Chicken soup is the ultimate comfort food. It also happens to be loaded with immune boosting nutrients, deeply nourishing and a well-balanced meal complete with protein, veggies and healthy starch (if including noodles - see our favorites here).

When we want to make chicken soup from scratch, broth and all, this is the recipe we turn to, but this bone broth based, short-cut variation comes together so quickly and tastes like the real deal. Another bonus, it freezes well, so we love to make extra to have on hand during sick seasons when we know we’ll need it most!

Bone broth chicken soup
Makes ~4-6 servings

Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 medium carrots, peeled and diced
3 celery ribs, diced
1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
1 leek, halved lengthwise, sliced and rinsed
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
5-6 cups chicken bone broth, depending on how much broth you like in your soup! We love Fond, Kettle and Fire and Bonefide provisions.
3 sprigs fresh thyme
juice of 1/2 to 1 whole large lemon

optional:
Cooked noodles of choice (see a list of our favorites here)
Chopped fresh parsley or dill to finish

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Once shimmering, add the carrots, celery, onion and leek to the pot, along with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of fresh pepper, and saute for 5-6 minutes, until the veggies are softened.

2. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute more.

3. Add the chicken, bone broth and thyme and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot and simmer for ~18 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature of 165 degrees F).

4. If you are using noodles, cook the noodles in a separate pot while the chicken poaches. When they’re cooked through, drain and set aside.

5. Remove the chicken from the pot to a plate or cutting board and shred or dice into cubes. Remove the thyme as well.

6. Add shredded/cubed chicken back to the soup, along with cooked noodles, if using, and the lemon juice (add half, taste, and then add more if you prefer a more lemony soup - we love it with the whole lemon!)

7. Divide into bowls and top with fresh herbs, if using!