The Best Chicken Soup You’ll Ever Eat

I’ve been a soup lover my entire life. Tony would tell you that it’s true because he’s the one stuck eating my delicious soup recipes that I bust out weekly.

This chicken soup recipe came to me after I came down with the WORST cold ever. I was on the verge of getting better, then all of a sudden I took a turn for the worst and spent an entire weekend sneezing, coughing and barely able to breathe.

I finally put the recipe on the blog back in 2018 — 6 years and over 1,000 5-star reviews later, it’s safe to say this chicken soup is one of the most popular recipes on Ambitious Kitchen!

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Cold-fighting chicken soup

I know MANY of you have been struggling with cold and flu season this year, so I thought why not make a cold-fighting chicken soup recipe that you can come back to year after year.

Whenever I’m sick I love a good, soul soothing soup. In fact, did you know that soup can actually help to reduce the length of your cold? Especially this one, which is loaded with anti-inflammatory ingredients like ginger, turmeric, and lots of garlic. Amazing news, because I bet this will be one of your favorite soups of all time.

Normally, I love making my healing vegetarian curry whenever I’m sick, but ever since I’ve made this chicken soup recipe I’ve been OBSESSED with how delicious, flavorful and hearty it is. THIS AIN’T NO CAMPBELL’S PEOPLE. IT’S LIKE PROGRESSO ON CRACK. ALSO BETTER THAN PANERA.

And yes, caps were necessary there — I really needed to get my point across about how damn good this chicken soup is.

Ingredients in the best chicken soup recipe

The best part isn’t just how delicious this chicken soup is, but also how wonderful the anti-inflammatory, cold-fighting ingredients are.

• Ginger: great for digestion and a powerful anti-inflammatory agent to use in recipes.
• Garlic: truly the best when you’re sick. Garlic is full of anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. That’s why we use 6 cloves of garlic in this soup. That’s right, you’re going to sick this cold’s ass.
• Turmeric: super trendy and very good for you. Best when consumed with a black pepper to help for optimal absorption. This recipe calls for fresh turmeric (if you can find it).
• Chicken: we’re packin’ this recipe with protein too — and guess what? The chicken actually cooks in the soup broth, leaving it tender and making it easy for you to cook!
• Fresh herbs: rosemary & thyme add additional flavor in this recipe.
• Pearl couscous: besides the veggies, the couscous is really the star because it helps to thicken the broth and keep the soup hearty. You’ll want to use pearl couscous in the recipe. It just provides the perfect texture for the soup. This is what pearl couscous looks like. I also know that they sell it at most Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods.

Optional ingredient swaps

Because the ingredients in this chicken soup are fairly simple, there are plenty of easy ways you can customize it:

• Make it gluten-free: swap the pearl couscous for rice, quinoa, or your favorite gluten-free pasta shape.
• Try a vegetarian version: use vegetable broth and stir in a can of chickpeas in place of the chicken.

Easy homemade chicken soup in 5 steps

1. Cook the veggies. Warm oil in a large pot, then cook down the veggies until the onions soften.
2. Combine the soup. Stir in the ginger & turmeric for 30 seconds, then stir in the rest of the soup ingredients.
3. Add the couscous. Bring the soup to a boil, stir in the couscous, then simmer uncovered until the chicken is fully cooked.
4. Shred the chicken. Remove the cooked chicken with a slotted spoon and shred it with 2 forks, then add it back to the pot.
5. Finish & serve. Stir in the frozen peas, taste and adjust any seasonings, and enjoy!

How to store & freeze this soup

• To store: store this chicken soup in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. Feel free to reheat it in the microwave or on the stovetop! You may find that the couscous thickens the soup up as it cools, so feel free to add a bit more broth if you’d like.
• To freeze: let the soup completely cool and then transfer it to a freezer-safe container (or multiple containers for meal prep purposes). I recommend freezing the soup without the couscous so that it doesn’t get too thick and mushy when it thaws. Freeze for up to 2 months. To reheat, first let the soup thaw in the refrigerator, then heat the soup in the microwave or on the stovetop. You can then cook couscous separately and add it to the soup once you’ve reheated it.

If you make this chicken soup recipe, be sure to tag #ambitiouskitchen on Instagram or leave a comment and rate the recipe below! Thank you — I appreciate it. xo.

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The Best Chicken Soup You'll Ever Eat

4.91 from 1550 votes

byby :Monique Volz of AmbitiousKitchen.com

Leave A Review Print Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

ServesServes 6 servings

The BEST chicken soup you'll ever eat is the best homemade nourishing healthy soup when you're feeling under the weather. Packed with anti-inflammatory ingredients like ginger, turmeric, garlic. This is the BEST CHICKEN SOUP RECIPE EVER!

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil
• 6 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 2 large carrots, thinly sliced
• 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
• 1 tablespoon fresh grated turmeric (or 1 teaspoon ground turmeric)*
• 6 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs
• 1 teaspoon freshly chopped rosemary
• 1 teaspoon freshly chopped thyme, stems removed
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup pearl couscous
• ⅔ cup frozen peas (optional, but recommended)

Instructions

• Place a large dutch oven or pot over medium high heat and add in oil. Once oil is hot, add in garlic, onion, carrots and celery; cook for a few minutes until onion becomes translucent.
• Next add in grated ginger and grated turmeric. Saute for 30 seconds to let the spices cook a bit, then add in chicken broth, chicken breast, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper.
• Bring soup to a boil, then stir in couscous. You’ll want the chicken to be covered by the broth so make sure you stir them down to the bottom. 
• Reduce heat to medium low and simmer uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked.
• Once chicken is cooked, remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a cutting board to shred with two forks. Add chicken back to pot then stir in frozen peas. If you find that you don't have enough broth, feel free to add in another cup. Everyone likes their soup differently. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary. Enjoy.

Recipe Notes

*Please note that turmeric can stain, so use gloves if you'd like.

To make vegetarian or vegan: Use vegetarian broth and sub 1 can of drained chickpeas for chicken.

To make the soup gluten free: You could use a gluten free couscous if you can find it, or try 3/4 cup quinoa. The cook time will remain the same.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 269calCarbohydrates: 30.4gProtein: 23.8gFat: 5.3gFiber: 3.6gSugar: 3.5g

This post was originally published on February 19th, 2018 republished on January 5th, 2020, and republished on December 11th, 2024.