Homemade Chicken Soup for Flu & Cold Season
This homemade chicken soup for cold and flu season will get you feeling better in no time. If you're wondering how to make chicken soup, you'll find that it is much easier than you think. Prep a batch now and stash it in your freezer so you don't have to cook when you are under the weather.
The flu season is never any fun. When my daughter came down with it, I hadn't seen her that sick, ever. She was honestly delirious and didn't know what day it was or even what time of day.
Our pediatrician sent us home from our visit with an order to make homemade chicken soup:
"The REAL kind, homemade from chicken bones."
Why This is the Best Recipe
- From Scratch, REAL Chicken Soup: The most nourishing part about chicken soup is the chicken broth. While I use boxed stock to boost the flavor, I also boil actual chicken bones to form the base of the soup.
- Clears Your Sinuses: The garlic, lemon, and cayenne flavor boosters add enough zippy spice to the broth it cuts through congestion to help soothe you.
- Big Batch, Freezer Friendly: When you go to the effort to make from-scratch soup, you don't want to waste a single bite. This recipe makes a big batch for easy eating for a few days or you can freeze portions to grab when you're feeling under the weather later.
How to Make Chicken Soup
When I went hunting for a real-deal homemade chicken soup for the flu, I only found recipe after recipe that called for adding pre-cooked chicken meat to boxed prepared chicken stock.
Those recipes are easy and better than canned soup because they involve fresh vegetables but they don't have the same benefits as chicken soup from scratch offers.
To make the kind of chicken soups that really work as home remedies for colds and flu, you need a few crucial ingredients:
- a whole raw chicken
- a big pot of water
- fresh vegetables
- herbs and spices
This recipe is the best home remedy for cold and flu because it also adds fresh roasted garlic, lemon juice, spicy cayenne pepper to the broth. Garlic, lemon, and spicy seasonings are each known home remedies for cold and flu.
Ingredients
- A Whole Chicken: I buy a roasting chicken. If you can't find a whole chicken, you can substitute bone-in chicken breasts and bone-in chicken thighs and legs.
- Chicken Stock: You can cook the chicken in water and it will form the chicken broth, but I use chicken stock to give a double-whammy chicken flavor.
- Fresh Carrots
- Fresh Celery
- Onion
- Fresh Lemons: You'll be zesting the lemon peels, so buy the actual fruit and not jarred lemon juice.
- Head of Garlic: I love jarred minced garlic, but you'll be roasting the head of garlic for this recipe so you need the actual garlic bulb.
- Dried Mint: You could substitute fresh mint if you have it.
- Cinnamon
- Cayenne Pepper: This definitely adds some spicy heat to the broth but when you're congested, your loss of sense of smell makes it harder to taste foods. My family loves this flavor booster because it helps accentuate all the flavors in the soup just like salt does.
- Bay Leaves
- Jasmine Rice: Optional. We love using rice for this recipe but you could leave it out for a chicken-veggie soup or add your favorite soup noodles if you prefer.
Is homemade chicken soup easy to make?
I have experimented with a couple of different chicken soup recipes in my crockpot and my InstantPot but for this recipe I wanted a classic chicken broth soup.
If you have a large soup pot and a little patience, you'll find this recipe is actually quite easy -- put the chicken and veggies in a pot and let them simmer.
There are a few steps that take a little bit more time, but they pay off in flavor and I feel are worth the extra time.
Roast the Garlic
The roasted garlic takes a little extra time but it sooooo worth it. Roasted garlic has a sweeter, milder flavor and is perfect for picky kids.
No one wants to take a bite of soup and crunch down on a big chunk of garlic. When you roast it, the cloves are so soft you can just mash them with a fork.
When you stir in the mashed, roasted garlic, it will simply dissolve into the broth leaving behind all the garlic goodness without any of the crunch.
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Roasted Garlic Instructions:
- Chop off the top of a head of garlic. Drizzle it with some olive oil. Wrap it in tin foil or place in a small ceramic container.
- Roast it at 375°F for 35 - 40 minutes or until the cloves are toasted and golden brown.
