The Best Chicken Soup You'll Ever Eat

The BEST chicken soup you'll ever eat is the best homemade nourishing healthy soup when you're feeling under the weather. Packed with anti-inflammatory ingredients like ginger, turmeric, garlic. This is the BEST CHICKEN SOUP RECIPE EVER!

Recipe by Monique Volz of AmbitiousKitchen.com on December 11, 2024

Prep time: PT20M

Cook time: PT35M

Total time: PT55M

Rating

4.91 stars (1550 reviews)

Keywords

best chicken soup, chicken soup, chicken soup recipe

Ingredients

1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 yellow onion, diced
2 large carrots, thinly sliced
2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
1 tablespoon fresh grated turmeric (or 1 teaspoon ground turmeric)*
6 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs
1 teaspoon freshly chopped rosemary
1 teaspoon freshly chopped thyme, stems removed
½ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup pearl couscous
⅔ cup frozen peas (optional, but recommended)

Cuisine

American

Steps

Place a large dutch oven or pot over medium high heat and add in oil. Once oil is hot, add in garlic, onion, carrots and celery; cook for a few minutes until onion becomes translucent.
Next add in grated ginger and grated turmeric. Saute for 30 seconds to let the spices cook a bit, then add in chicken broth, chicken breast, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper.
Bring soup to a boil, then stir in couscous. You’ll want the chicken to be covered by the broth so make sure you stir them down to the bottom. 
Reduce heat to medium low and simmer uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked.
Once chicken is cooked, remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a cutting board to shred with two forks. Add chicken back to pot then stir in frozen peas. If you find that you don't have enough broth, feel free to add in another cup. Everyone likes their soup differently. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary. Enjoy.

Nutitrion

Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 269 kcal
Carbohydrates: 30.4 g
Protein: 23.8 g
Fat: 5.3 g
Sugar: 3.5 g

Reviews

Cheryl on 2026-06-06 (5 stars):
I have made this recipe for several years and it's the only one I rely on. Chicken soup is versatile. Veggies and meat can be added, removed or substituted. But this recipe is perfect 'as is.'
Dominica on 2026-06-03 (5 stars):
Really is the best chicken soup! I made this soup using leftover chicken breasts, which I shredded and added in during the last 15 min of simmering time, and I added some parsnips to the veg. I reduced the chicken stock to 3 or 4 cups, as I wasn't adding in couscous, but next time I might add a little more. The flavors were amazing, super rich and cozy. I also made homemade (gluten-free) egg noodles to go with the soup, which added a nice texture; I will definitely make this again!
Jac on 2026-06-02 (5 stars):
This is by far the best soup recipe I’ve ever found. Easy to make, healthy and very comforting. It will be a staple in my house from now on. So happy I found this recipe!
Terri on 2026-05-30 (5 stars):
My daughter pulled a bag of this soup out of her freezer that she had made almost a year ago. I had come down with a cold while visiting from out of state. This soup was so nourishing and flavorful. It is the kind of soup that makes you feel as though you are being healed. She used the squeeze ginger because it lasts longer in the fridge. She omitted the rosemary, thyme and couscous. She omitted peas also but next time will add them. This is a truly delicious soup that I plan to keep a supply of in my freezer.
David on 2026-05-28 (5 stars):
Best chicken soup I've made.
Meg on 2026-05-27 (5 stars):
This is a really wonderful soup. I added a little more Rosemary and Thyme because I love herbs and maybe an extra cup of stock in the end. Really nourishing and tasted even better the day after!
Colleen on 2026-05-23 (5 stars):
This is my favorite soup hands down. I crave it when I’m ill because all the anti-inflammatory ingredients. The smell and flavor is amazing.
Donna on 2026-05-22 (5 stars):
I made this recipe with ingredients I had on hand. I had fresh ginger that I had frozen, it grated up nicely. I used ground turmeric instead of fresh, and the other spices were ground from the jar. I substituted pasta for the round couscous. It came out delicious! Easy to make, needed only a bit more salt. I wanted a nourishing and tasty recipe to give to a friend who just came home after surgery. Their family loved it as well! This is now saved to my favorites. Thanks so much for republishing this.
Michele on 2026-05-21 (5 stars):
A friend shared this recipe and I honestly thank her every single time I make this! First time I made it and there was none left, since then I’ve doubled the recipe and added more broth and again it’s almost always gone! Maybe a very small bowl left over. I started doing it on the stove and then switched to the crockpot since we have 3 boys in sports. Makes for a very easy weeknight meal and it’s so delicious! Now a permanent staple in the house!
Michele on 2026-05-21 (5 stars):
A friend shared this recipe and I honestly thank her every single time I make this! First time I made it and there was none left, since then I’ve doubled the recipe and added more broth and again it’s almost always gone! Maybe a very small bowl left over. I started doing it on the stove and then switched to the crockpot since we have 3 boys in sports. Makes for a very easy weeknight meal and it’s so delicious! Now a permanent staple in the house!