This homemade chicken soup from scratch is a must to make during cold and flu season. My Grandma’s incredible chicken soup from scratch is the ultimate comfort food, and it is absolutely delicious. You only need one pot and some simple ingredients to make this incredible chicken soup recipe. See why 100s of people think this soup is the best cold and flu buster!
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Do you miss your Grandma’s homemade chicken soup? You won’t believe how easy my chicken soup is to make from scratch! I remember my grandmother making this chicken soup from scratch every time we went to visit. The memories come back every time I make it. She would dump the ingredients into a big soup pot; magic happened as it cooked.
❤️ Sandi Says: This chicken soup recipe takes time to make, but I promise it is worth it! It has hundreds of great reviews on the blog and social media. People worldwide send me messages, making me so happy that my Grandmother’s soup has brightened the day for so many.
Making classic chicken soup is so easy. You don’t need many ingredients, just a few simple ingredients, including chicken, broth, carrots, onion, garlic, celery, and seasonings. 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 mushy over time. You can use brown or white rice in this soup recipe.
You can also make the Instant Pot Version of this Homemade Chicken Soup! Delicious flavor in a fraction of the time!! 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!
Allergen Information:
This delicious soup is gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, and soy-free. It is also Whole 30, Paleo, and Keto. It is perfect for anyone who has food allergies.
Pair this soup with this delicious gluten free bread for easy dipping: Gluten Free Biscuits or this Gluten Free Focaccia Bread.
Tips For Success
1. To make this recipe, You can use a whole chicken for my grandma’s old-fashioned chicken soup or chicken bone-in chicken parts. My neighbor loves using bone-in chicken thighs. You need to make sure your chicken pieces are with the bone, as the bone minerals are what make this soup so good!!
2. 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 to infuse the chicken flavor 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! Fresh chicken soup is always better than canned!
The Vegetables For Homemade Chicken Soup:
Classic chicken soup has onion, carrot, and celery. Over the years, I have added turnip and rutabaga to my chicken soup recipe, but I made these vegetables optional because I wanted to keep it close to my grandma’s recipe for this post.
You can also try this easy Instant Pot Vegetable Soup with Chicken for a soup with many extra vegetables.
The Chicken Soup Seasoning:
This soup is full of flavor from these spices and herbs:
- thyme
- basil
- parsley
- garlic
- salt and pepper
I use dried thyme and dried basil. I also used fresh garlic cloves because dried garlic powder doesn’t add the same flavors to the soup broth. For the garnish, fresh parsley is also better than dried.
👀 Sandi Says: Find all of the Step-By-Step Photos and detailed directions after the recipe card. You can also find them quickly via the Table of Contents.
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Frequently Asked Questions:
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!
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.
You do not have to use a whole chicken to make this soup recipe. You can also use bone-in chicken parts. My neighbor loves using bone-in chicken thighs. You need to make sure your chicken pieces are with the bone, as the bone minerals are what make this soup so good!!
Add more salt and seasonings to your soup if you want the flavors to be stronger.
I gently hold two spatulas and carefully remove the chicken from the soup pot to a serving dish. I remove the chicken meat from the carcass and put the pieces of chicken back into the soup. You can set aside some of the chicken for making enchiladas or chicken salad if you want.
How to store leftovers:
This soup will remain fresh in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in an airtight container. You will notice the chicken fat congeals on top of the soup. You can use a spoon to scrape the fat off if you like. You can reheat it on the stove or in your microwave oven.
You can also freeze the soup. I highly recommend freezing it in Souper Cubes. These are one-cup-sized cubes that are perfect for a single serving! Freeze in the Souper Cubes, then move the frozen cubes to a freezer-safe zip-style bag. The frozen soup will keep fresh for up to 5 months.
More Homemade Soup Recipes to Try:
- This recipe is made without a roux and tastes amazing! Gluten Free Oyster Chowder (works well with clams for clam chowder too!)
- Another great winter soup: Turmeric Chicken Soup
- For my spice lovers, this Taco Chicken Soup is hard to resist.
- If you love wild rice, this Chicken Rice Soup is also delish!
If you love chicken as much as we do, you will want to check out ALL of my delicious, easy Gluten Free Chicken Recipes!!
Love This Recipe?
If you made and enjoyed this recipe, I would be incredibly grateful if you could leave a comment below. This will help others know this recipe is delicious. Thank you!
Grandma’s Homemade Chicken Soup
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken raw
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 large onion chopped
- 5 carrots chopped
- 3 celery stalks chopped
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 quart chicken broth low sodium
- 4 cups water
- fresh parsley is optional
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Instructions
- Add a whole raw chicken to a large stock pot. Add the chicken broth and then fill the pot with water to cover the chicken.
- Chop the onion, celery, and carrots. Add them and the minced garlic and salt and pepper. Add all ingredients to the soup pot. Cover and simmer on medium-high low until the soup boils.
- Once the soup is boiling, turn down the temperature to medium for 1 hour. Stir the soup and make sure the chicken is still covered by the soup. Add more water if needed. Put the lid back on the pot, and turn the cooking temperature down to low, and simmer for another hour.