- Let the garlic cool enough for you to handle it. Use a fork to pop out each individual clove from the head. Add them to a small bowl and mash them.
The whole process for roasting the garlic maybe adds on 5 minutes of work to your soup.
Cooking Instructions for the Soup Base
While the garlic is roasting, you can get the soup going.
Place your chicken in a large soup pot.
Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery to the pot.
Sprinkle the cinnamon, cayenne, and dried mint over the top of the veggies and add the bay leaves.
Pour the chicken broth over the mixture and bring it to a gentle boil over medium-high heat.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 2 1/2 hours.
Shred the Chicken
Use a pair of large slotted spoons or spatulas to carefully remove the chicken. Transfer it to a plate or carving board.
The chicken will be very tender and small bones may have broken away. Be sure to run your slotted spoon through the bottom of the pot to check for them and dispose.
Remove the bay leaves as you skim the pot.
Remove the skin from the chicken and pull the meat from the bones. Dice or shred the meat and set aside..
Add the Lemon and Garlic
Once you've checked the broth for bones and removed the chicken, add the reserved mashed garlic, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
To avoid getting lemon seeds in the soup, I like to place a large colander over a measuring cup. I slice the lemons in half and then use a citrus press to squeeze the juice into the measuring cup.
Then it is easy to discard the seeds.
Now is the time to add the fresh mint if you are using that instead of dried mint.
Return the diced chicken to the pot and stir.
Rice for Chicken Soup
While the soup is simmering on the stove, I make the jasmine rice in our Instant Pot. You can make it however you want, but the Instant Pot method is super easy.
- Use a 1-to-1 ratio of rice to water. Rinse the rice in a strainer and add it to the Instant Pot bowl. Pour in the water and stir. For 3 cups of rice, I used 3 cups of water.
- Cook on high pressure for 3 minutes. Let the pressure naturally release and your rice is ready to go.
Rice will change the texture of your soup depending on when you add it:
FOR SOFT TEXTURE:
Our family prefers a creamier broth with really soft rice so we add it while the soup is still cooking, directly in the pot.
FOR FIRM TEXTURE:
If your family prefers rice to have a firm texture, you will want to keep the rice separate from the soup. Just add a serving of rice to the soup bowls and then ladle the soup over the top. Then be sure to store the rice and the soup separately for your leftovers.
My Family's Review
Handyman Tim took one bite and declared this chicken soup: "Epic! This would be perfect soup when sick!" For a guy that is fairly stingy with his praises, this was a jaw-dropping comment.
Our chicken soup is a lot spicier than regular soup and it does a phenomenal job of clearing your sinuses. That is Tim's very favorite part.
When I made it a second time, the spices seemed not as strong despite using the same quantities. So, be sure to taste test it before serving and adjust as needed. You want the cayenne and cinnamon to really show through so don't be shy about adding a little more if it needs it. Your stuffed up sinuses need to feel the punch and your sore throat will love the lemon.
If you think your kids would shy away from the lemon and spices, you can always reduce the cayenne in the big pot and then just add a sprinkle to your own serving to kick it up. My kids have really learned to love spice thanks to this recipe.
Make Ahead Tips
With flu and cold season at its feverish peak right now, I wanted to share this with you.
The chicken soup recipe makes a nice big batch so you'll have plenty to stock your freezer with single-serving containers for emergencies.
Cook up a batch now because it is one of the best things to eat when you have a cold or flu.
I always freeze our soup without the rice or noodles. This lets me add them fresh and protect the consistency of the broth when I reheat it.
You can always adjust the texture with a splash more of chicken stock when you reheat it if it thickened too much.
Serving Suggestions
When someone is sick with a cold or the flu, their appetite may not be very strong.
Often just this soup by itself is perfect for a sore throat or someone with a low appetite.
Add the rice or even some egg noodles for a gentle soup for someone who is a little hungrier.
If you fall in love with this soup like we have and just want to make it even when you're feeling great, I suggest pairing it with a slice of fresh bread or biscuits:
Variations
If your kids are really sensitive to spice or roasted garlic, you might prefer this milder crockpot chicken soup.
