Chicken

41 Best Chicken Soup Recipes (Plus Chicken Gumbo, Pho, Pozole, and More)

When it's freezing outside or you're just not feeling 100%, chicken soup is always the answer.
Chicken soup with lots of greens and a wooden ladle in a black twohandled pot.
Photograph by Anson Smart, Donna Hay Magazine

Hungry for the best chicken soup recipes? We've rounded up 41 soups that will warm your belly and spirit. And chicken noodle is just the beginning. Below, you'll find recipes for the best chicken noodle soup, chicken tortilla soup, matzo ball, pho ga, pozole, udon, and more.

Many of these recipes include steps and ingredients to make the broth itself, but if you want to start with the best store-bought chicken broth, we've got recommendations. Got time to make homemade stock and looking for tips? You can start with leftover roasted chicken, or roast raw pieces to get a good brown stock. Or, if you want something lighter, simmer it all on your stovetop or with your Instant Pot.

Head this way for more of our best soup recipes →

  • A bowl of chicken soup with egg noodles carrots and dill.
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson
    1/41

    Chicken Soup

    This recipe for chicken soup hails from New York's famous Second Avenue Deli. You can build your bowl with matzo balls, egg noodles, or kasha. 

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Anna Hampton
    2/41

    Lemony Chicken Soup With Farro, White Beans, and Kale

    For an extra burst of flavor, swirl some salsa verde into each serving of this hearty soup packed with farro, white beans, kale, and plenty of lemon.

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  • Photo by John Lee
    3/41

    Classic Chicken Pho

    Chicken pho is actually easier to make than beef pho: there are fewer ingredients involved and less finesse required for superlative results. Plus, this Vietnamese soup recipe will get you started on traditional techniques like charring aromatics and hacking bones.

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  • Photo by Caleb Adams, Food Styling by Anna Billingskog
    4/41

    Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup With Bean and Cheese Nachos

    This chicken tortilla soup recipe is enriched by the flavor of smoky chipotles, brightened by fresh lime, and ready in just 22 minutes or less. Crisp bean and cheese nachos garnish each bowl instead of the traditional fried tortilla strips.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell
    5/41

    Lentil and Chicken Soup With Sweet Potatoes and Escarole

    Turn store-bought rotisserie chicken into a hearty soup in about half an hour. Fresh dill and lemon add a nice dose of brightness to this cold-weather warmer.

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  • Photo by Gentl & Hyers
    6/41

    Turmeric-Ginger Chicken Soup

    This chicken noodle soup gets its warming flavor from ground turmeric, sliced fresh ginger, and lots of black peppercorns. If you don't have udon, you can substitute rice noodles or spaghetti. 

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  • Photograph by Anson Smart, Donna Hay Magazine
    7/41

    Chicken and Spelt Soup With Greens

    Finishing off this vegetable and chicken soup with a bit of fresh lemon zest and lemon balm leaves adds just the right amount of brightness.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks
    8/41

    Nabeyaki Udon Soup With Chicken, Spinach, and Mushrooms

    This classic Japanese soup is both nourishing and comforting. To make this recipe, you'll need dried sardines or dried kombu, spinach, snow peas, chicken thighs, mushrooms, tofu, scallions, udon noodles, eggs, and Japanese fish cake. 

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  • Photo by Alex Lau
    9/41

    Vietnamese Chicken Soup With Rice

    Sticky rice is worth using for this porridge-y, comforting chicken soup. It releases lots of creamy starches and helps build nice body as it cooks.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks
    10/41

    Slow-Cooker White Chicken Chili

    For easy, hands-off dinner prep, throw chicken thighs, green chiles, white beans, and a flurry of spices into your slow cooker and come home to a hearty, flavorful meal.

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  • Photo by Peden & Munk
    11/41

    Spicy Feel-Good Chicken Soup

    This chicken soup recipe calls for kabocha squash and cabbage greens, but you can add whatever veggies you like. Top each bowl with cilantro, basil, jalapeño, ginger, and a drizzle of chili oil. Serve with lime wedges. 

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  • Christopher Testani
    12/41

    Double-Dark Chicken Noodle Soup

    Browning the wings results in lots of caramelized nooks and crannies that imbue this homemade chicken noodle soup with a deep, savory flavor. Sorry, but Mom's soup doesn't compare. (Unless she uses this recipe!) 

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  • Photo by Alex Lau
    15/41

    Chicken Escabèche Soup

    This hearty, tangy-sweet chicken soup couldn’t be simpler to throw together. The key ingredients are coriander, cumin, sherry vinegar, golden raisins, and fresh mint. Plus chicken, of course. 

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  • Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell
    16/41

    Chicken Soup With Charred Cabbage

    Simmer the bones of a rotisserie bird in water with a handful of aromatics and flavor-packed mushroom stems to make the umami-rich broth for this comforting chicken soup.

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  • Photo by David Japy
    17/41

    Chicken and Cilantro Meatball Soup

    The secret here is to steam the meatballs so they remain tender and succulent. Searing briefly afterward adds a wonderfully caramelized crust without overcooking. Then, let them swim in a savory, salty, delicious chicken broth for an always-comforting dish.