- After cooking in the soup, the chicken will be fall off the bone soft and tender. Carefully remove the chicken from the soup pot to a serving dish. Do this carefully holding two spatulas, so the chicken doesn't fall apart. Cut the chicken meat into pieces and add the chicken pieces back to the soup. Garnish with fresh parsley if you like.
- Serve hot with rice or noodles. 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!
- If you do not have a whole chicken, you can use chicken parts. The soup will taste the best if you use bone-in chicken parts. The bone broth is what adds to the flavor.
- You can use fresh or dried herbs.
- I like to add a small rutabaga or turnip sometimes for a flavor boost. It is totally optional, but if you try this, peel the rutabaga first.
- This chicken soup is even better the next day.
- This soup will keep fresh for up to 4 days in an airtight container or up to 4 months in the freezer.
SPECIAL NOTE
Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn’t test, my rule of thumb is to add more flour if your dough or batter is wet and add more liquid if the dough or batter is too dry!
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
Step By Step: Making Chicken Soup From Scratch:
I love making my chicken soup with a whole chicken. The raw chicken cooks in the soup, adding incredible flavor! 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.
Step 1: Add your raw whole chicken to a large stockpot. Add in low-sodium chicken broth, seasonings, vegetables, and water.
Step 2: Cover the pot and bring the chicken soup to a boil. It should take about 10-15 minutes to boil, depending on the depth of the soup pot.
Step 3: Once the soup is boiling, gently boil for 1 hour. Turn down the heat to low and allow the soup to simmer for one more hour hours.
Step 4: After the chicken simmers, remove the chicken carefully to a serving dish. I use two spatulas to lift the chicken out so the bones don’t fall apart in the soup. The chicken is fall off the bone tender after cooking.
Step 4: Serve the soup hot with rice or noodles. I recommend cooking them separately and then adding them to the bowl.
Great soup, thank you!
Thank you so much, Pat. Have a great weekend.
My granddaughter has a cold and I wanted to try this recipe. All I had was chicken breast tenderloins so I used that and added her favorite farfalle noodles. This soup is the absolute best I’ve ever made! Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Thank you so much for trying my recipe. I hope your granddaughter is feeling better soon.
Delicious Sandi just like my Mom and Grandma made
That makes my day, Carole. Thank you so much!
I have tried several different chicken soup recipes. I like this one the best because it’s so simple. I used a leg quarter instead of a whole chicken. No problem. I added two red potatoes. No problem. Other possible late adds are green peas, corn kernels, spinach, zucchini.
I am so glad you are having fun experimenting with my recipe. All of your modifications sound delicious!
Great recipe, thank you! I made a double patch to share last weekend and I am making a single batch the weekend to hoard for myself:)
I am so glad you loved this soup. I highly advise making a big pot and freezing some so you have it all season!
This might be a silly question.. but after boiling the chicken and taking it back out.. what do you do with the chicken?.. I can’t imagine, not deboning it and putting it back in the soup, but you didn’t specify as far as I can see, but I am sick right now and have a little bit of rain fog and was really wanting to make it
Hi Cindy, we usually debone the chicken, add some of the chicken back to the soup and use the rest for things like chicken salad, add seasoning to use it for enchiladas, etc.
Thank you so much! Things the first time I’ve tried to make chicken soup, and it was perfect! The only thing I “changed” was I added a tablesooon of tumeric and a couple tablespoons of grated fresh ginger. I’m freezing it in individual portions. Thank you, again! It’s so delicious!!!
I am so glad you loved the soup. I also love to add turmeric, but haven’t tried ginger. I will try it next.
I knew immediately that there was way to much thyme and basil for my taste, so I cut it in half. Holy Moly! It’s still terribly strong. I couldn’t even eat the chicken.
However, I do have sensitive taste buds and a sense of smell. I recommend that you start with 1/4 t. each and add more slowly as it cooks if you feel you need it.
Different strokes for different folks. Thank you for sharing the recipe. I do love the technique!
Hi Paula, Yes, everyone does have their own taste buds and I am glad you recognize you are sensitive to seasoning.
Just made your soup, delicious. I making for my dad who had just a few teeth. I’m hoping to puree this for him for a daily meal as he’s malnourished and needs the bone broth. any suggestions for pureeing this. thank you
It brings me joy to know this soup is helping your dad. Thank you so much for trying my recipe. As for pureeing, I would put it (cooled, not hot) into a blender or food processor and blend for a few seconds.
I did that, worked perfect, and put into molds for super cubes!! Now it will last!! Great suggestion or great ad in your recipe! Thanks again
I am so glad!! Thank you for coming back to let me know you had success!! Have a great week.
This was an excellent recipe! I loved the flavor of the tyme & sweet basil.
I’ve never made much soup until the last couple of years. My husband & I have a regular “soup day” where we make chicken soup to freeze. This one’s a winner!
Thank you so much, Rachel. I love the idea of having a soup day!
