Looks Delic
Chicken soup recipes using the whole chicken just taste better. There’s no way around it. Chicken breasts and precooked chicken both get the job done but if you have ever made whole chicken chicken soup from scratch, you know there’s no going back to the short cut. This whole chicken chicken soup recipe is good for the body, good for the soul and pairs perfectly with fresh bread or a grilled cheese sandwich for dipping.
Whole Chicken Chicken Soup isn’t difficult to make. You just need to have the time, a very large pot, and a whole chicken which probably means a trip to the market. The good news is that you don’t need any chicken stock because you will be making your own. Aside from the chicken all you’ll need is the classic trio of soup vegetables and a few seasonings. It doesn’t sound like much but the chicken is where all the magic will come from.
About the Ingredients
Whole Chicken – a 4-5 pound roaster will work great. When you remove it from it’s packaging don’t forget to check the cavity for parts and remove anything in there.
Water – lots of water. You’ll need to cover all of the ingredients.
Onion – one large sweet onion, diced. Don’t skimp here so if your onion is small use two.
Celery– one small bunch, chopped.
Carrots – 5 medium to large sized carrots, sliced into coins.
Seasonings – bay leaves, thyme, parsley, salt, and pepper.
Recipe Substitutions & Variations
This Chicken Soup recipe is written without any rice or pasta. I often add a starch to help fill bellies and avoid making additional side dishes. If you add a starch, simply cook it separately according to the package directions. Then add the rice or pasta to the individual serving bowls and pour the chicken soup over the top. This method is also helpful if there are leftovers. The rice or pasta added directly to the soup will become mushy when saved as leftover chicken soup. Keeping it separated will help preserve any soup you save for later.
How to Make Whole Chicken Chicken Soup
Start by placing your chicken in a large stock pot or dutch oven and cover it with water. Leave your chicken to boil for about 2 hours. When the chicken is done cooking, you’ll know because when you check the pot the meat will be tender and starting to separate from the bones, remove the chicken to a cutting board with a drip tray or a rimmed baking sheet. Let the chicken cool for a few minutes until it is cool enough to work with. Separate out the meat removing the skin too and add the meat only back to the pot. No need to cut the meat up. It will fall apart on its own while it cooks. When you are done, toss the leg bones back into the pot too. Like the rind of the cheese, the leg bones have a ton of flavor.
Now add the rest of the ingredients. Pour more water into the pot until everything is covered and cook for another 2 hours. When it’s done cooking taste for seasonings and remove the bay leaves and leg bones. Your Whole Chicken Chicken Soup is now ready to serve!
FAQ’s and Recipe Tips
Yes you can make Whole Chicken Chicken Soup in advance. Follow the recipe as it’s written. You can refrigerate it for 3-4 days or freeze it for up to 3 months. If you plan to save your chicken soup, it’s best to not add any rice or noodles to it. Make the starch separately and simply add it to individual bowls as you serve.
Yes. The process is the same. The cooking time on boiling the chicken will be a little less so just keep an eye on the pot for doneness. The chicken may not hold together as well as a whole chicken so be sure to really check the boiling water for any extra little bones or parts before adding the chicken back and continuing on.Â
The Recipe for Whole Chicken Chicken Soup
The recipe is attached below for easy downloading and printing. If you test it out be sure to leave a note in the comments below. I’d love to hear if you thought the extra cooking time and work of breaking down the chicken was worth it. Enjoy!
Whole Chicken Chicken Soup
Equipment
- 1 Large stock pot or dutch oven
Ingredients
- 4 lb whole chicken
- water as needed
- 1 large sweet onion or 2 small
- 1 bunch celery
- 5 carrots
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1½ tsp dried parsley
- 1½ tsp salt
- ¾ tsp pepper
Instructions
- Remove the chicken from its packaging and discard any parts inside the cavity. Place the chicken in a large stock pot or dutch oven and cover completely with water. Set over high heat on the stove and bring to a boil.4 lb whole chicken, water
- Once the water boils, add 3 large pinches of salt, cover the pot and reduce the heat. Simmer for 2 hours or until the meat is tender and begins to separate from the bones.1½ tsp salt
- Remove the chicken and everything that fell off the chicken during boiling to a large cutting board with a drip tray or a rimmed baking sheet. Let the chicken cool slightly until it is safe to handle.
- Separate out the meat, removing the skin too, and return just the meat to the pot. No need to cut the meat up because it will continue to fall apart as it continues to cook. Also add the leg bones back to the pot.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the pot and fill the pot with additional water until everything is covered.1 large sweet onion, 1 bunch celery, 5 carrots, 2 bay leaves, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1½ tsp dried parsley, 1½ tsp salt, ¾ tsp pepper
- Bring the soup back to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for another 2 hours.
- Remove the bay leaves, bones and taste the soup for salt and pepper.2 bay leaves
Notes
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