19 Chicken Soup Recipes You're Sure To Love
For many people, chicken soup evokes feelings of nostalgia in every cozy spoonful. Whether it was the go-to meal your mother made when you were feeling ill or it's now your favorite dinner in the winter months, this nourishing soup gets a lot of love. While you may have a classic recipe that you repeat time after time, there's always room for experimentation in your chicken soup repertoire. After all, the only requirement is that it be a soup containing chicken, which leaves plenty of options to play around with the rest.
To help expand your chicken soup recipe collection, we've assembled our favorite versions from Tasting Table recipe developers. Classic styles with noodles and vegetables are well-represented, alongside creative tweaks with tortellini and gnocchi. The selection includes international takes on the traditional soup, such as Vietnamese pho, Thai tom kha, and Filipino tinola. Pick up a whole chicken or a couple of cartons of stock and a pack of chicken thighs, and try your hand at one of these hearty chicken soup variations.
1. Classic Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup
Making soup is one of the best uses for your slow cooker, because it's an easy way to build flavor with minimal hands-on effort. This classic chicken noodle soup comes together with chicken thighs, alliums, carrots, celery, lemon, and herbs. Parmesan rinds add a boost of umami that permeates the water with savory notes as the meat and vegetables slowly cook. Finish it off by stirring egg noodles into the pot, then ladle out this soup for a comforting meal packed with all the classic ingredients.
2. Easy Chicken Noodle Soup
Pick up a rotisserie chicken to whip up this tasty soup that's ready in half an hour. Sauté the usual chicken soup vegetables (namely onions, carrots, and celery), then add seasonings and bone broth (packaged broth saves tons of time), and boil. Toss in egg noodles, which have a chewy consistency that holds up in a soup. Next, cut the rotisserie chicken into small pieces and stir those in too, along with fresh parsley to give the soup a vibrant essence.
Recipe: Easy Chicken Noodle Soup
3. Chicken And Tortellini Vegetable Soup
Tortellini stands out in a world of ordinary pasta, and it's extra noticeable as the starchy component in a chicken soup. To go with the Italian theme, this soup is flavored with tomato paste, giving the stock and veggies an extra bold taste. The chicken breast really soaks up the flavor, simmering in the stock until the meat is cooked and easily shreddable. Add it back to the soup along with tortellini, cream, and chopped kale, then garnish the top with a generous dose of shaved Parmesan before serving.
4. Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup
If you're looking for one more way to serve enchiladas, this slow cooker soup is the obvious solution. Just sauté the alliums to start, then add everything to the pot and let the appliance work its magic. Chicken thighs, enchilada sauce, two types of beans, green chiles, corn, and spices cook for several hours until the chicken is ready to be removed and shredded. Stir in cream cheese and shredded cheese until they melt, then replace the pulled chicken and serve with corn chips, avocado, and cilantro. Talk about a flavor sensation!
5. Hearty Chicken Mulligatawny Soup
Mulligatawny is a fusion of British and Indian cuisines, and the duo does not disappoint. Toast cumin and mustard seeds in oil to bring out the aromas, then sauté the vegetables. Add coconut milk, broth, and chicken thighs to the pan, covering it with a lid to poach the meat. Next, add uncooked rice and apples to the pan, simmering until the rice is cooked through. Shred the chicken for easy consumption, and serve this hearty dish with fresh cilantro and scallions for a zingy kick.
Recipe: Hearty Chicken Mulligatawny Soup
6. Lemony Chicken Orzo Soup
Lemon and chicken make a delightful pairing that's highlighted in this orzo soup. The grain-like pasta shape straddles the line between pasta and rice, which makes it an excellent candidate for spooning into your mouth. Sauté the standard soup veggies, then add broth, rosemary, shredded cooked chicken, and orzo to the pot. Simmer until the orzo is cooked and the ingredients have mingled. Mix in lemon juice and zest to give this hearty soup a citrusy tang, and serve it with fresh parsley for an herbaceous note to round it out.
Recipe: Lemony Chicken Orzo Soup
7. Warming, Comforting Chicken Tinola
This Filipino classic is bursting with fragrant aromas from the ginger, garlic, lemongrass, and whole peppercorns infusing the broth. Bone-in chicken drumsticks or thighs add plenty of depth along with a splash of fish sauce, while starchy rice water thickens the soup. Fresh chayote squash and bok choy give the soup a bright green crunch while boosting its nutritional content. Serve this savory meal with white rice and more fish sauce to add a salty touch to this comforting bowl of chicken tinola.
8. Greek Avgolemono Soup
This hearty Greek recipe transforms basic kitchen ingredients into a lusciously creamy soup. Prep chicken stock with a whole chicken, herbs, vegetables, and water, bringing it to a boil and then simmering until the meat is cooked through. Once the broth is prepped, remove and shred the chicken, while adding soaked rice to the pot. Temper beaten eggs with lemon juice and pour the mixture into the soup to give it a velvety consistency, before adding the shredded chicken. Serve it with fresh thyme to add another herbal element to balance out the richness.
Recipe: Greek Avgolemono Soup
9. Copycat Olive Garden Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup
If you're at home craving a nourishing dish from Olive Garden's menu, this chicken gnocchi soup recipe will satisfy your appetite. Sauté vegetables in a pot, then add chicken stock and seasonings. Toss in a package of gnocchi (or your own homemade gnocchi, if you're in the mood for a project). Next, add spinach, pre-cooked chicken breast cubes, grated carrots, and half-and-half to give the soup a creamy consistency. There might not be never-ending breadsticks, but you'll forget about that once you taste this loaded soup.
10. Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
This super simple chicken tortilla soup comes together in a slow cooker, providing a nourishing meal with minimal effort. Sauté onions in a pan, then add them to a slow cooker along with chicken breasts, diced and strained tomatoes, corn, black beans, chicken broth, lime juice, spices, and cilantro. Cook the contents on high for a few hours, then shred the chicken before adding it back to the pot. Serve with sliced avocado, cilantro, and tortilla strips to make this soup worthy of its name.
11. Thai Chicken Noodle Soup
Thai flavors give this recipe a fragrant palate that upgrades it from an ordinary chicken noodle soup. The base builds layers of flavors with sautéed alliums, lemongrass, galangal, red curry paste, and a chili pepper. A rich coconut milk broth — enhanced with fish sauce, sugar, lime juice, and kaffir lime leaves — amplifies the taste further. Simmer the contents to infuse the broth, then finish it off with shredded chicken, mushrooms, and rice noodles. Serve this as a first course, or double up the ingredients and make it the meal's main star.
Recipe: Thai Chicken Noodle Soup
12. Creamy Comforting Chicken Corn Chowder
If you're all about thick and chunky textures, this chicken corn chowder is a satisfying option when you're in the mood for soup. After frying up some bacon and setting it aside to be chopped, sauté veggies, diced chicken, and seasonings in the bacon-infused oil before adding chicken stock, cream, and cubed potatoes. Simmer the contents until the potatoes are fork-tender and the chicken is cooked through. Mix corn kernels with some bacon into the chowder, and serve it with a generous garnish of more chopped-up bacon to add a salty contrast to this velvety soup.
13. Instant Pot Chicken Pot Pie Soup
Chicken pot pie is another favorite in the comfort-food category, and this recipe goes all out by combining it with chicken soup. Cook vegetables in an Instant Pot along with canned cream of chicken soup, broth, and herbs. Add chicken breasts and cook on high until the meat is shreddable. Stir the shredded meat back into the pot, along with peas and a cup of cream, then serve the soup with freshly baked puff pastry squares for the ultimate duo of heartwarming eats.
Recipe: Instant Pot Chicken Pot Pie Soup
14. Easy Chicken Pho
Pho is a Vietnamese classic with lots of fans and variations worldwide, and this recipe makes it super easy to whip it up at home. Infuse oil with ginger and spring onions, then add chicken breasts, broth, aromatic spices, lime juice, and fish sauce, cooking until the meat is tender. To assemble this fragrant soup, shred the chicken, strain the broth, and add pre-cooked rice noodles. Garnish this savory dish with crunchy green onions, sliced red chili pepper, and lime wedges for a tangy burst.
Recipe: Easy Chicken Pho
15. Tom Kha Chicken Soup
Skip the takeout and recreate this Thai favorite at home. Infuse the broth with vibrant flavors from lemongrass, lime leaves, garlic, Thai bird chiles, and ginger to start, then add the chicken. As it's cooking, add mixed mushrooms, coconut milk, and fish sauce to give the soup a creamy consistency and an umami note. Sprinkle each bowlful with fresh mint and cilantro to serve, with a blend of fish sauce and minced green chiles on the side for a final punch of flavor.
Recipe: Tom Kha Chicken Soup
16. Easy Chicken Carcass Soup
If you've recently made roasted chicken for dinner, you're already halfway to completing this easy soup. In a large pot, add the leftover carcass and its meat with gravy, veggies, and chickpeas, covering the contents with water. Simmer for a couple of hours to absorb all of the flavor from the bones, then add chopped potatoes to boil. When you're ready to serve, carefully remove the bones so that you can savor this rich soup without restraint.
Recipe: Easy Chicken Carcass Soup
17. Creamy Chicken Spinach Soup
This recipe transforms a handful of simple ingredients into a savory soup that's brimming with goodness. Sauté onions and a hearty dose of mushrooms, then add broth, cream, seasonings, shredded pre-cooked chicken, and spinach to the pot. Simmer the contents as they soak up flavor from the stock and slowly become tender. Serve this creamy soup with a thick slice of crusty bread to dunk into the velvety liquid and mop up every last drop.
Recipe: Creamy Chicken Spinach Soup
18. Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
An Instant Pot soup is the ultimate comfort food, for the cook and diner alike. Ready in under 20 minutes, you'll be savoring this vibrant tortilla soup before you know it. Place chicken breasts in the bottom of the pot, then top them with canned beans, tomatoes, salsa, broth, and earthy spices like cumin and chili powder. Cook on high, then shred the chicken and serve this fire-red soup with a dollop of sour cream and crunchy tortilla strips.
19. Slow Cooker Chicken Ribollita
Ribollita soup is a Tuscan classic, once reserved for peasants trying to stretch out leftover scraps. However, nothing is lacking in this recipe, which comes together with extra convenience thanks to the slow cooker. Add veggies, cooked shredded chicken, white beans, seasonings, canned tomatoes, broth, and water to the pot. Cook for a few hours, then serve this loaded ribollita with kale and parsley leaves, as well as plenty of grated Parmesan to top it off.
Recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken Ribollita