Homemade Healing Chicken Soup (Whole30, Paleo, Keto, AIP)
This Homemade Healing Chicken Soup recipe is comforting and sure to help you get through this cold and flu season! I’ve included a recipe for homemade broth as well as homemade soup using a whole chicken.
This post is long-overdue! I’ve been meaning to get a solid homemade chicken soup recipe up on the blog forever now. With all of the sickness that’s been happening in our family (and everywhere it seems) lately, this soup is exactly what we needed this week. They say chicken soup is good for the soul, and they are right! There is nothing cozier or more healthy for you when you aren’t feeling great. This homemade healing chicken soup is Whole30, Paleo, Keto, and AIP friendly. I decided to add some Jovial Foods gluten free pasta to mine for some extra added comfort (and carbs), but that is certainly optional!
What Ingredients do I need to make this Homemade Healing Chicken Soup?
Chicken: Kind of obvious, right? 😛 I like to use an entire chicken because you are not only getting a TON of meat from all different parts of the chicken and added flavor, but you’re also getting lots of nutrients from the bones and cartilage. If you prefer to use chicken breasts or thighs with store-bough chicken broth to save time, you totally can. I’ve included options for both! I like to get my organic whole chickens from Butcher Box because I know I’m getting the best quality chicken and bones. It’s important to get great quality chickens for this recipe since you are essentially getting the nutrients from the chicken. If it wasn’t raised in a humane way or free to roam and was cooped up in a cage all day, then it probably wasn’t the healthiest chicken, unfortunately.
Fresh ginger: It has lots of anti-inflammatory properties and also helps to reduce muscle soreness and nausea!
Fresh herbs: Thyme and Rosemary give great flavor to the broth. You can also use dried if it’s all you have!
Broth: This is optional (I give a couple options of either using all water and making your own broth, adding half water/half broth for a little more flavor). Just make sure to check labels if you’re gluten free or doing a Whole30 – lots of brands have sugar, additives, and other not-so-great stuff. I use either regular chicken stock from Costco, or bone broth (Bonafide Provisions or Kettle & Fire are my go-to’s).
Turmeric: This is one of the most anti-inflammatory spices you can use in cooking! It has a ton of medicinal properties. You can read all about the benefits of turmeric here!
Veggies: Carrots, Onion, Celery
Pasta (optional) – I love Jovial Gluten Free Pasta. It will absorb a lot of the broth in the soup when you store it in the fridge, so I like to remove the noodles and store them separately.
That’s it! This recipe is so versatile – you can even just make broth and shred the chicken to use for another recipe. I love sipping on bone broth – so many health benefits and it’s great for the gut!
I used all of the meat from a 4 lb chicken. If you have one that is a lot larger, you can use 1/2 of the meat – up to you!
If you make this chicken soup, be sure to tag me on Instagram @maryswholelife! Looking for some other delicious soup recipes to try? Check out my Whole30 Zuppa Toscana or Whole30 Chicken Pot Pie Soup!
Happy Cooking and STAY HEALTHY!
xo,
Mary
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Homemade Healing Chicken Soup
Ingredients
Homemade Broth
- 3-4 lb organic whole chicken
- 1 onion, peeled and cut into 1/4's
- 1 head garlic, cut in half horizontally
- 2 carrots, cut into large chunks (no need to peel)
- 2 ribs celery, cut into chunks
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 8 cups water, or you can use 4 cups water, 4 cups store-bought broth for more flavor
Chicken Soup
- 8 cups broth , either what you just made, or store bought
- 3 carrots, peeled and cut into rounds
- 3 ribs celery, diced
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 inch knob ginger, peeled and finely diced
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme, finely diced
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ½ box gluten free pasta, optional - I like Jovial Foods GF fusilli in this recipe!
Equipment
Instructions
Chicken Broth
- Pat your chicken dry and place it in a large dutch oven or stock pot. Place the remaining ingredients around it. Pour the water (or water/broth combo) over it until it is just covered. Too much water = bland broth. Cover the pot and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer (medium low worked well for me), and cook for 1.5 hours.
- Remove the chicken and transfer it to a cutting board or pan and shred using two forks. It should fall right off the bone and be very tender. Discard the skin and bones. Use a slotted spoon to remove the carrots, celery, onion, bay leaves, etc. out of the broth. At this point you have the option to strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer, or leave it as-is. I left it.
- You can either use the broth and chicken to make soup now, or store it away for sipping and use the chicken for another recipe.
Chicken Soup
- Add all of the soup ingredients (except for the pasta) into the broth you just made. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 15 minutes until the carrots are mostly tender. Add in the cooked shredded chicken and the pasta (if using). Let it simmer until the pasta is al dente. Taste test, then add salt and pepper as needed. Serve with chopped parsley, if desired.
21 Comments on “Homemade Healing Chicken Soup (Whole30, Paleo, Keto, AIP)”
This is my favorite soup that always makes everyone in my family feel better! I’ve used tons of variations of this with different pasta/potatoes/zoodles, etc and it’s deliciously healing every time. It’s also so easy to make even when you’re not feeling well yourself!
Thanks Amanda!!
The best and easiest soup! My go to recipe for chicken noodle soup! Perfect flavor every time.Â
Thanks Talia!
The BEST chicken soup ever!
Thanks Janice!
So yummy! Exactly what our family needed tonight. So thankful this was such an easy recipe when under the weather. I used bone in chicken thighs and half broth half water and it turned out perfect.Â
How long do you cook the broth for in the crockpot?
Any suggestions on how to make this on the stovetop, instapot, or slow cooker?
This is the best chicken soup ever!!
Thanks Brandi!
This is my go-to chicken soup recipe! It’s a favorite in our house all winter long! The flavors are classic and delicious.
What is the nutritional info for this recipe?
Thx
This is my favorite soup recipe when anyone in my family is feeling under the weather! It is so easy to make and very delicious!
Can you make this in a crockpot?
Yes, you can do the broth in a crock pot, then use the broth to make the soup on the stove top. Or you can do the soup in the crock pot using ready made broth – just don’t add the pasta until the last 20 minutes of cooking time. Hope this helps!
Mary, this is the best chicken soup I’ve ever had!! I saw it on your menu for this week and decided to try it. The turmeric and ginger addd a subtle but delicious flavor. I added GF orzo to make it chicken noodle soup. We’ll make this again and again this fall and winter!
Thank you so much!! Glad you enjoyed it!
Making this again, but using turkey this time. So good!!!
I made this soup earlier this week so I’d have it for lunches at work. It is so good!!! It just makes me feel healthy with the broth and all the veggies. Everybody at work has commented on how good it smells when I warm it up. Thanks for another great recipe!!
Yay! So glad you enjoyed it Sarah!