Grandma's Chicken Soup

Do You Want to Save This Recipe?

Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!

By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from A Sweet Thyme

This soup is more than just a meal—it’s a tradition passed down through generations, filling our home with the familiar aroma of simmering herbs and spices. My Mother refused to give out her secret ingredient in this soup, but adding this one spice makes all the difference.

The combination of chicken, carrots, celery, and parsnip creates a deeply flavorful broth. By blending these cooked vegetables, you make a heartier soup.

Whether served during the High Holidays, Passover, or simply on a chilly evening, it’s a reminder of family gatherings and memories. This is a simple recipe that relies on quality ingredients and slow simmering to bring out the best flavors, making every bowl feel like a comforting hug.

I love pairing this soup with delicious salads. Specifically, an arugula salad like this Arugula Salad With Feta or this Arugula Salad With Goat Cheese. When I don't make matzo balls or noodles, I will pull out these Za'atar Pita Chips as a quick side.

You will need the following ingredients to make this Jewish Chicken Soup:

Ingredient Notes

• Chicken - My favorite chicken for this recipe is a Capon. A Capon is a neutered male chicken. It is larger than most chickens but smaller than a turkey. I ask my butcher to skin the Capon and cut it into pieces for me. The recipe below uses store-bought chicken. Buy bone-in breasts and thighs. Take the skin off at home.
• Chicken And Beef Bouillion - For the best taste, use Better Than Bouillion in this recipe. I do know that it may not be gluten-free/sugar-free. If you need one that is totally free of gluten and sugar, check out Cook's Delight. Just know that you may need to adjust the salt at the very end if you are using anything other than what is in the recipe.
• Beef Bone - I totally understand that this isn't chicken. This soup is more of a bone broth for the base then it is a true chicken soup. You can skip the bone and the beef bouillion but you won't want to skip it once you have tasted this. It gives the soup more depth than if you just used chicken. I have also used my Keto Bone Broth as the base for this soup many times.

See the recipe card for quantities.

Additions:

• Matzo Balls - Yes to matzo balls! I love a good matzo ball. I haven't made one from scratch in ages since there are good mixes on the market that mimic what I make at home. My favorite is Manischevitz. They make a Gluten-Free Matzo Ball Mix and a regular Matzo Ball Mix that I use regularly.
• Noodles - Add in a noodle or gluten-free noodle that you love to make a chicken noodle soup.

Substitutions:

• Chicken Alternatives - You can easily swap out the chicken for turkey in this recipe.
• Vegetarian - Leave out the chicken and beef. Swap in a vegetable bouillion for either Better Than Bouillion or Cook's Delight Bouillion that you may be using.
• Low Carb - Two of my favorite swaps are spiralized zucchini noodles for noodles or I am now in love with these Egg White Noodles by Miracle Noodle. They taste just like the real thing but they are made with egg whites.

How To Make Grandma's Chicken Soup: Step-By-Step

Here are some quick visual instructions. Remember that full instructions with the exact ingredients are in the printable recipe card:

Step 1: Place the chicken breasts, chicken thighs, and beef soup bone into a large stock pot.

Cover with 4 quarts of water.

Step 2: Add the carrots, onion, celery and parsnip.

Cover with enough additional water to cover all of the vegetables up to 2 more quarts.

Add the chicken bouillion, beef bouillion, curry, bay leaf, black pepper, parsley, and dill.

Step 3: Bring the pot to a boil on the stovetop. Cover and turn down the heat. Simmer for 1 ½ hours.

Remove the lid. Take out the chicken, beef bone, bay leaf, and a couple of carrots. Set aside. Let cool for 10 minutes.

Step 4: Using an immersion blender, blend the soup in the pot until the vegetables are pureed. If you do not have a stick blender, transfer the vegetables and a few scoops of soup to either a high speed blender or food processor to blend.

Shred the chicken and add it back to the pot.

Cut the reserved carrots and add them back to the pot.

Season with Kosher salt to taste.

Do You Want to Save This Recipe?

Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!

By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from A Sweet Thyme

• Strain - Strain the broth for a clear liquid and do not blend the vegetables.
• Shred - I shred the chicken once it is cooked. I don't add the chicken back to the soup for holidays, instead I package it in an airtight container and put it into the refrigerator for later use.
• Freeze - While not something I prefer, this soup freezes well. Store in airtight containers, leaving space for expansion, and freeze for up to 3 months.

Wait until the very end to add salt especially if you are adding matzo balls. Matzo balls will add salt and so will the bouillion. Add salt to taste slowly once the soup is completely finished.

Other soups that are just as delicious and filling are the Keto Cauliflower Soup, the Ribollita, and the Lentil Soup With Sausage!

Soup tastes best when it has a depth of flavor. The flavor comes from the broth and all of the added vegetables. In this soup we use a combination of chicken and beef which is our secret sauce.

You are looking for umami or that flavor that you cannot describe. Many chefs use vinegar as a finishing touch. In this soup we are using a touch of curry powder which will do the same thing.

Add a squeeze of lemon, a tablespoon of vinegar, or for this soup a touch more curry powder and chicken bouillion.

Asparagus Salad With Lemon And Herbs

Nectarine Salad

Hearts Of Palm Salad

Burrata Caprese Salad