There’s just something so cozy and comforting about a bowl of rich, warming chicken soup. For a weeknight meal when the weather gets cooler, Friday night Shabbat dinner, or when someone is feeling a little under the weather, you just can’t beat a good bowl of Jewish chicken soup. My version is a classic, full of hearty vegetables like onions, turnips, parsnips, carrots, celery, and more, bright and fresh herbs like dill and parsley, and rich, savory chicken.
I love this soup because in addition to being so comforting and nourishing, it also freezes incredibly well, meaning you can make your soup well ahead of time, knowing that it’ll be waiting for you in your freezer when you’re ready to serve it (or when you need it). In no time at all, you’ll have a stock pot full of the best chicken soup, perfect for just about every occasion.
The Best Things About This Jewish Chicken Soup Recipe
- It’s a Classic, Cozy Favorite: There’s something so nostalgic and comforting about a bowl of chicken soup, particularly when it’s homemade and full of tons of nourishing ingredients. It’s comfort food at its finest.
- It Freezes Like a Dream: Soups are the perfect thing to stock your freezer with, especially when the weather starts to get a little colder. Freeze the leftovers after you’ve served it for dinner, or make a big batch and freeze the whole thing so that you’ll be ready for a quick weeknight dinner or part of your holiday spread in no time.
- The Prep is Easy: While there is some chopping to be done to get this soup in the pot, the prep is pretty simple. No complicated cuts—you don’t even have to mince the herbs—then just let it cook.
- Packed with Flavor and Nutrition: This iteration of chicken soup is bursting with flavor from the chicken, garlic, onions, carrots, and herbs. Plus, with all of those veggies and lean protein from the chicken, it’s also a soup with plenty of health benefits. The best part? The homemade chicken stock cooks alongside the rest of the soup ingredients in a very large pot, meaning you won’t have to make additional chicken stock or pick some up from the grocery store (no chicken bouillon cubes needed here).
Ingredients
- 5 lb chicken parts (drummets, wings, or necks – more is better!)
- 3.5 lb chicken bottoms (or your preferred cut)
- 1 head garlic (cut off the top to expose the cloves)
- 2 jumbo onions, peeled and quartered
- 5 medium turnips, peeled and halved
- 7 parsnips, peeled and halved
- 9 carrots, peeled and halved
- 1 red bell pepper (optional but highly recommended for added flavor)
- 5 celery stalks, halved
- 1 big bunch fresh parsley
- 1 big bunch fresh dill
- Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prep the Stock Pot: For the full recipe, use a 16-quart stockpot. If you’re only making half the recipe, you can use a smaller pot. Fill the 16-quart stockpot about halfway with water (make sure you use enough cold water to cover the top of the chicken) and heat it over high heat.
- Prep the Chicken: If you’d like, you can place chicken into soup bags to keep everything together so it’s easier to serve later on. I love using soup bags because they make cleanup so simple, but you can alternatively just add the chicken pieces to the pot of water.
- Add the Aromatics: Place the onions, turnips, carrots, and celery in the stockpot. Add the herbs and optional red bell pepper to another soup bag if you’re using them, or just add them into the pot on their own as well.
- Season the Soup and Bring to a Boil: Season the soup well with salt and black pepper. Bring the soup to a boil.
- Simmer the Soup to Cook: When the soup comes to a rolling boil, lower the heat, cover the stockpot, and simmer the soup for at least 4 hours, but preferably 8. The longer you simmer the soup, the more depth of flavor the finished product will have.
- Shred the Chicken and Cool the Soup: Once the soup is done cooking, pull out the soup bags. Discard the chicken bones and the herbs. Remove the chicken pieces and shred the meat to add back into the soup.
- Optional: Strain the Broth: If you’d like, you can pour the remaining broth through a fine-mesh strainer into another pot. Straining it will remove any lingering pieces of chicken, veggies, or herbs.
- Serve or Store: If you’re going to eat the soup right away, add some vegetables, shredded tender chicken, and broth to each bowl. If you’d like, add a sprinkling of fresh parsley and dill to garnish your soup. If you’re planning to freeze the soup for later, divide the vegetables, chicken meat, and flavorful chicken stock between a few airtight containers. Make sure the soup has cooled completely, then freeze. I love using soup cubes to freeze chicken soup and other soups I make.
Chicken Soup Tips
- Simmer as Long as Possible: The longer you let your soup simmer, the more flavor you’ll develop in the broth. While 4 hours should be fine for a good, solid soup, 8 hours is preferable if you have the ability to let it cook that long. Once you taste the rich flavor of the broth, you won’t be sorry!
