the soup with the rice because it would make the broth starchy.

      Reply

  15. Hummingbird 1st

    Apart from the very first bowl of soup that I tasted, I froze the first batch of soup that I made and it is so delicious that I find I cannot wait until I am sick before I devour some more! I expect it will keep the germs away anyway LOL! Well that’s my story anyway…. I have another batch cooking on the stove so I really don’t plan on running out anytime soon. I made this soup on both occasions exactly as written and it is superb. The flavour and the aroma of the soup whilst cooking is amazing and I am very happy to have found this recipe. Thank you very much for sharing your Grandma\s recipe. I did leave a comment for the first soup I made but think it may have gone astray.

    Reply

    • Sandi Gaertner

      You made my day. Thank you so much for coming back to tell me how much you liked my Grandma’s soup.

      Reply

    • Sandi Gaertner

      Yay!! I am so glad you liked my grandmother’s soup, Kathy. I appreciate your coming back to let me know. If you didn’t leave a star rating in the recipe card by clicking the stars, I would be so grateful if you would so people know how yummy this recipe is.

      Reply

  20. Marie

    Chicken simmering , as I write this little note of Thanks for the recipe ..The flavors are filling the kitchen with a wonderful aroma …..I know this will help me on the way to a a cure for the cold /flu that I am experiencing right now…
    Thanks so much for a delicious recipe…Yum!!

    Reply

  21. Al S.

    Yessssss!! This soup is just what the doctor calls for when sick! I made this yesterday for me and the little woman. I am sick as a dog, so I looked up soups on Pinterest. I came up with this gem! Easy to make, very flavorful and inexpensive. I am adding this to my favorites, for sure!

    Reply

      • janelynn

        I was all set to come on here and tell you that a soup is NOT homemade if you buy the broth, then saw that yours calls for the whole chidken–this truly is Gramma’s recipe, except that she used the feet whenever possible.

        Reply

        • Sandi Gaertner

          I haven’t seen chicken here with feet, but I bet my grandmother did. Thank you so much for stopping by Janelynn 🙂

          Reply

    • Julie

      Whole chicken wasnt’t on sale, so i used chicken leg quarters. So glad i found this recipe when i search chicken soup from scratch. Best soup ever, i hope my dad doesnt read this. P.s. my son is sick but i used alphabet letters so my daughter would eat it. Way to go a masterpiece for sure.

      Reply

  22. Stephanie

    If I want to refrigerate this and eat it throughout the week, should I skim some of the fat off the top? Or would that take away the delicious flavor? Thank you for sharing!

    Reply

  24. Wendy Beamer

    Best chicken soup I’ve ever made. I used all chicken broth and added 2 tsp chicken granules. The aroma was amazing. Thank you for sharing

    Reply

  25. Laura Leigh

    My soup is on the stove top as we speak! The whole house is filled with such an amazing aroma. Can not wait to take this to work this week! Thanks for sharing such a great recipe.

    Reply

  26. Kirsten

    I made this for my hubby and son awhile ago, they now have a nasty cold and I am making it again. Followed the recipe, added rice at the end. Smells AMAZING! Great recipe thank you

    Reply

  27. Karen

    Best flavor of any chicken soup I’ve ever made! My husband loved it too! A definite keeper and go-to for cold winter days in Wisconsin!

    Reply

    • Sandi Gaertner

      I am so glad you and your husband like this soup…my grandmother would be so excited that so many can enjoy it. I also appreciate your coming back to let me know it was a hit :-).

      Reply

  28. Edna

    No colds or flu yet…this is a trial run, I just made this soup , grated a few potatoes into it as well. Still tastes awesome.

    Reply

  29. Karen D

    This is on the stove as I “speak”. Curious, the liquids did not cover the chicken (a small B&E young chicken). Not sure if that’s a problem??? Also, adding the carrots and celery halfway through, as I am hoping they will not be that mushy.

    Will be serving with an egg noodle, or pasta.

    Reply

    • Sandi Gaertner

      Hi Karen, I am so glad you are trying this recipe. I would say add more water unless you are using a giant pot with a small chicken? You can always salt a little more. I have started to add a scoop of chicken collagen protein powder (by Vital Proteins) lately as well for a boost.

