26 Chicken Soup Recipes You'll Want to Make Forever (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret ingredient in soup? ›

It may sound a bit strange and unusual for some, but vinegar is a common ingredient in some soup recipes, and there is a good reason for it. If you think about it, vinegar is really a flavor-enhancer (umami). That's why it is so often used in cooking, sauces, and salad dressings. The same is true with soups.

Often overlooked, soup can be an excellent source of nutrients, hydration, and comfort as part of a regular healthy diet. Many people only think of soup as sustenance when sick, as they turn to the healing powers of chicken noodle soup, which is an age-old classic.

The famous chicken soup study from 2000 focused on its impact on inflammation. “The 2000 study basically found that chicken soup inhibited neutrophil chemotaxis, which is a fancy way of saying it helped temporarily decrease inflammation so those who were sick could temporarily breathe easier,” Pike said.

Ping, about the secret ingredient in his famous secret ingredient soup. Mr. Ping : The secret ingredient is… nothing!

Whether it's white wine or vinegar, a touch of acid added to the simmering pot will create a richer finished product. That's because acid helps break down the cartilage and other connective tissues in the bones of the chicken, which helps speed up the formation of gelatin in the stock.

"If your broth is lacking in savory richness, try adding roasted onion, tomato paste, mushrooms, seaweed, soy sauce, or miso. These ingredients add umami flavor and depth to broth," she says. The choice of ingredient depends on the recipe, though.

For clear, brothy soups, stock is your most important ingredient. If you want to make a good soup, you need to use an excellently flavored stock — otherwise, the entire pot could be tasteless.

Using the entire chicken, which once would have seemed impossibly extravagant for soup, provides the perfect balance of fat and flavor. It doesn't need to be cooked for very long, as the plentiful skin, meat and collagen quickly yield to the heat.

Is it OK to eat chicken soup everyday? ›

Hence, a bowl of chicken soup can be a great addition in your daily diet. Other key ingredients in a chicken soup include onions, garlic and additional vegetables that add flavour and a healthy dose of important nutrients that is needed for a well-functioning immune system.

As it does with turkey, the body uses tryptophan from chicken to make melatonin—which can help you rest—and serotonin, the chemical that signals your nerves and makes you feel happy and at ease. Both of these are reasons chicken soup is associated with comfort food: you literally feel a physiological sense of comfort.

Basically, white blood cells behave differently after chicken soup, resulting in added anti-inflammatory activity. This widely cited study attributed results to the soup's chicken and its vegetables. Interestingly, the study tested store-bought soups as well as homemade.

Along with a high saturated fat content, soup can come with an overload of sodium, as well. The American Heart Association recommends the average person consume no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day, but an ordinary can of Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup already has 890 milligrams of sodium per serving.

"If your broth is lacking in savory richness, try adding roasted onion, tomato paste, mushrooms, seaweed, soy sauce, or miso. These ingredients add umami flavor and depth to broth," she says. The choice of ingredient depends on the recipe, though.

Dried herbs and seasonings: homemade seasoned salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, and dried bay leaves lend flavor to the soup.

Key Ingredients

I love onion, carrot, celery, potato or sweet potato, cabbage, and peas. You can customize this vegetable soup with your favorite seasonal vegetables! In the summer, add fresh zucchini or corn. In the winter, try hearty root vegetables like parsnips or turnips.