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Granny’s Best Chicken Soup

Image Credit:
Shebeko/shutterstock
Written By: The Old Farmer’s Almanac Editors The Almanac Editors and Staff
Yield
8 to 10 servings
Category
Soups, Stews, Chowders
Course
Soup
Sources
Hearth and Home Calendar

This is the best chicken soup for when you crave comfort food or when you are feeling sick. The garlic, onions, and vegetables are immune-boosting, inflammation-reducing, and cold-fighting!

Note: You can cheat and use canned chicken stock—but it won’t be quite the same in terms of flavor or health.

Why are boiled bones so restorative? Learn more about the health benefits of bone broth.

Ingredients
4 quarts cold water
1 4- to 5-pound chicken, quartered
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
4 to 5 stems parsley
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
finely chopped dill, for topping (optional)

Instructions

  1. Measure water into a large soup pot and add all the ingredients. Slowly bring to a boil over medium heat, then immediately reduce the heat and simmer for 3 hours, using a spoon to skim the soup as well as possible.
  2. Remove from heat and cool. Skim fat from the surface and strain the soup. Wash out the soup pot and return the strained stock to the pot.
  3. Remove and discard bay leaf and parsley.
  4. Mash the carrots, celery, and garlic and stir them into the soup. Remove the skin and bones from the chicken, chop the meat, and add to the soup. (If the chicken meat has completely fallen apart, that’s ok, too; just use as is, with bones removed.)
  5. Heat and season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Top with chopped dill if desired.

About The Author

The Old Farmer’s Almanac Editors

The Old Farmer’s Almanac Editors

The Almanac Editors and Staff

Under the guiding hand of its first editor, Robert B. Thomas, the premiere issue of The Old Farmer’s Almanac was published in 1792 during George Washington’s first term as president.Today, the Almanac...

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Comments

<span>Hopflower</span> Thu, 01/27/2022 - 09:40
Isn't a packet of dried soup very high in sodium?
<span>Denise T</span> Sat, 01/21/2023 - 10:46
Yes it is. That kind of defeats the point of making "homemade" chicken soup, doesn't it?
<span>Cheryel Lemley-Mcroy</span> Sat, 11/06/2021 - 11:31
I always add a tsp of poultry seasoning. Adding thyme can ease a cough, as thymol, the oil in thyme, is a powerful cough suppresant.
<span>Kathleen</span> Tue, 01/26/2021 - 15:17
I find that tarragon is much more complementary with chicken than dill. It's like chicken and tarragon are married.
<span>Jane Ringer</span> Tue, 01/26/2021 - 08:26
Love this recipe I sometimes to either stretch ( we have 13 in our family counting the grandkids) the soup or change it up I will add cream or canned cream soup to make this a creamed chicken veg soup and serve it with home made biscuits. Yummy.
<span>Vickie</span> Thu, 01/07/2021 - 16:12
One of the best toppings for chicken soup is a sprinkling of nutmeg.
<span>Plains</span> Tue, 02/25/2014 - 19:47
This is the same recipe I use which was handed down from my mother. You don't have to use any canned chicken stock. The ingredients themselves create a stock. The only difference is I don't discard the parsley and I don't mash the celery and carrots. The trick is to use plenty of salt during the cooking time.
<span>Comet</span> Thu, 01/10/2013 - 23:45
The remains of the rotisserie chicken avail almost every where are GREAT for making soup---if they are marked down get as many as your largest pot and or freezer can hold! Place the chicken AND any drippings in the package in LARGE pot. Add onions--whole is fine---parsley; celery; carrots; pepper. Don't add salt yet! Cover with COLD water and bring to boil; simmer for as long as you can stand it. Now for that REAL home made taste I add PEPPERIDGE FARMS STUFFING---a 1/2 bag of HERB SEASONED for a LARGE Commercial size stock pot. (If you have home roasted chicken and made gravy---add the leftover gravy at the end!) After straining all the bits out with a Chinese wire strainer (too big to dump into colander!) I add every bodys Bubbe's Secret---a few boullion cubes! And a FEW dashes of tamari. Then you can adjust for salt. You can cook noodles--thin or wide; or potatoes; or matzoh balls; or almost any other veggies (raw frozen or leftover) rice---dry or leftover--almost endless. Can be used as a stock; as base for Chicken n Dumplings---endless possibilities. Make and freeze--if you can use Zip Bags and freeze FLAT on their sides---then you can stack or place upright like file folders to save space. Can then be placed easily in a pot of cold or hot water to thaw quickly. Don't try to heat in the Zip bags tho!
<span>Shirley Fletcher</span> Tue, 10/26/2010 - 16:30
I added one small can of RoTel Tomatoes. Gives it a small little kick. Yum! Yum!
<span>Cheryl Mercer</span> Wed, 01/13/2010 - 13:28
I use the remains of my roast chicken, leaving some meat on the bones, I put the chicken in the crockpot top up with water till just covering the carcas, I put it on low in the crockpot for about 24 hours before straining it, I add potatoe's and other root veggies, cook till they're done - and eat!