This recipe for Feel Better Chicken Soup with lemon and ginger is healing and soothing and will warm you to your bones! Brothy and flavorful, it is the perfect base for noodles, rice, beans or grains, or keep it keto and low-carb!
Hi friends, I wanted to share a soup we’ve been making for years around here, especially when feeling under the weather with a cold or flu- Feel Better Chicken Soup!
I like to make a big batch and keep it in jars in the fridge, or even freeze it for times when I don’t feel like cooking. It makes a lovely gift to someone who is feeling sick. This chicken soup recipe has the best flavor – lemony and gingery and very soothing for stuffy heads and sore throats. The ultimate in comfort food!
But the best part is once you have the basic soup made, you can take it in all sorts of directions, using what you have on hand. (If you are vegan or vegetarian- I highly recommend this Ayurvedic Turmeric Detox Broth instead. )
Feel Better Chicken Soup | 60-second video
Chicken Soup Ingredients
- Onion- red onion, white onion or yellow onion, or sub shallots or leeks
- Garlic- fresh garlic cloves!
- Ginger- use ginger root or ground ginger in a pinch.
- Vegetables: Celery and carrots, or feel free to add other veggies like mushrooms, or other veggies.
- Chicken broth (store-bought or homemade) or chicken bouillon or low-sodium chicken broth.
- Chicken: skinless chicken breast, skinless chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs.
- Lemon- you’ll need fresh lemon juice
- Herbs and seasonings: fresh parsley or cilantro and white pepper.
How to make Chicken Soup (instructions)
Step 1. This flavorful soup starts with sauteing onion, garlic and ginger until tender and fragrant and golden. Sometimes I’ll add celery and carrots, sometimes not. I like to add a lot of garlic, feel free to cut back if you want.
TIP: if using bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, sear the skin side until deeply golden in the pot first. This adds lovely flavor, depth, and collagen to the soup. Remove the thighs and saute the onion, garlic and ginger.
Step 2. Add the chicken stock (or broth) and whole chicken thighs (or chicken breasts). Bring to a simmer and cover, cooking until the thighs are cooked through, about 20 minutes. Bone-in will take longer.
TIP: If adding rice or quinoa, you could add directly to the pot of simmering broth, only adding about 1/2 cup. Same with canned beans- just add one can, drained.
I prefer to keep my rice or noodles separate, to prevent the soup from getting cloudy, but do as you like.
Step 3. Simmer covered for 20 minutes, more or less depending on size of the chicken pieces.
Step 4. Use two forks or tongs, and pull apart the chicken. You can do this in the pot, or use a cutting board if using bone-in chicken. Return the chicken (discarding bones and skin) to the pot and bring to a simmer for 3 minutes. Taste and adjust the broth. Squeeze with lemon to taste.
Serving Suggestions
Serve in a bowl with chili flakes if you want; a drizzle of sesame oil is nice, and some scallions or fresh parsley or cilantro. You can ladle it over cooked noodles or leftover grains if you want.
Chicken Soup Variations:
- Pasta or noodles: Add leftover pasta or noodles from the pantry, like egg noodles, orzo, rice noodles, linguini or even spaghetti. It’s a great way to use up stray bags of half-used noodles.
- Grains: Add cooked quinoa, millet, rice, or farro at the end of cooking.
- Beans: Add can of white beans or lentils or cannellini beans for more fiber.
- Veggies: Toss in diced carrots, celery, mushrooms, or leeks (to the simmering broth) or add baby spinach at the end and drizzle it with sesame oil and sprinkle with scallions and call it good.
- Creamy Chicken Soup: If you like some creaminess, stir in some coconut milk at the very end. Adjust salt and lemon to taste.
Storage
Leftovers will keep up to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Or freeze in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, before reheating on the stovetop
Whichever direction you choose to take this flavorful soup, I know you will be happy with the base. I’m excited to see where you take this! Please share your variations in the comments below.
