Simple Chicken Soup (Just Like We Always Make It)

This is the chicken soup we make when someone’s sick, tired, or just needs something warm. It’s made with minimal ingredients — chicken, water, salt, pepper, and olive oil — and ready in about 20 minutes. Nothing fancy, just gentle, healing comfort.

Sometimes we stir in a handful of ditalini or rosmarino pasta and frozen peas to make it a little heartier…

A pinch of herbs (fresh or dried) never hurts, but the real flavor comes from the skin-on, bone-in chicken and the slow/medium simmer. It’s as simple as it gets — and exactly what we reach for when we need something that feels like care.

Skin-on, bone-in chicken pieces. This is the only main ingredient so you need the bone and skin flavor.

This simple chicken soup is a very easy to make, the challenge however, is to not complicate it.

❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Ready in 20 minutes – Perfect for quick lunches, light dinners, or care meals.
• Beginner-friendly – A simple method with tips built in for newer cooks.
• Comforting and classic – Nothing fancy, just good homemade soup.
• Flexible – Add pasta, grains, greens, or lemon to make it your own.
• Made for sharing – Easy to teach, gift, or pass along to someone learning to cook.

🛒 Ingredients

• Chicken breasts (room temperature if possible)
• Salt to cook the pasta
• Black pepper
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Water (enough to fill the pot halfway, covering the chicken)
• Optional Ingredients: A handful of small pasta shapes like rosmarino (in the image below) and ditalini or any other small pasta.

🍲 How to Make Chicken Soup

Use thawed, room temperature chicken.

Step 1: Start the broth

Fill a large pot halfway or three quarter up with water. When the water boils, add a tablespoon of salt and stir.

Step 2: Start cooking
Add the chicken breasts into the rapidly boiling salted water, 2 tablespoons of olive oil and leave it to boil uncovered for 10 minutes.

Step 3: Shred the chicken

Transfer the chicken to a plate and let it cool for 5 minutes.

Step 4: Remove the skin and bones

Shred the meat using two forks. Keep the bones as an addition to another broth, stock or discard.

Step 5. Combine

Return the shredded chicken to the pot.

Step 6: Final simmer

Simmer for another 5-10 minutes to not only cook the chicken through but to allow some of the water to evaporate.

Step 7: Serve

When you’ve tasted and made it yours, carve into bowls and enjoy.

💬 See below this post for my Real Talk Suggestion Box — a few honest tips that make this recipe truly comforting.

📝 Recipe Notes & Tips

• Clear broth tip: Patting the chicken dry before boiling helps create a clearer broth.
• Oil in the broth: The olive oil adds just a bit of richness — you don’t need much!
• Use tongs or a slotted spoon to remove the chicken easily after boiling.
• Taste and season at the end — you might need a little more salt depending on your preference.

🥖 What to Serve with Simple Chicken Soup

🔁 Variations

• Vegetable boost: Stir in frozen peas, spinach, chopped carrots, or baby marrow toward the end.
• Use thighs: Chicken thighs (bone-in, skin-on) work beautifully for even richer flavor.
• Grain swap: Add cooked rice, couscous, or orzo in place of pasta.
• Flavour twist: Try adding a squeeze of lemon juice, chopped parsley, or a spoon of grated Parmesan just before serving.
• Spice it up: A pinch of cayenne or a slice of fresh ginger can give it a warming kick.

❄️ Storage

• Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 3–4 days.
• Freezer: Freeze for up to 2 months. Cool completely before freezing.
• To reheat: Warm on the stove over low heat, adding a splash of water or stock if it’s too thick.

Tip: If adding pasta, it may soften when stored — consider cooking it separately and adding just before serving.

❓FAQs

Can I use boneless chicken breasts?
Yes, but bone-in gives a much richer broth. If using boneless, consider adding a bit of stock or bouillon for extra flavor.

Can I make this in advance?
Absolutely! It stores and reheats well. It’s also perfect for freezing in small containers for quick meals.

How do I know when the chicken is cooked?
It should be opaque all the way through and shred easily with two forks. You can also check that the internal temp reaches 74°C (165°F).

What pasta works best?
Ditalini, elbows, or broken spaghetti all work well. Add pasta just before serving to keep it from getting mushy.

Pasta Swaps & Add-Ins

Want to bulk it up a bit? Try these simple swaps and add-ins:

• Pasta: Use ditalini, elbows, or break up spaghetti into bite-sized pieces.
• Grains: Stir in a scoop of cooked rice, couscous, or small pasta stars.
• Greens: Add a handful of spinach, baby kale, or frozen peas at the end.
• Comfort twist: A spoon of grated Parmesan or a splash of lemon juice makes it extra cozy.

🫶 Real Talk Suggestion Box

Sometimes the simplest recipes come with the best little secrets. Here’s what I’ve learned from making this soup more times than I can count:

Served here with my easy quick (this morning) homemade bread. Enjoy and keep it simple.

🍲 More Easy Family Recipes

Slow weekends, warm kitchens, and meals that feel like home — here are a few more cozy recipes to keep on hand.

• Lentils with Dumplings (Easy One-Pot Comfort Food)
• Creamy Bacon Pasta
• Make Once, Eat Twice: Easy Meal Prep Recipes
• Easy Creamy Bacon Tomato Pasta (Zio Michele)
• One-Pot Pasta with Peas and Potatoes
• Spicy Cauliflower Pasta (No Roasting, Just 10 Minutes!) Poverina Style.

✨ Looking for more no-fuss comfort meals?

Grab my free Comfort Food Pantry & Equipment Checklist — it’s full of the basics you’ll need for recipes like this one.