Chicken soup is the ultimate comfort food, but it can also be a powerhouse of nutrition when made right. Using a whole chicken ensures deep, rich flavor while giving you plenty of protein and essential nutrients. Plus, one pot of this base soup can transform into ten incredible variations—so you’ll never get bored. Let’s get cooking!

Base Chicken Soup Recipe

This deeply flavorful broth is where all the magic begins. Start here, and then tweak it for the variation of your choice.

Ingredients:

• 1 whole chicken (about 4 lbs), giblets removed
• 10 cups water
• 1 large onion, quartered
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed
• 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 3 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon sea salt (adjust to taste)
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 small bunch of parsley

Instructions:

1. Prepare the broth: Place the whole chicken in a large pot and cover with water. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, celery, bay leaves, peppercorns, and thyme.
2. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Skim off any foam that rises to the top.
3. Simmer uncovered for about 90 minutes, or until the chicken is falling off the bone.
4. Carefully remove the chicken and set aside to cool slightly. Strain the broth, discarding solids. Taste and adjust seasoning.
5. Once cool enough to handle, shred the chicken, discarding skin and bones.
6. Use the broth and shredded chicken as the base for any of the variations below!

1. Classic Chicken and Vegetable Soup

What you need:

• 1 zucchini, diced
• 2 cups baby spinach
• 1 extra carrot, chopped
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano

How to make it:

• Bring the base broth to a simmer and add the vegetables. Cook for 10 minutes.
• Stir in the shredded chicken and oregano.
• Simmer for another 5 minutes, then serve hot.

2. Chicken Lemon Soup (Avgolemono)

What you need:

• 2 eggs
• Juice of 2 lemons
• ½ cup cooked rice
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

How to make it:

• In a bowl, whisk eggs and lemon juice.
• Slowly ladle in 1 cup of hot broth while whisking to temper the eggs.
• Stir the mixture back into the pot, add rice, and let it heat through (don’t boil).
• Season with black pepper and serve immediately.

3. Spicy Chicken Tomatillo Soup

What you need:

• 4 tomatillos, husked and roasted
• 1 jalapeño, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro

How to make it:

• Blend roasted tomatillos with jalapeño and cilantro until smooth.
• Add to simmering broth with cumin and chicken.
• Let simmer for 10 minutes, then serve with lime wedges.

4. Chicken Congee

What you need:

• ½ cup jasmine rice
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce

How to make it:

• Add rice and ginger to the broth and simmer for 45 minutes until thick and creamy.
• Stir in chicken and soy sauce.
• Garnish with green onions.

5. Chicken White Bean Kale Soup

What you need:

• 1 can white beans, drained
• 2 cups chopped kale
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika

How to make it:

• Add beans, kale, and smoked paprika to the broth.
• Simmer for 15 minutes before serving.

6. Thai Coconut Chicken Soup (Tom Kha Gai)

What you need:

• 1 cup light coconut milk
• 1 stalk lemongrass, smashed
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms

How to make it:

• Add lemongrass and mushrooms to the broth and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Stir in coconut milk and chicken, then warm through.

7. Chicken Cabbage Soup

What you need:

• 2 cups shredded cabbage
• 1 tomato, diced
• ½ teaspoon dried basil

How to make it:

• Add cabbage, tomato, and basil to the broth.
• Simmer for 20 minutes before serving.

8. Chicken and Lentil Soup

What you need:

• ½ cup cooked lentils
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon turmeric

How to make it:

• Add lentils and spices to the broth.
• Simmer for 10 minutes.

9. Chicken Zoodle Soup

What you need:

• 1 large zucchini, spiralized
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder

How to make it:

• Add zoodles and garlic powder to the hot broth.
• Simmer for 3 minutes, then serve.

10. Mexican Chicken Pozole Verde

What you need:

• ½ cup hominy
• 3 roasted tomatillos, blended
• ½ teaspoon chili powder

How to make it:

• Stir in tomatillo puree, hominy, and chili powder.
• Simmer for 10 minutes before serving.

By starting with one incredibly flavorful base recipe, you get endless meal possibilities. These ten variations let you switch things up while keeping meals healthy and satisfying. Enjoy your soup journey!

For questions or inquiries about personal recipe development, please e-mail beingridiculouslygoodatlife@maria

xx

Wynona