      Reply

    • Sandi Gaertner

      I am so glad you like this recipe Russell, my grandmother would be so glad it is reaching so many. I appreciate your coming back to let me know, you made my night 🙂

      Reply

  31. Debra C.

    This soup looks soooo delicious, Grandma’s recipes are always the BEST! Certainly my kinda meal and I don’t think I’d be waiting for a sick one before making it, YUM!

    Reply

  32. Ann

    I also have that issue where I only make chicken soup when’s someone’s sick! Why though?? It’s so good and this one sounds spectacular!

    Reply

  33. Camilla Hawkins

    Love this homemade chicken soup and the fact that it’s so good for a cold or flu. I will be sure to come back to this recipe when flu season strikes!

    Reply

  34. Eden | Sweet Tea and Thyme

    Yum! You know when a grandma is involved in the recipe, it’s legit. This looks perfect for knocking out any flu or cold this season!

    Reply

  37. Kassandra

    Hi! I was wondering at what temperature, med-low or med-high or high to cooks the chicken and the soup in before I turn to low and simmer? Making witching the next hour!

    Reply

    • Sandig45

      Hi Kassandra, I let the chicken and soup boil for about 20 minutes on med-high, then turn to simmer low for 2 hours. Enjoy 🙂

      Reply

  38. Fern Manire

    As soon as I saw a chicken soup recipe with the word “Grandma” in the title, I knew I had to make it! I added a can of Cream of Chicken soup, since I like a thicker broth. I used rotisserie chicken and frozen homemade noodles, and it is the best chicken soup recipe I have ever found. I usually eat one bowl, and give the rest away, but not this time! I froze the remainder for myself!

    Reply

    • Sandig45

      Wow Fern, you are really creative :-). Thank you so much for writing about this soup. I am not sure if you are gluten free or not, but for anyone reading this comment, I do want to point out that Cream of Chicken Soup isn’t gluten free. I do believe Walmart makes a gluten free cream of chicken soup, so just read labels if in doubt. Have a wonderful week.

      Reply

    • Sandig45

      Hi Terri, I haven’t made it in a crockpot, but I am sure it would work. Will you please stop back and let us know how it turns out?

      Reply

      • Terri

        Hi there!! I made this yesterday in my crockpot and it was AMAAAAZING! Cooked on high about 6 hours….lifted out the chicken onto a sheet pan….deboned and put the chicken right back in. Will eat the leftovers today!!!!
        Thank you! 🙂

        Reply

  44. Mary

    This sounds delicious. We love to pour our soup over homemade mashed potatoes. <3 I'm gonna try your version of soup this coming week! 🙂

    Reply

    • Sandig45

      Hi Carmen, I would cook the alphabet pasta separately and add it to the bowl. Pour the soup on top. That will keep it from getting too mushy. Thank you 🙂

      Reply

  46. Traleana

    I think I’m gonna try this, but since I have a bunch of boneless skinless chicken breasts, I’m gonna use them instead. I know I will be sacrificing some of the flavor from the whole chicken, but I think it’s still going to be delicious.

    Reply

  47. Suz

    You failed to mention putting the meat back into the pot and you show parsley but don’t mention it as an ingredient.. required or optional
    I am going to try it today

    Reply

    • Sandig45

      Hi Gail, You would add the cooked noodles to the bowl before you ladle the soup into the bowl. I hope this helps. Thank you, Sandi

      Reply

    • Sandig45

      Hi Amanda, thank you so much for writing. I find parsley to be strong. I used 2 tablespoons of fresh parsley, but some people may like a lot more than that. I do remove the chicken from the soup. I remove the chicken and toss the bones. Sometimes if I am short of time, I just leave the chicken in there whole. The meat pretty much falls off the bones and then it is a matter of just taking the bones out. I hope this helps 🙂 Sandi

      Reply

  50. Annemarie @ justalittlebitofbacon

    We are big fans of homemade chicken soup here. It is definitely the perfect food for a cold! And this looks like a great and easy recipe.

    Reply

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