Canning homemade chicken soup is a great way to preserve the flavors of summer and fall to enjoy all year long. With a pressure canner, you can safely can low-acid foods like chicken soup for shelf-stable storage. This allows you to quickly prepare delicious homemade meals without all the prep work.
Canning chicken soup at home may seem intimidating, but it is easier than you think with the right instructions. In this 1889 word guide, you’ll learn the step-by-step process for canning chicken soup from start to finish.
Benefits of Canning Chicken Soup
Before jumping into the how-to steps let’s look at some of the benefits of canning your own chicken soup
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Convenience – Canned soup is ready to heat and eat right from the jar. Skip lengthy prep and cooking when time is short.
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Customization – Tailor the ingredients to your tastes with your own broth, veggies, seasonings, and chicken
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Quality ingredients – Control exactly what goes into your family’s food by making it from scratch.
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Cost savings – Homemade soup costs a fraction of the price of store-bought canned soups.
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Long shelf life – Properly canned soup lasts 1+ years stored in a cool, dark place.
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Natural – Avoid preservatives and other additives found in commercial canned soups.
Step 1: Choose Your Ingredients
Homemade chicken stock using a whole chicken or chicken pieces forms the flavorful base. Chopped cooked chicken, vegetables, seasonings, and herbs round it out.
For the chicken and broth:
- 1 whole chicken or chicken pieces like breasts, thighs, legs
- Water, about 4 quarts
- Veggie scraps like onion, celery, carrot
For the soup:
- 4 quarts homemade or store-bought chicken broth
- 2-3 cups chopped cooked chicken
- 4 cups mixed chopped veggies like carrots, celery, onion, corn, etc.
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 Tbsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- Other seasonings like basil, thyme, parsley
Make extra broth when cooking your chicken to have plenty for canning. Save vegetable scraps in freezer to make bone broth later.
Step 2: Prepare the Chicken and Broth
To make homemade broth, combine chicken, water, and vegetables in a pot. Simmer until chicken is fully cooked, about 1 hour. Remove chicken and strain broth. Pick chicken off the bones and chop or shred. Discard bones and veggie scraps.
If using store-bought broth, choose low-sodium chicken broth and heat it.
Step 3: Prepare the Vegetables
Wash, peel, and chop your vegetables into small, uniform pieces. Good veggie choices are carrot, celery, onion, corn, potato, turnip, beans, peas, etc. The vegetable amounts can be adjusted to your preferences.
Step 4: Make the Soup
Add chopped chicken, vegetables, broth, bay leaves, salt, pepper and any other seasonings to a large pot. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
Step 5: Fill the Jars
Ladle hot soup into clean canning jars, leaving 1-inch of headspace at the top. Use a bubble tool or knife to release any trapped air bubbles. Wipe jar rims with a clean, damp cloth.
Center lids on jars and screw bands on fingertip tight. Do not over tighten.
Step 6: Process the Jars
Place filled jars in canner and add 2 inches of hot water. Secure the lid. Once the water boils, vent steam for 10 minutes then close the vent to pressurize.
Process quart jars at 10 PSI for 1 hour 30 minutes (for pints, process at 10 PSI for 1 hour 15 minutes).
When time is up, turn off heat. Allow canner to depressurize naturally. Wait 5 minutes then open lid away from you.
Step 7: Cool and Store
Carefully remove jars from canner and set aside to cool undisturbed for 12-24 hours. Once cool, check seals. Sealed lids curve downward and do not move when pressed.
Wipe jars, label, and store in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year. Enjoy your homemade chicken soup all year long!
Troubleshooting Canning Chicken Soup
Follow these tips for safely canned chicken soup every time:
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Use a pressure canner, not a water bath canner. Chicken soup must be processed at 240°F.
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Carefully follow processing times adjusted for your altitude. Insufficient processing can lead to spoilage.
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Allow proper venting to pressurize canner and full depressurization after processing.
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Don’t overload canner with too many jars. Leave space for water circulation.
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Cool jars slowly, undisturbed, to prevent siphoning and jar breakage.
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Check all jar seals after cooling. Refrigerate unsealed jars immediately.
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Store jars without rings to detect failed seals. Rings can corrode and disguise lost seals.
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Label jars with contents and canning date. Store in cool, dark place up to 1 year.
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Never eat from bulging, leaking, cracked, or spoiled jars. Safely dispose of them.
FAQs About Canning Chicken Soup
Get answers to some common questions about home canning chicken soup below:
Can I use a water bath canner for chicken soup?
No, only a pressure canner reaches the 240°F temperature needed to safely process low-acid foods like chicken soup.
How long does canned chicken soup last?
Properly canned and stored soup sealed in sterilized jars will retain best quality for 12-18 months. Discard any jars over 1 year old.
What causes floating food or lost liquid in my jars?
This is caused by packing jars too full. Always leave the recommended headspace for expansion during processing.
Can I add noodles, rice or pasta before canning soup?
It’s not recommended. Starchy ingredients like noodles and rice can turn mushy and degrade during canning. Add them just before serving.
What do I do if my jars don’t seal?
If lids haven’t sealed after cooling for 12-24 hours, refrigerate jars immediately and consume within 3-4 days. Do not store unsealed jars at room temperature.
My chicken soup got dark and separated, is it safe?
This is oxidation and separation of fat from broth. It’s still safe if processed correctly. Stirring before serving will recombine it.
Enjoy Delicious Home-Canned Chicken Soup
Follow this detailed 1889 word guide for safely canning your own chicken soup at home. Pressure canning allows you to safely preserve hearty chicken soups from your kitchen to stock your pantry with shelf-stable convenience.
Customize each batch with your favorite ingredients. Make it a family tradition by getting the kids involved picking vegetables and seasoning. Then savor the flavors of homemade goodness all winter long.
Chicken Bone Broth Recipe with Veggie Scraps
Much like the chicken feet bone broth I talked about above, bone broth is full of nutrients and is a must-make. Grab the chicken bones and extra veggie scraps from the chicken soup and put it all into a crockpot, instant pot, or regular pot. I used the chicken carcasses, the onion skins, and scraps from garlic, carrots, and celery in the bone broth. The more veggies and seasonings the better the flavor will be, not to mention the extra nutrients from the veggie scraps.
Cover with water and let the bones simmer until they become soft. This will take at least 12 hours depending on how you’re cooking it. Strain and jar your broth and enjoy in your next soup or by itself! If you’re going to can the broth in the pressure canner make sure to read the instructions in your canning manual. You can combine the chicken feet with the bone broth and veggie scraps to make the ultimate bone broth!
How to Make Chicken Feet Bone Broth
To make chicken feet bone broth you’ll want to clean the feet first. Then, put the feet into a large pot and cover with water. Boil for just about 5 minutes. Remove the feet and discard the water. This quick boil will get the scum out of the feet. When you’re done boiling, rinse with cold water. Next, you’ll want to snip off the claws/toes so the collagen and protein are released easily.
Now that the feet are prepped, put them back in the large pot, instant pot, or crock pot to cook. Low and slow is how you want to boil these (just like when you’re making bone broth) so that all the nutrients are released. Since I planned on using the chicken feet bone broth in my soup I didn’t add any seasonings or extra flavors to it. If you’re going to freeze or can this broth for later you may want to add some extra flavor with seasonings or veggies (you can use veggie scraps too!).
Simmer for 8-10 hours and then strain the broth. If you’re canning the broth, put it in jars while still hot and process according to your pressure canner’s directions.