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  • Emma Boys
    18/41

    Chicken & Rice Soup

    Though this chicken soup recipe calls for long-grain white rice, feel free to swap in another grain such as brown rice, farro, or even quinoa.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Anna Hampton
    19/41

    Matzo Ball Soup with Cardamom, Turmeric, and Lime

    Instead of matzo balls, this soup features delicious Persian dumplings formed from chickpea flour and ground chicken. Pair this soup with the Sabzi Khordan (platter of herbs) and you’ve got an Iranian feast. 

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  • Photo by Alex Lau
    20/41

    Yellow Chicken Adobo

    Though widely accepted as the national dish of the Philippines, no two adobos are the same. This one calls for an unapologetic amount of turmeric, which has a robust earthy flavor. Those deep, dark notes are backed up by charred coconut.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, prop styling by Brian Heiser, food styling by Rhoda Boone
    23/41

    Green Chicken Soup With Dill Matzo Balls

    This soup can be made a day ahead of time—just hold off on adding the kale until you're ready to serve so its color remains bright.

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  • photo by Ann Stratton
    24/41

    Thai Chicken-Coconut Soup

    The secret to this chicken soup's satisfying creaminess? Coconut milk. Be sure to garnish with slices of red Thai pepper and fresh sprigs of cilantro.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop and Food Styling by Ali Nardi
    25/41

    Matzo Ball Soup

    There's an entire chicken in this soup, and then some. Not a mistake. You'll pull out the breast early on and use the white meat to garnish the finished bowls, but everything else stays and simmers for hours, enriching the stock with concentrated flavor and lip-smacking body.

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  • photo by Antonis Achilleos
    26/41

    Spicy Curry Noodle Soup with Chicken and Sweet Potato

    Rice vermicelli noodles, thinly sliced chicken thighs, and large cubes of peeled sweet potatoes help to turn this Thai-inspired soup into one thoroughly satisfying meal.

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  • Photo by Chelsie Craig
    27/41

    Chicken Soup with Caramelized Ginger

    A feel-good classic with a new lease on life, this sinus-clearing broth starts with ginger softened in savory caramel. Serve topped with scallions, chopped cilantro, and freshly ground black pepper. 

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  • Linda Pugliese, food styling by Anna Hampton
    28/41

    Stuffed Matzo Ball Soup With Chicken and Apples

    The matzo balls are stuffed with a spiced chicken filling before they're simmered and added to the broth. Top off the whole soup with nigella seeds before serving. 

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  • Photo by JP Bevins, Food Styling by Rhoda Boone
    29/41

    Slow-Cooker Green Chicken Chili

    Is chicken chili chicken soup? When it's this tasty, who cares? Made with chicken, sweet potatoes, tomatillo salsa, and pinto beans, this easy crockpot chili is a cross between chile verde and white chicken chili. The prep is effortless and the result is delicious. 

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  • Copyright 2015 Alita Ong
    30/41

    Instant Pot Pho Ga

    Get the richly flavored comforting broth of Vietnamese chicken pho in a fraction of the time when you use an Instant Pot. The flavorful broth that usually takes hours to cook is ready in just 15 minutes. 

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Erika Joyce
    33/41

    White Chicken Chili

    Whether you call this dish a chili or hearty chicken and bean stew, it's definitely a winner. Word to the wise: double the recipe and store in the fridge or freezer, because the leftovers are amazing.

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  • Photo by William Meppem
    34/41

    Feel-Good Chicken Soup

    This brothy ginger, soy, and chile–scented chicken soup with Chinese broccoli is essentially penicillin in a bowl. It's bound to make anyone feel 110% better.

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  • Chelsie Craig
    35/41

    Feel-Better Chicken and Rice Soup

    This garlicky, gingery soup is a heartier take on classic chicken and rice, thanks to the addition of sweet potatoes.

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  • Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Megan Hedgpeth, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
    36/41

    Slow-Cooked Chicken Stew With Kale

    Shred perfectly cooked chicken thighs, then add the bare bones back to the simmering pot for an ultra-rich stew. Zesty gremolata, chopped bacon, and fresh lemon add even more flavor.

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  • 37/41

    Green Pozole with Chicken

    This Mexican favorite made with white hominy is fun for a party. The chicken can be cooked and shredded one day ahead of making the soup.

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  • Photo by Cedric Angeles
    38/41

    Chicken-Andouille Gumbo

    Homemade stock made from a whole bird has two upsides: You get a rich, balanced liquid for the gumbo, and plenty of tender poached chicken meat.

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  • Ditte Isager
    39/41

    Chicken Khao Soi

    This Thai dish is one of our absolute favorite chicken soup recipes. A homemade curry paste gives it a surprising depth of flavor. To make the paste, you'll need guajillo chiles, shallots, garlic cloves, ginger, cilantro, coriander, turmeric, and curry powder. 

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Ali Nardi
    40/41

    Gingery Chicken Soup With Zucchini “Noodles”

    Not only is this immunity-boosting chicken soup just as comforting as your grandma’s classic version, it's also gluten-free and paleo-friendly, thanks to the spiralized zucchini “noodles.”

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  • 41/41

    Tom Kha Gai (Chicken Coconut Soup)

    This silky, aromatic Thai chicken soup is a complete meal in a bowl, and it's the perfect chicken soup recipe to have in your back pocket during cold season. Feel better soon!

    Get This Recipe
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