One day it’s fall—leaves crunching under your boots, scarves perfectly on point—and the next, BAM, it’s winter. Suddenly, the air is cold, every surface is suspiciously damp, and you’re surrounded by people sneezing and coughing like they’ve formed an unofficial phlegm orchestra.
You think, not me, I’ll dodge it this year, but oh no. One night, you wake up in a cold sweat. Your throat feels like sandpaper, your head weighs as much as a bowling ball, and your body has the consistency of overcooked lasagna. Congratulations, you’re now the slime monster starring in your very own winter horror show.
Wrapped in your blanket fortress, you shuffle to the couch, every joint screaming in protest. All you want—no, all you NEED—is a bowl of something hot, comforting, and magical.
Enter: Chicken soup, the classic chicken soup that’s been the cure-all for generations. It’s rich, savory, packed with nourishing goodness, and honestly feels like a hug from the inside. Whether you’re battling the winter sniffles or just need some serious comfort food, this soup is your ticket to feeling human again.
The Ingredients and the Magic of the Process
The beauty of chicken soup lies in its simplicity. Start with a beautiful grain-fed organic soup chicken and a bundle of fresh, colorful vegetables—leek, carrots, celery root, parsley—each bringing its own unique character to the pot. As the broth begins to simmer, the aroma is intoxicating. The gentle bubbling of the soup chicken and veggies releases a warm, savory scent that quickly fills your home, wrapping you in a blanket of comfort.
What is a Soup Chicken?
A soup chicken is an older hen, typically retired from egg-laying. Unlike the younger chickens you might roast or fry, a soup chicken has firmer, tougher meat that’s perfect for slow cooking. While it may not be ideal for quick recipes, the long simmering process extracts incredible depth of flavor, making it ideal for broths and soups.
Using a soup chicken gives your broth a rich, golden color and layers of savory goodness that regular chicken just can’t match. So if you want your soup to taste like a true classic, a soup chicken is the way to go!
Classic Chicken Soup
Ingredients
- 1 whole soup chicken ~1–1.5 kg, cleaned
- 1 bundle soup vegetables 1 leek, 1 celery root, 2–3 carrots, fresh parsley
- 1 onion halved
- 2 celery stalks
- 2 bay leaves
- 8 –10 peppercorns
- 2 tsp salt
- Optional: Lemon juice for finishing
Instructions
- Start with the Basics: Drag your sniffly self to the kitchen. Rinse the soup chicken under cold water like the culinary hero you are. Plop it into a large soup pot.
- Roughly chop the soup vegetables (don’t worry, precision is not required) and add them to the pot.
- Build the Broth: Toss in the onion, celery stalks, bay leaves, peppercorns, and salt. Fill the pot with enough cold water to completely cover the soup chicken and veggies.
- Simmer the Magic: Bring everything to a gentle boil. As it heats up, skim off any foam that floats to the top.
- Lower the heat to a lazy simmer and let it do its thing for 2–3 hours. The secret to great chicken soup? Patience. This is your Netflix-and-soup-making moment.
- Strain and Season: Remove the soup chicken and vegetables from the pot. Strain the broth through a sieve into a clean pot to get that golden, clear goodness.
- Shred the chicken once it’s cool enough to handle, ditching the skin and bones. Return the tender meat to the broth and season with salt, pepper, and a splash of lemon juice for brightness.
- Serve with Style: Ladle the soup into bowls, making sure each serving gets plenty of chicken. Add garnishes like fresh parsley or, if you’re feeling fancy, cooked noodles or dumplings.
This homemade chicken soup is more than just food; it’s a sensory experience that evokes the deepest sense of home. That smell is a kiss on the forehead from your mom, reassuring you that everything will be okay. And as you take your first sip of the hot, golden broth, with tender chicken and sweet vegetables, you feel it working its magic. Before you know it, you’re dozing off on the couch, the soup in your belly soothing you from the inside out.
A Little Extra Umami Tip:
If you’re not sick and want to elevate your soup to gourmet status, try roasting the vegetables first. Spread the chopped leek, celery root, carrots, and onion on a baking sheet, drizzle with a little oil, and roast them at 200°C (390°F) until they develop a slight brown color. This caramelization adds an extra layer of umami and richness to the broth. Once roasted, proceed with the recipe as written above, and enjoy a soup that’s even more luxurious.