How to Make the Best Chicken Soup

Plonk yourself anywhere in the world, and you won’t be far from a steaming bowl of soup. And just about anywhere you go, you’ll find chicken soup — thrifty, cozy, adaptable, delicious chicken soup. But while it’s an always reliable meal, there’s no reason it can’t also be exciting. Push your next pot beyond chicken and broth with these seven simple upgrades.

1. Add dried herbs and spices

Build flavor from the very start by sizzling dried herbs and spices in oil. Just a minute or two unlocks their full potential and helps them travel through the soup. As for what to use, sift through your jars and see what appeals. You can lean any way you’d like: Go earthy with turmeric, paprika and annatto seeds, as in Ham El-Waylly’s locro de gallina, or herbaceous with dried rosemary, oregano and crushed red pepper, as in Sarah DiGregorio’s lemony Greek chicken, spinach and potato stew.

Need some recipes to start? Locro de Gallina (Chicken Soup With Squash, Green Plantains and Yuca) | Lemony Greek Chicken, Spinach and Potato Stew | Chicken Soup With Toasted Farro and Greens | Easiest Chicken Noodle Soup | Chicken and Vermicelli Soup With Lime

2. Use broth instead of water

Have you ever had a bowl of pasta cooked in chicken broth? That simple soup shows you how a little broth can do so much. Using store-bought or homemade broth instead of water ensures your soup will be savory and chickeny, no matter how little it simmers for, or what else is in the soup.

Need some recipes to start? Chicken Soup With Corn and Spinners | Chicken Soup With Leeks and Lemon | Chicken Meatball Soup With Orzo and Dill

3. Switch up the vegetables

Vegetables are typically used in soup in two ways: in small bits, cooked to build the foundation (your garlic and onions), and in larger chunks, to bulk it up. Both ways let you use up whatever vegetables or fresh aromatics you have on hand: ginger, lemongrass, chiles, mushrooms, radishes, squash. The list goes on, so get going.

Need some recipes to start? Chicken and Vegetable Donabe | Sopa Tlaxcalteca (Creamy Chicken and Vegetable Soup) | Coconut Curry Chicken Noodle Soup | Maraq Digaag (Spiced Chicken Soup)

4. Throw a bay leaf into the pot

Chicken soup is all about soothing, and a bay leaf (or two) can help with that. The slender leaf’s soft-spoken herbiness isn’t as bold as rosemary or oregano — rather, it slips into the background. Think of it as more like some cooked-down onion than an herb: You’ll notice it isn’t there, even if you can’t pinpoint what exactly is missing.

Need more recipes to start? Ginger Chicken and Rice Soup With Zucchini | Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken Soup With Lemon, Rice and Dill

5. Use cooked chicken

Chicken soup can be a long game (starting with a whole chicken, simmering it for hours and hours) or it can be hungry-right-this-second fast. If a speedy soup is what’s on the menu, use store-bought broth (see above) and cooked chicken. Cubed or shredded from a rotisserie or leftovers, it needs just three to five minutes in the soup to reheat. Any longer, and it can become tough.

Need more recipes to start? Smoky Chicken Chili | Avgolemono Chicken Soup With Gnocchi | Quick Chicken and Dumplings

6. Swirl in a pat of butter

On days that call for a bit of softness, or when a soup seems thin or otherwise lacking, stir in a pat of butter to the finished soup. It will melt into the broth, adding richness, body and a velvet sheen (much like it does in a pan sauce). The fat contributes a subtle creaminess without being heavy.

Need more recipes to start? Chicken and Noodles | Chicken and Rice Soup

7. Finish it with fistfuls of chopped herbs

Just as a splash of vinegar enhances chili, fresh herbs bring out the best of chicken soup’s soft, simmered flavors. Add finely chopped soft-stem herbs like cilantro, dill, parsley or chives at the end so their flavors stay bright. And you bought a whole bunch, so be generous: Use around a third of a cup, or even up to a full cup.

Need more recipes to start? Brodo di Pollo con Pastina (Chicken Soup With Pastina) | Chicken and Red Lentil Soup With Lemony Yogurt | Cantonese Noodle Soup | Phở Gà (Chicken Pho) | Yakhni (Chicken Soup With Cilantro and Green Chiles)

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