Other Chicken soup recipes you may like
- 20 Broth-Based Soup Recipes
- Chicken Meatball Soup with Bok Choy
- Chicken Noodle Soup
- Lemony Chicken Orzo Soup with Dill
- Authentic Tom Kha Gai (Thai Coconut Chicken Soup)
- Kale, Chickpea and Chicken Soup with Rosemary Croutons
- Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Instant Pot Chicken Artichoke Soup with Wild Rice
Feel better, friends.
xoxo
Print
Feel Better Chicken Soup Recipe
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 25
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Soup, Gluten-free
- Method: Stove top, instant pot
- Cuisine: Asian
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Feel Better Chicken Soup with lemon and ginger. A delicious and EASY low-carb, keto soup that you can make in an Instant Pot, Stove top or in a slow cooker. Simple and healthy! Add rice, quinoa, noodles or beans! (Inspired by Bon Appetit)
Ingredients
- 1–2 tablespoons olive oil
- one large onion, diced (or sub 2 fat shallots, or two leeks)
- one cup celery, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, chopped
- 4–8 garlic cloves, rough chopped (I like 8)
- 4 cups chicken broth or stock
- 2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper (or use black pepper)
- 1 1/2 lbs chicken thighs, boneless, skinless ( or use breasts-if very large, cut in half) or bone-in chicken thighs, please see notes )
- lemon juice to taste
- pinch chili flakes
- scallions, cilantro or Italian parsley
- a drizzle of toasted sesame oil (optional, tasty)
Optional: Feel free to add 2-3 cups of chopped veggies: celery, carrots, mushrooms, etc. Serve over cooked noodles, rice, or grains of your choice.
Instructions
STOVE TOP INSTRUCTIONS:
- *If using skin-on chicken thighs, please see notes. Heat oil in a big pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, celery, garlic and ginger and saute until fragrant, about 3-4 minutes. Lower heat to med- low and continue sauteeing until golden, 3-4 more minutes.
- Add the chicken stock, water, salt, white pepper, bay leaves and skinless chicken. Bring to a boil. Cover, and lower heat so it’s gently simmering, covered for 20 mintues. If using breasts, check at 15. Bone-in thighs may take 25-30.
- Test a piece of chicken for doneness by pulling meat apart with two forks. It should come apart easily and look opaque. When done, shred the rest of the chicken, then return to the pot and simmer gently for 5 more minutes.
- Squeeze with lemon, taste, and adjust broth. You can add more salt of needed, or if too salty for your taste, water down with a little water. I prefer ours salty, lemony, and unctuous, especially if adding a starch (like rice, noodles or beans) which will temper the salt quite a bit. Up to you. If the soup tastes bland, it needs salt.
- Ladle it over cooked rice or noodles or just on its own.
- Garnish with scallions or cilantro (or both) and a drizzle of sesame oil if you like and chili flakes (or chili paste or sriracha).
Notes
Bone-in Skin-on Chicken Thighs: for the best flavor, sear the skin side first in the dutch oven or instant pot in a little oil until deeply golden. Remove and continue with recipe, sauteing onion and garlic.
Storage: Soup will keep 4 days in the fridge, or freeze.
See Variations in the post above. Feel free to add 1/2 cup rice or quinoa to the simmering soup. Or add a can of whitebeans. You can also add pasta ( about 4 ounces), but I prefer to cook pasta and rice noodles separately and ladle the soup overtop cooked noodles, to keep the broth clear.
Instant Pot: Set Instant pot to “saute” function and heat the oil. Add onion, garlic and ginger and saute 3-4 minutes until fragrant. Add broth, water, salt, pepper, bay, white pepper and chicken thighs, give a stir. Pressure cook on high for 12 minutes. (If using breasts, pressure cook 8-10 minutes depending on size). Manually release. Shred chicken with two forks. Season with lemon juice. Taste, adust salt. Follow the rest of the instuctions above.
For a slow cooker version, cook as stated above then cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours, or on High for 3 to 4 hours.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups with no rice or starch.
- Calories: 197
- Sugar: 2.7 g
- Sodium: 585 mg
- Fat: 7.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 7.7 g
- Fiber: 1.1 g
- Protein: 24.8 g
- Cholesterol: 106.5 mg
This is my favourite when I’m a bit under the weather. So warming, healing and delicious!
So glad to hear this is nourishing you!
I love this soup! I’ve made it as is a few times, but recently I’ve been using this recipe as a base and then add stuff to it to make it a cross between chicken soup and a Vietnamese noodle soup. I almost always serve it with rice noodles, and add hoisin, chili oil, mint etc.
Nice, sounds yummy!
Excellent soup ,I uses homemade chicken stock and prior roasted chicken. This was the best chicken soup recipe I have tasted!
Yum, your broth made it the best!
This is a great recipe! My go-to when I’m sick (or anyone I love!). To me, this is a perfect chicken soup recipe.
So great to hear this Sarah!
Could not agree more! I’ve made it for SO many friends who had Covid…and tonight I made it for my hubby who has a nasty head cold! Matzo balls work well in this too!
