Shredded Chicken Soup Recipe
This Chicken Soup Recipe is perfect for when you're craving simple comfort food or feeling a bit under the weather. Made with bone-in chicken thighs simmered into a flavorful broth and filled with tender onions, carrots, celery, and juicy shredded chicken, this classic chicken soup is my all-time favorite.
Ingredients
- 10-12 bone-in skinless Chicken thighs
- 3 quarts Cold water
- 1 tbsp Olive oil
- 2 yellow Onions peeled and diced
- 8 Large carrots peeled and chopped
- 6 ribs Celery chopped
- 5 cloves Garlic minced
- 2 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Pepper
- Juice from one lemon
- 2 Bay leaves
- Fresh chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
Make the Broth:
- Add the chicken thighs to a large stockpot and cover with 3-4 quarts of cold water.
- Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for about 30-45 minutes.
Cook the Vegetables:
- While the broth is simmering, chop and prepare your vegetables.
- Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for 4-5 minutes until the onions turn translucent.
- Add the carrots and celery, mix well, and continue to cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring often.
- In the last two minutes, stir in the minced garlic and season with salt and pepper. Add the bay leaves.
- If the vegetables start to brown, reduce the heat to medium-low.
Strain the Broth:
- After the broth has finished simmering and the chicken is cooked, remove the broth from heat.
- Use tongs to remove the chicken from the pot and transfer it to a clean cutting board to cool.
- Carefully strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer into the pot with the vegetables.
Shred the Chicken:
- Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, use two forks (or your hands) to shred the chicken. Set aside.
- Add the lemon juice to the pot and return the soup to a boil.
- Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes or until the vegetables are fully cooked.
- In the last 5-10 minutes, return the shredded chicken to the pot.
- Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
- Garnish with fresh chopped parsley if desired.
Notes
- The best type of chicken for chicken soup includes dark meat (thighs, legs, wings). You can use chicken breasts, but be careful not to overcook them when making the broth.
- You don’t have to cook the stock separately. You can cook the chicken and the vegetables together if you prefer. I strain the broth to get a nice, clear soup, which requires using a cheesecloth or mesh strainer.