It is also made from a real raw chicken breast, but is a little bit easier for you to make with less hands-on time.
If you prefer tomato-based soups, don't miss my reader-favorite Tuscan chicken soup.
📖 Recipe
Homemade Chicken Soup for the Flu
Ingredients
- 1 head of garlic
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 whole raw chicken
- 1 large onion diced
- 6 carrots peeled and diced
- 3 ribs of celery diced
- 12 cups of chicken stock
- 3/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice from 4-6 lemons
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons dried mint leaves or leavees from 3 springs fresh mint
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 cups cooked jasmine rice optional
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Instructions
Roast the Garlic
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a small baking dish with a square of tin foil.
- Slice the top off the head of garlic. Place it into the dish and drizzle the olive oil over the top. Loosely wrap and cover it with the foil.
- Cover the baking dish and bake for 35 - 40 minutes until the garlic is softened and caramelized.
- Remove the garlic cloves with a fork and mash them in a small dish. Set aside.
Cook the Chicken Soup Base
- While the garlic cooks, rinse the chicken in cold water and place it in a large stockpot.
- Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery to the pot. Add the bay leaves, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and dried mint. (If using fresh mint, wait till the end to add it.)
- Pour the chicken stock over the veggies, spices, and chicken and bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 2 1/2 hours.
Shred the Chicken and Season the Soup
- Use a pair of large slotted spoons or spatulas to carefully remove the chicken and place it on a plate. The chicken will be so tender, it's wise to use your slotted spoon to check the pot for any remaining small bones that might have broken away. Remove the bay leaves when you find them.
- Stir in the reserved garlic, the fresh squeezed lemon juice & zest, and fresh mint if using.
- Remove the chicken skin, shred the chicken meat, and return the chicken meat to the soup pot. Cooked chicken is very delicate so add it after the garlic and lemon juice or it will break apart while you stir the other ingredients in.
Cook the Rice and Serving Tips
- While the soup is cooking, you can prepare your rice and reserve.
- You can add the rice directly to the soup pot or place it in the serving bowls and spoon soup over the top. We like how the starch from the rice slightly thickens the soup broth so I like to start with half of the prepared rice and add it directly to the soup pot. However, if the soup seems too thick, you can add a cup or two of chicken stock or water to help thin it back out.
- Test the seasonings and adjust. The soup should be bright and lemony with a spicy kick from the mint and cayenne.
Storage Tips
- Store any leftover soup and the remaining rice separately. You can add more rice and top it off with more stock to maintain your prefered texture when reheating. If you add all the rice to the pot immediately, the rice will absorb the soup and it will be more like a stew.
Recipe Notes
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Hi from Paris, France ! This is the third time I make this receipe and it is just the very best chicken soup receipe I found ! A 1000 thanks for that. I didn’t change a thing in the receipe and my girls and husband keep asking me for soup ! I am cooking it just now, we add rice in our bowls. I am just wondering what would be the taiste with some fresh grounded ginger in it. So I prepared some and will add it in my bowl (I don’t want to ruin the soup) and I’ll let you know ! I keep all the proportions but use as big chicken and vegetables I find. For me 12 cups is almost 3 liters, so I use 3 liters. 1 cup of lemon juice is 300 ml. Thanks again.
I am suffering with a very bad flu virus and made this recipe. It’s fantastic and I took a turn for the better as soon as I had it. My husband loved it too. Thank you so much for sharing. I would like to know if your pot should have a lid on or off when simmering for 2.5 hours? I had the lid off but you lose some of the liquid …
Can I use just chicken breast instead of a while chicken if I have little time?
I believe it needs the nutrients from the skin and bones. I wanted to speed mine up a bit so I bought 12 bone in skin on chicken thighs, precooked them in my Instant Pot then added them to the rest of the soup. Hope this is helpful.
Can someone adapt this to cook in a 6 quart slow cooker? The recipe as is seems too big for a 6 qt slow cooker.