❤️
This tasty chicken soup is so easy to do and very tasty with the ginger garlic I’ve made this soup 5 times
So happy you are enjoying this Andrea! Thanks so much for circling back and leaving a review, very appreciated!
This recipe is perfect as is! If you “need” more flavor I would suggest a bay leaf, bit more ginger or a dash of wine (that you could drink with it)!
Great suggestions, thanks Susann!
I usually would give all your recipes 5 stars! However, this one turned out a little bland. I did use carrots and celery and used more homemade chicken broth then the recipe called for. It was good especially after I added a little umami liquid that I have. However, I didn’t think the soup had the depth that I wanted. Maybe it’s my homemade chicken broth? Any suggestions when your soup just needs a little oomph?
You could try a splash of fish sauce, a bit of dijon mustard or white miso paste.
Thank you for your suggestions! My husband also added a little chili crunch which he liked.
I love this soup. I like to add carrots and noodles. It’s easy and full of flavor. I made it for a friend who just had surgery yesterday and my adult son stopped by. He had a bowl and said, that was good, I don’t usually like chicken soup!
Nice to hear Jennifer!
Delicious!
Fabulous recipe
Great to hear!
This is a wonderful easy recipe. I added medicinal herbs and burdock then Added this to my favorite recipes list. Next time I’ll add more vegetables and cabbage. This time I want it nice and easy and delicious.
Love that! I often add burdock and astragalus into bone broth- so fortifying!
Made this for my sick boyfriend and I added extra ginger. We ended up eating all three servings 🤣 the sesame oil really was the final touch. I had this with sourdough bread and it was amazing. Safe to say he feels a lot better now. Thank you!!
Aww…so nice to hear! Glad he is feeling better.
LOVE LOVE this soup! It is the basis for my Matzo ball soup that I take to friends with Covid. Made it 5 times in the past 2 weeks…which is not good. However, the kitchen smells AMAZING!
Lucky friends!
Oh boy, you just gave me a great idea! I love matzoh ball soup. Do you make your matzoh from scratch?
I made this soup , instead is adding a pasta , I made zucchini noodles and drop it at the end ! It was delicious 💕💕💕also sprinkled cayenne pepper. Scallions cilantro and lemon juice !
Sounds lovely Mimi!
We make this soup all the time, usually adding some bok choy or other Asian greens. We have a lot of basil to use up: do you think it might work? I don’t want ruin it 🙂 Thank you!
Yes- add all the herbs and greens- you cant really ruin it!
How much lemon juice roughly did you add? I am going to make this today. I’m excited.
I like mine quite lemony- so probably more than most? Try just a little squeeze, add more to taste. 🙂
This is divine. I love the addition of asian flavours!
Happy you enjoyed!
Made this in the instant pot. Used frozen chicken and the pieces were big so I cooked for 20 minutes. Turned out perfect. Added about 5 medium carrots. Also used honey fermented garlic in place of regular. Hoping this helps the cold I’m feeling coming on!
Sounds lovely!
My new favorite soup. Ive been making it once a week since I discovered this recipe a month ago. So simple, yet original and flavorful.
Thanks Marcela, so happy you are nourishing yourself!
This soup is wonderful. Adding this to a favorite comfort food. Thank you for the recipe!
So glad you enjoyed Connie!
Tonight is my second time making the soup. It’s delicious and satisfying. This time I added a can of rinsed cannellini beans in addition to egg noodles. I also love lots of garlic and lemon! Definitely our new go to chicken soup😊
Sounds yummy Nancy!
Absolutely delicious
So glad you liked it!
This was pretty bland and I was very generous with salt. I improved it by doubling the garlic, ginger,
And white pepper. I also recommend sautéing the onions, garlic, and ginger first or else it’s pretty bland. If I made this again, I would also just use 6 cups of chicken stock instead of the water.
Hummmm, sorry this wasn’t up to par for you. Not sure what happened- it’s ususally pretty flavorful?
Love this recipe…best chicken soup we’ve ever had. Used left over roast chicken (shredded) and roasted lemon before adding to the soup….brings out a better lemon flavour. This soup is a regular on our meal plan!!
Awesome to hear!
Made this twice, it is sooooooo tasty! And easy. Love all the ideas to customize it. It is going to be a regular meal in our house for sure!
Awesome Jen! Glad you have enjoyed it!
my go to soup when I’m feeling a cold coming on. works every time
Great to hear!