Chicken soup is comfort food at its finest. When you’re feeling under the weather or just need something warm and nourishing, a bowl of chicken soup really hits the spot. But to take chicken soup from bland to grand, you need the right blend of seasonings.
As a busy home cook and mom, I’ve perfected my own chicken soup recipe over the years. Through plenty of trial and error, I’ve landed on a seasoning combo that takes my chicken soup from good to great. In this article, I’ll share my top 12 seasonings for homemade chicken soup so you can make a pot of soul-soothing goodness right in your own kitchen.
The Foundation: Salt, Pepper, and Celery Seed
These 3 ingredients form the base flavor layer of my chicken soup. A pinch of salt enhances the savory flavors of the broth while a dash of black pepper adds subtle heat. But don’t skip the celery seed – it’s a secret weapon that gives the broth a unique earthy, celery-like flavor. You can also use celery salt in place of regular salt. Just be mindful of the extra sodium.
Aromatic Herbs: Bay Leaf, Thyme, and Parsley
Dried bay leaf and thyme add an herby complexity to chicken soup broth. Use them sparingly so their flavors don’t overpower. Fresh parsley brightens up the soup with its fresh, grassy taste. Add it toward the end of cooking so it retains its color and flavor. Dried parsley works too but has a more subtle flavor.
Allium Power: Onion and Garlic
An onion and garlic base builds huge flavor in any soup or stew. I use both onion powder and fresh diced onion in my chicken soup recipe. The powder adds instant onion flavor while the fresh onions caramelize and add sweetness. Garlic powder provides an extra punch of garlicky goodness.
Smoked Paprika for Depth
A touch of smoked paprika adds a wonderfully smoky, rich taste to chicken soup. It deepens the overall flavor profile. Spanish smoked paprika (pimentón) is my favorite, but any variety works. Just use a light hand since smoked paprika can be overpowering.
Fresh Herbs for Brightness
In addition to parsley, fresh herbs like dill, chives basil oregano, and marjoram make great additions to chicken soup. Their vibrant flavors provide a pop of brightness. Mix and match different herbs to put your own twist on the classic recipe. Add them toward the end of cooking so they retain their color and flavor.
Warm Spices: Ginger, Red Pepper, and Turmeric
For extra flavor and warmth, I like to add a pinch of ground ginger, red pepper flakes, and turmeric. Ginger has a bit of sweet heat, red pepper provides a subtle kick, and turmeric lends an earthy flavor and golden hue. This spice trio takes the soup to the next level.
Umami Boosters: Mushrooms, Tomato Paste, and Soy Sauce
Ingredients high in savory umami flavor make chicken soup even more satisfying. I like to add sliced mushrooms, a spoonful of tomato paste, and a splash of soy sauce. Shiitake and cremini mushrooms are great choices. The tomato paste and soy sauce inject a savory, salty richness.
Acid for Brightness: Lemon Juice or Vinegar
A squirt of lemon juice or vinegar right before serving balances the rich broth with bright acidity. This helps all the flavors pop. I use fresh lemon juice, but apple cider or white wine vinegar also work well. The acidic brightness makes everything in the soup taste better.
The Extras: Vegetables, Grains, and Leafy Greens
Carrots, celery, potatoes and noodles are classic chicken soup additions. I also like to throw in vegetables like peas, corn, green beans and spinach for extra nutrition. And grains like rice, barley, and quinoa add hearty bulk. Mix and match different add-ins to customize your soup.
Bone Broth for Added Nutrition
For the ultimate nutrition boost, use homemade bone broth as the base of your soup instead of plain water. Simmering bones and connective tissue releases collagen, amino acids, and minerals into the broth. This takes the flavor and health benefits over the top.
Finishing Touches
Before serving, I taste the soup and adjust any seasonings as needed. An extra pinch of salt, splash of acid, or dash of herbs may be necessary to perfect the flavor balance. I also like to stir in a spoonful of fresh chopped herbs right before eating for extra freshness.
My Go-To Chicken Soup Recipe
Here’s a quick rundown of my easy homemade chicken soup recipe so you can enjoy a steaming, soul-warming bowl any night of the week:
- In a large pot, sauté onions, carrots, celery, and garlic
- Add chicken broth, bay leaf, thyme, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper
- Simmer until vegetables are tender
- Add chopped chicken, mushrooms, tomato paste, lemon juice, and soy sauce
- Stir in rice, peas, spinach and parsley
- Adjust seasonings and serve
With the right blend of seasonings, it’s easy to make homemade chicken soup that rivals the best restaurant versions. I hope these tips help you craft your own perfect pot of hearty, flavorful chicken soup. Just add a loaf of crusty bread, and you’ve got the ultimate cold weather comfort food!
Ingredients for Chicken Noodle Soup
Making chicken noodle soup from scratch doesn’t require a lot of complicated ingredients. All you need is chicken, a few simple vegetables, herbs, and spices, and you’re good to go! Here are the ingredients you’ll need for this easy chicken noodle soup recipe:
- Vegetables: I use a simple mirepoix (onion, carrot, and celery), plus a little garlic for extra depth. This medley of vegetables simmers with the chicken to create an incredible homemade broth for the soup. The vegetables also add a lot of color and texture to the soup.
- Bone-in Chicken: Using bone-in chicken is critical to creating the most flavorful chicken noodle soup. I use skinless chicken breast (bone-in) so my soup has delicious pieces of white meat throughout. If you’re more of a dark-meat person, feel free to use thighs or drumsticks. I like to remove the skin to reduce the extra fat, but you can leave the skin on while simmering and remove it later if you want an extra-rich soup.
- Herbs and Spices: A combination of basil, parsley, thyme, bay leaf, and pepper give this soup its classic warm flavor. And of course, we add some salt to really help the natural flavors pop!
- Water: The chicken, vegetables, and seasoning simmer in water to create a truly amazing homemade broth.
- Noodles: I use wide egg noodles for chicken noodle soup because I love their light texture, but you can use just about any pasta shape you like! Try using stars, alphabet pasta, fideo, or ditalini.
Can I Use Rotisserie Chicken?
You can make this homemade chicken noodle soup recipe even faster by swapping out the raw chicken with shredded rotisserie chicken. Pull the chicken meat from the bones before you begin making the soup, then add the leftover carcass to the soup pot and simmer that with the vegetables instead of the whole chicken breast. Remove the bones before adding the shredded chicken back at the end.
Or, instead of simmering the bones, you can use a pre-made chicken broth and simply add the shredded rotisserie chicken at the end. This is a super fast method for making chicken soup, but the flavor won’t be quite as amazing as making your own broth!
How to Make Old-Fashioned Chicken Noodle Soup
FAQ
What spices are good in chicken soup?
Add peppercorns, bay leaves, thyme, poultry seasoning, basil, and parsley.
What can I put in my chicken soup to give it more flavor?
- Sautéing aromatic vegetables, like onion, carrot, and celery then simmering them in the broth adds more flavor. …
- Season the soup with salt and pepper early on, allowing the flavor to concentrate as the soup simmers.
What are good seasonings to put in soup?
Aside from salt, the typical dried seasonings would be black pepper (a small amount in soup goes far), oregano, bay leaves, thyme, and sage (not all at the same time). Fresh seasonings can include parsley, garlic, onion, and the celery that you dislike. If you like cilantro (aka coriander), you could try that as well.