Best chicken soup recipe hands down. My mom had COVID-19. She could not shake the cough for anything. I made this this soup minus the rice and the next day she was mucus free and felt 100 percent better. My niece in Atlanta just found out she has contracted COVID-19. i am sending this recipe to her as well. I am not saying this soup cured Covid-19 but it made a big difference in my moms healing process.
Thanks for that feedback! Looking to make something for my sick friend
I'd recommend this but with a few tweaks. I only went with half as much lemon juice & even that was slightly too much. Will depend on size of lemons etc. Or maybe I added to much zest. Either way, add a bit at a time to measure taste. It is delicious even if you put too much but just a bit overwhelmingly lemon. I also added other veggies that I needed to use up & some gourmet vegetable stock powder. I agree with another person here that it was a bit bland but instead of adding more cayanne I added some Laksa paste (only a dash) & that heated it up nicely & was a great counterpoint to the cinnamon & lemon. Also added parsley & a couple of other little tweaks but basically this is great as is. I love the addition of cinnamon - would not have thought that would work with the other ingredients but it's terrific!
This recipe is like a present from heaven - I am going to keep some in my deep freeze for family getting sick but I wont wait to get sick before having it-sooo delicious!.But I have some questions for Jacki. In the list of Ingredients it says 20 whole cloves of garlic - peeled.
But in the instructions it does not mention that garlic again - it only talks of the head of garlic that has to be baked. What should one do with the 20 coves of garlic ?
I also cannot find the recipe for the chicken stock or must I take any chicken stock recipe. I took chicken stock cubes but would still like to have the right recipe.Thank You!
did you make the broth or buy it?
Hands down the very BEST soup! Also has everything you could ever need to fight the cold and flu. Love it!
Hands down the very BEST soup! Also has everything you could ever need to fight the cold and flu. Love it!
This recipe is very good. I found that at the end of the process I needed practically no salt at all. My only opinion about this soup is: I would have used a little less lemon juice (the end product has a good lemon taste but it gets overwhelming halfway through a bowl). And also, MAKE SURE YOU DONT GET TOO BIG A CHICKEN! I couldn't get a small one, so I came home with a 6lb bird I thought would be good, the end result was that there was so. Much. Chicken. It was like a bowl of chicken with a spoonful of broth over the top. Very tender, flavorful delicious chicken, but SO much of it. I recommend 3lb of meat if you can. If you do make a big bird, halve the meat out and stir the soup so you can get an idea of how much meat is in there. Also the 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne felt a bit weak to me, I didn't detect any spice at all in the final product, but out of all the flavors the lemon was the most prominent. Still this was a phenomenal bowl of soup, very good, thank you!
This recipe is very good. I found that at the end of the process I needed practically no salt at all. My only opinion about this soup is: I would have used a little less lemon juice (the end product has a good lemon taste but it gets overwhelming halfway through a bowl). And also, MAKE SURE YOU DONT GET TOO BIG A CHICKEN! I couldn't get a small one, so I came home with a 6lb bird I thought would be good, the end result was that there was so. Much. Chicken. It was like a bowl of chicken with a spoonful of broth over the top. Very tender, flavorful delicious chicken, but SO much of it. I recommend 3lb of meat if you can. If you do make a big bird, halve the meat out and stir the soup so you can get an idea of how much meat is in there. Also the 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne felt a bit weak to me, I didn't detect any spice at all in the final product, but out of all the flavors the lemon was the most prominent. Still this was a phenomenal bowl of soup, very good, thank you!
Hello:
Went to the shop to buy mint, there are different kinds, spearmint, cat mint , peppermint, ginger mint, common mint and more. Which one do you use?
Thank you very much
Currently have this in the slow cooker. Both my husband and I are feeling under the weather and need something to give us a boost.
Your recipe does not say how much lemon zest to use??? I'm thinking may all 6 lemons???
A warm tasty bowl of soup is what we all need, whether we're under the weather or not! I don't think I've eaten much chicken this year so far... need to pin this for later! 😉