- Divide, Then Freeze: If you’re going to freeze your soup to eat later, make sure you divide into manageable portions before freezing. I love doing this with soup cubes, but you could absolutely also do this in small or medium-sized airtight containers. That way, when you go to pull soup out of the freezer, you don’t have to defrost the whole batch for just a few bowls. You’ll be able to thaw what you’re going to eat.
- Switch Up the Herbs: Herbs are so wonderful in chicken soup and although dill and parsley are classics, adding fresh thyme or even a dried bay leaf will add even more flavor to your finished soup.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What other vegetables can I add to this Jewish chicken soup recipe?
Potatoes would be delicious in this soup. You could also add mushrooms, other root vegetables like sweet potatoes, peas, greens like kale, and more.
How can I make sure the golden broth is clear?
Pouring the broth through a fine-mesh strainer after cooking is key to getting clear broth. It’ll filter out any of the little bits of chicken, vegetables, or herbs that would otherwise cloud your broth. That being said, it’s a completely optional step and a cloudier broth will in no way affect the taste of your soup.
How long can I freeze this homemade chicken soup for?
You can freeze this soup for up to 6 months or so. Thaw it in the fridge overnight, then reheat it gently on the stove or in the microwave before serving.
What should I serve alongside this traditional Jewish chicken soup?
Chicken soup is a bit of a light meal all on its own, but there are a number of things you could pair with it to create a complete meal. Try some warm crusty bread, a nice baked potato, a fresh, green side salad, some roasted vegetables, even a sandwich. A huge pot of great soup is the perfect place to start when you’re trying to get a healthy, delicious dinner on the table quickly and (somewhat) easily.
This cozy, comforting Jewish chicken soup recipe is a classic. Whether you’re looking for something to round out your Shabbat or holiday menu. Need to stock your freezer with easy meals, or would just like to get a nutritious weeknight dinner on the table for your family, this simple soup recipe is here for you. Plus, your whole house will smell amazing as it simmers gently on the stove for hours.
Classic Homemade Jewish Chicken Soup Recipe (Kosher)
Ingredients
- 5 lb chicken parts drummets, wings, or necks – more is better!
- 3.5 lb chicken bottoms or your preferred cut
- 1 head garlic cut off the top to expose the cloves
- 2 jumbo onions peeled and quartered
- 5 medium turnips peeled and halved
- 7 parsnips peeled and halved
- 9 carrots peeled and halved
- 1 red bell pepper optional but highly recommended for added flavor
- 5 celery stalks halved
- 1 big bunch fresh parsley
- 1 big bunch fresh dill
- Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prep the Stock Pot: For the full recipe, use a 16-quart stockpot. If you’re only making half the recipe, you can use a smaller pot. Fill the 16-quart stockpot about halfway with water (make sure you use enough cold water to cover the top of the chicken) and heat it over high heat.
- Prep the Chicken: If you’d like, you can place chicken into soup bags to keep everything together so it's easier to serve later on. I love using soup bags because they make cleanup so simple, but you can alternatively just add the chicken pieces to the pot of water.
- Add the Aromatics: Place the onions, turnips, carrots, and celery in the stockpot. Add the herbs and optional red bell pepper to another soup bag if you’re using them, or just add them into the pot on their own as well.
- Season the Soup and Bring to a Boil: Season the soup well with salt and black pepper. Bring the soup to a boil.
- Simmer the Soup to Cook: When the soup comes to a rolling boil, lower the heat, cover the stockpot, and simmer the soup for at least 4 hours, but preferably 8. The longer you simmer the soup, the more depth of flavor the finished product will have.
- Shred the Chicken and Cool the Soup: Once the soup is done cooking, pull out the soup bags. Discard the chicken bones and the herbs. Remove the chicken pieces and shred the meat to add back into the soup.
- Optional: Strain the Broth: If you’d like, you can pour the remaining broth through a fine-mesh strainer into another pot. Straining it will remove any lingering pieces of chicken, veggies, or herbs.
- Serve or Store: If you’re going to eat the soup right away, add some vegetables, shredded tender chicken, and broth to each bowl. If you’d like, add a sprinkling of fresh parsley and dill to garnish your soup. If you’re planning to freeze the soup for later, divide the vegetables, chicken meat, and flavorful chicken stock between a few airtight containers. Make sure the soup has cooled completely, then freeze. I love using soup cubes to freeze chicken soup and other soups I make.