Your chicken soup recipe brings back precious memories of family traditions and the heartwarming aroma of homemade meals. Thank you for sharing your secrets to creating nourishing and flavorful dishes.
Thank you so much for sharing your memory.
Excellent recipe
Thank you so much!
Would it be ok to remove the skin on the chicken for this recipe?
Hi Beverly, that should be fine!
Wow! This really is the best homemade chicken soup! I have never cooked a full chicken before but i sure will going forward. I added 4 more cups of water and 4 teaspoons better than bouillon. I even bought the super cubes you recommended- thank you for a great recipe! It’s hard to believe such simple ingredients produced such flavor too. 😀
I am so glad you loved the soup. Just a note for my readers who are gluten-free, Better than Bouillon is not gluten-free. (Herb Ox is a gluten free bouillon.)
This is so delicious. Neighbor’s Grandma, on the farm, used to make chicken noodle soup for him, and his response; “this is the best chicken noodle soup I ever had”. Well, I couldn’t agree more. Thanks so much
That was so nice of you to make this for your neighbor. I am so glad everyone enjoyed my grandma’s soup. I grew up with this soup and it is the best.
Do you know a way to do this recipe in an instant pot instead? I don’t have a stock pit but I would like to try this!
Yes, here is the recipe: https://www.fearlessdining.com/instant-pot-chicken-soup-from-scratch/
So Delicious! Added Egg Noodles for 10 minutes! absolutely loved it!
I am so glad you loved the recipe, Lana. Thank you!
I made this recipe tonight, I just wanted to say thank you for such an easy and precise recipe. I have been wanting chicken noodle soup for weeks but just now found the noodles and then your recipe popped up and I was wonderful! I just love when good things come together. Take care!
You are very welcome, Jay. I truly appreciate your coming back to let me know you enjoyed this soup recipe.
How big should you chop the carrots and celery? Not diced small, right? Thank you!
It really doesn’t matter that much. I make them around 1 to 2 inches. I don’t dice it.
This is the best chicken soup I’ve ever had. Everyone I make it for loves it.
Thank you so much, Sue. I am so glad everyone loves it.
Best chicken soup I’ve ever had. Keeping it forever! I added pastina pasta and blended the veg/stock so my kids would enjoy it and it added a nice thickness to the soup. Everyone who tried it loved it! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much for your kind words. I am so glad you enjoyed my grandmother’s recipe!
Loved this. This is how my mom cooked chicken soup also.
Thank you so much, Karen. I am glad everyone loved the recipe.
I stumbled across this recipe (can’t remember where) and it’s become our VERY FAVORITE chicken soup. I love how everything cooks right in the pot. I save the bones to make broth later.
I am so glad you found my blog, thank you so much. My grandma’s soup has so many incredible memories for me. I am so glad you love it.
I made this tonight for my husband who isn’t feeling well. We loved it!!! My teens loved it and so do their friends. Perfect recipe.
I am thrilled this soup was a hit with your family. I hope your husband is feeling better soon!
I have been searching for a recipe for thin dumplings, not drop biscuits dumplings. The one I found was terrible. Others I have found had bad reviews saying the just disappeared when dropped in the hot broth. Chicken and dumplings were my grandson favorite and I would love to make gluten free ones for him! Any suggestions?
Hi Susan, the only dumpling recipe I have is a drop biscuit-style dumpling. I am sorry I don’t have suggestions.
To add additional flavor try adding a diced parsnip. It give a beautiful sweetness to the broth.
I love including parsnips!!
What lb whole chicken or lbs on chicken thighs?
I use 2 pounds of chicken.
Love it!!!! Both my kids are sick and I never even thought to put it over rice! Very satisfying.
I hope your kids feel better soon!!
I always ♥ this soup because it is very simple and delicious and not complicated. Thanks a lot all my friends ❤ it.when need soup it is grandma’s chicken soup. 🐔
I am so glad you love this soup…it brings me joy that this soup is loved by so many.
It is absolutely amazing. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
You are very welcome. I am really glad you enjoyed the soup!
We’ve made this a handful of times already and it is a huge hit! Swapped the whole chicken for 3 leg quarters, and cooked pasta right in the broth. Soo much flavour!
I am so glad you love this soup recipe. Using chicken leg quarters is a great idea!
Thank you Sandi. I made this chicken soup recipe, it was delicious. I shared with my neighbor, who just got out of hospital, she loved it too. We ladled it over rice!
I am so glad you loved the recipe. It will taste even better the next day!!
Making this today in my crockpot. Doubled the recipe. Going to freeze some for a fast meal. Keeping my fingers crossed.
Enjoy. I haven’t made it in my slow cooker, but it should work great.
Absolutely loved this easy peasy recipe, used thawed chicken breasts and 30 minutes. First time using the soup button and I forced the pressure out cause I was so hungry and used breasts, came out perfecto! Thanks so much!
I am so glad you loved this recipe. Using chicken breasts are a great time saver!
Best chicken soup. Made this for my father in law when he was sick. He loved every bite. Thank you.
I am so glad you loved it. I hope your father is feeling better soon!