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This Homemade Gluten-Free Chicken Soup recipe is comforting and sure to help you get through this cold and flu season! Featuring tender chicken, fresh veggies and herbs, healing spices, and optional gluten-free noodles. I've included an option to make a homemade, flavorful broth as well.
Why You'll Love This Gluten-Free Chicken Soup
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! My whole family loves this easy recipe!
I love this recipe on cold, winter days of soup season or when we're sick and in need of a simple, nourishing meal. There's no season for this soup- it's delicious and healing all year round and feels like the healthiest comfort food. What I love most is that I'm able to throw this together with pantry staples, and simple ingredients I almost always have on hand. It's also easy to freeze so I have it whenever I need it!
There is nothing cozier or more healthy for you when you aren’t feeling great. This healing homemade chicken soup is Whole30, Paleo, Keto, and AIP friendly. I decided to add some Jovial Foods gluten-free pasta to mine for some extra comfort (and carbs), but that is certainly optional!
If you’re looking for some other delicious soup recipes to try, check out my Whole30 Zuppa Toscana or Whole30 Chicken Pot Pie Soup! Creamy, veggie-packed soups that are good for the soul!
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken: Kind of obvious, right? I like to use an entire chicken because you are not only getting a TON of white and dark 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 chicken thighs with store-bought chicken broth to save time, you totally can. I’ve included options for both! You can also use leftover chicken, or Rotisserie chicken cut into bite-sized pieces in a pinch.
- 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 herbs if it’s all you have! You can also garnish with some fresh parsley if desired.
- Broth: This is optional (I give a couple of options of either using all water and making your own broth, or 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!
- Fresh Veggies: Carrots, Onion, Celery.
- Bay Leaf
- Salt and black pepper
- 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 cooked 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!
How to Make Gluten-Free Chicken Soup
Using Store-Bought Broth
Step 1
Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add in the carrots, onions, and celery. Saute for 3-5 minutes.
Step 2
Add in the garlic and ginger and saute for 30 seconds longer until fragrant. Add in the broth and seasonings. Simmer for 15 minutes.
Step 3
Add in the pasta and cooked shredded chicken and simmer until the pasta is al dente.
Step 4
Taste test, then add in salt and pepper as needed.
Using Homemade Broth
Step 1
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.
Step 2
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.
How to Make Homemade Chicken Broth
Step 1
Pat your chicken dry and place it in a large Dutch oven or large 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 heat worked well for me), and cook for 1.5 hours.
Step 2
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.
Step 3
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.
Expert Tips
- I used all of the meat from a 4 lb chicken. If you have one that is a lot larger, you can use ½ of the meat – up to you!
- To make this chicken soup using chicken breasts or thighs and store-bought broth, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large stock pot or Dutch oven. Add in the carrots, celery, onion, garlic, and ginger. Saute for 3-4 minutes. Add in 1.5 lbs of chicken breasts or thighs and the remaining soup ingredients. Bring it to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Shred chicken and discard any bones (if you used bone-in) and add it back into the pot. Add in the pasta (if using) and cook for another 10-15 minutes until tender. Serve with parsley, if desired.
- You have the option of using and dicing up the carrots and celery from the original homemade broth pot, but I find that they’re too mushy. I discarded those and used new ones
- To prevent leftovers from having mushy pasta, cook it separately and add it to individual soup bowls when serving.
- If you prefer to use chicken breasts or thighs with store-bought chicken broth to save time, you totally can. I’ve included options for both!
Storage Tips
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. I recommend storing the cooked pasta separately in its own container and adding it when ready to serve.
To freeze, let the soup cool completely. Place the cooled soup in an airtight container or freezer bag. I recommended leaving out the pasta and making a fresh batch when you thaw the soup. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw, reheat, and serve!
To reheat, you can place the soup in a stock pot on the stove or use the microwave.
More Soup Recipes
Homemade Healing Gluten-Free Chicken Soup Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Homemade Broth
- 3-4 lb organic whole chicken
- 1 onion, peeled and cut into ¼'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
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 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
- 8 cups broth , either what you just made, or store bought
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme, finely diced
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 12 oz gluten free pasta, optional – I like Jovial Foods GF fusilli in this recipe!
- 3 cups cooked shredded chicken, either what you just made, or rotisserie
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 Using Homemade Broth
- 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.
Chicken Soup using Store-Bought Broth
- Heat the olive oil over medium high heat.
- Add in the carrots, onions, and celery. Saute for 3-5 minutes. Add in the garlic and ginger and saute for 30 seconds longer until fragrant. Add in the broth and seasonings. Simmer for 15 minutes. Add in the pasta and cooked shredded chicken and simmer until the pasta is al dente. Taste test, then add in salt and pepper as needed.
Notes
Expert Tips
- I used all of the meat from a 4 lb chicken. If you have one that is a lot larger, you can use ½ of the meat – up to you!
- To make this chicken soup using chicken breasts or thighs and store-bought broth, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large stock pot or Dutch oven. Add in the carrots, celery, onion, garlic, and ginger. Saute for 3-4 minutes. Add in 1.5 lbs of chicken breasts or thighs and the remaining soup ingredients. Bring it to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Shred chicken and discard any bones (if you used bone-in) and add it back into the pot. Add in the pasta (if using) and cook for another 10-15 minutes until tender. Serve with parsley, if desired.
- You have the option of using and dicing up the carrots and celery from the original homemade broth pot, but I find that they’re too mushy. I discarded those and used new ones
- To prevent leftovers from having mushy pasta, cook it separately and add it to individual soup bowls when serving.
- If you prefer to use chicken breasts or thighs with store-bought chicken broth to save time, you totally can. I’ve included options for both!
Storage Tips
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. I recommend storing the cooked pasta separately in its own container and adding it when ready to serve. To freeze, let the soup cool completely. Place the cooled soup in an airtight container or freezer bag. I recommended leaving out the pasta and making a fresh batch when you thaw the soup. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw, reheat, and serve! To reheat, you can place the soup in a stock pot on the stove or use the microwave.Nutrition
All nutrition facts are an estimate and automatically calculated. While I fact check them using My Fitness Pal, please note that they may not always be 100% accurate and depend on ingredients used. Weigh your total and divide by the number of servings for the most accurate grams per serving size.
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This post was originally published on February 15, 2020 and updated with new photos and copy on September 4, 2024.
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!