This delicious homemade healing chicken soup is exactly what you’ll be craving this winter when you’re not feeling your best. Made with cosy, warming spices like turmeric, ginger, garlic, and chilli, this soothing soup is not only comforting but also incredibly easy to make.
Love chicken soup? Then you need to also try my favourite dairy free creamy chicken soup, or this pressure cooker chicken noodle soup.
This is the chicken soup I make when either myself or my husband is sick. It is an instantly cosy and comforting, feel good soup. The combination of the turmeric, ginger and a hint of chilli give this soup the most soul warming flavours, it will have you feeling better in no time.
The first iteration of this recipe was published on this site way back in 2017 when I wasn’t great at writing recipes, but I did understand the power of having an easy to make flu-fighting chicken soup recipe in your back pocket.
With a few more years of soup making behind me, I decided to update my original recipe slightly to be even more delicious and better for you so this winter when you’re feeling a little chill, you know this soup is going to be exactly what you need.
Key Ingredients
Chicken soup always starts with a similar base as that is the key to the flavour, but for this one we’re adding a few extras to give us that healing, warmth that is going to make this version a little extra special.
Note all ingredients and their quantities are laid out in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Chicken breast – I like to use chicken breast in chicken soup as it’s leaner and means a lot less oily residue in the soup however you can use chicken thighs if you prefer. You can also use cooked chicken (this is a great way to use up leftover air fryer roast chicken), so see the recipe notes for more.
- Onion, carrots, and celery – known as mirepoix in French cooking, this is the key to the base of the soup. I am always so blown away by how these three simple vegetables can add so much flavour!
- Garlic and ginger – not only adding flavour but also giving us all those flu-flighting benefits and warmth. Fresh is going to be best here, but if jarred is what you have you can use that.
- Spices – what’s really making this soup stand out from a classic chicken noodle soup is the addition of turmeric and chilli to give the soup a little kick. It’s not a spicy soup but it will help to kick start your metabolism and clear your sinus.
- Chicken stock – I like to use a salt reduced stock so I can control the level of saltiness otherwise the soup can get quite salty with this much stock. The quality of your chicken broth is also going to impact the overall flavour of your soup.
- Pasta – for this chicken soup you want to use a small shape of pasta such as spirals.
Equipment and Tools
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Cast Iron Dutch Oven – there are so many different brands (and colours!) of these types of pots but investing in one that matches your budget is going to be such as asset to your kitchen! I use mine at least once or twice a week.
Step-By-Step Instructions
When making chicken soup, always get started by prepping all of your vegetables. Peel and chop everything and make sure you have everything ready for each step of the process. This is called mise en place, or everything in it’s place, and by practising this step, you’ll have a much smoother cooking experience.
Next, we get cooking. Start with browning the chicken breasts in the base of the Dutch oven in a little olive oil. While technically this step is optional as you can simply just poach the chicken directly in the chicken broth, however this step adds an extra layer of flavour through the browning process and it doesn’t take much extra time therefore I recommend it.
Once the chicken is browned on both sides, remove from the pot and set it aside – we’ll finish cooking it later. Add the onions, carrot, and celery to the pot and sauté until soft. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits and leftover bits of chicken as this is where we start to build flavour.
Next, add in the garlic, ginger, dried oregano, turmeric and chilli. Mix it through the vegetables and cook for around a minute until it’s nice and fragrant.
Add the chicken stock to the pot along with a bay leaf for that little extra flavour, and add back in the chicken pieces. Turn the heat down to low and place the lid on the pot. Let the chicken gently simmer for about 10 minutes or until it’s cooked through and tender.
Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the liquid and cut or shred into small pieces. While you’re doing this, add the pasta to the soup and let it cook for about 10 minutes, depending on the pasta you’re using.
Once the pasta is cooked, add the chopped chicken back to the pot and mix well to heat it through. Taste and adjust salt if needed before serving into bowls and enjoying while hot!
Storage Instructions
I love making a big batch of chicken soup and keeping it in the fridge or freezer for easy meals later when I don’t feel up to cooking.
To store it for later, first allow the soup to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container (I recommend doing single portion sizes so it’s easy to grab when you need it). Store in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a splash of water or stock if it gets too thick.
For longer storage, freeze the soup in airtight containers or freezer-safe bags for up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge before warming on the stovetop or reheat from frozen in the microwave.
👉Tip: If you plan to freeze the soup, consider cooking the pasta separately and adding it when reheating to prevent it from becoming too soft as it will continue to absorb liquid as it stores.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! If you have leftover roast chicken, or even poached chicken, you can very easily use that instead. Simply start at step 2, cooking the vegetables as directed. Then, at step 7, stir in 2 cups of shredded, cooked chicken and allow it to heat through before serving.
This soup is packed with lot’s of nourishing ingredients that help support overall health. Chicken stock provides hydration and essential minerals, while garlic, turmeric, and chilli powder have anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting properties while the vegetables add vitamins and antioxidants. Combined, they come together to make this a comforting and soothing meal, that is perfect for when you’re not feeling 100%.
Yes! Simply swap the pasta for a gluten free version.
If you do make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below! And tag any of your creations on Instagram with @eightforestlane as I would love to see.
More cosy soup recipes:
Thai Red Curry Noodle Soup
Mum’s Pumpkin Soup
Healthy Vegetable Soup
Turmeric Sweet Potato Soup
Healing Chicken Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 500 grams chicken breast cut in half lengthways
- 1 onion finely diced
- 2 medium carrots peeled and diced
- 2-3 sticks of celery diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon chilli powder
- 1 bay leaf
- 5-6 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup small spiral pasta
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- In the base of a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken breast pieces and cook for a few minutes until just browned on both sides. The chicken won’t be fully cooked yet, but that’s okay. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside.
- In the same pot, add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté over medium-high heat until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic, ginger, dried oregano, turmeric, and chilli powder. Stir and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in 5 cups of chicken stock and add the bay leaf. Add back in the chicken pieces and turn the heat down to low and simmer with the lid on for 10 minutes or until the chicken has cooked through.
- Remove the cooked chicken and set aside on a chopping board. Chop into small pieces.
- Increase the heat to medium and add the dry pasta. Let the pasta cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender.
- Return the shredded chicken to the pot and stir to heat through. Taste and adjust salt as needed. The soup should be thick, but add another cup of water / stock if a thinner consistency is preferred.
- Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a guide only and is calculated using automated online tools, therefore we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We encourage you to make your own calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe.
This recipe was originally published on June 15, 2017 and has been updated in 2025 with new photos, more helpful content, and a slight change to the recipe to make it even more delicious.
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