Homemade Chicken Soup

Nothing beats a warming bowl of homemade chicken soup come cool weather. 

As a kid, I loved the soup that came in a can, especially when I was sick.  But now, I prefer the homemade variety, and with this recipe, I can have all the homemade flavor without hours of cooking.

They key to this soup is using all the bones and skins you would normally dispose of and extracting their lovely flavor…you simply can’t beat it!

Growing up, we had the tradition of making leftover turkey soup to use up the leftover Thanksgiving turkey…it was quick, easy, AND delicious!   And lets be honest here…after letting our belt notches out a couple of times from the previous days’ gluttony, a lighter meal was perfect!

I think you will love this soup too, it goes well with homemade wholegrain gluten free bread, gluten free vegan biscuits, or a slice of my corn free cornbread. What better way to use up a turkey or chicken carcass than a quick and easy meal full of flavor!!??

Grab a steaming bowl and get cozy!

Using gluten free noodles in homemade chicken soup:

Gluten free noodles get mushy and absorb loads of liquid if left in a broth or liquid. 

For this reason, I cook the noodles separately, add what I want to a bowl, and top with steaming broth.  I store leftover cooked noodles separately, otherwise they will continue to absorb copious amounts of broth and be super mushy and gross!

Tinkiyada is one of our favorite brands, although we almost always cook the noodles less time than they suggest!

AND, just because I absolutely ADORE mine, check this beautiful olive wood ladle out…I always look forward to using mine and think it makes a perfect gift to anyone!

Low carb chicken soup?

This turkey soup is equally delicious without any noodles at all! 

I usually make sure I get plenty of the tender veggies and turkey bits to make it filling! 

There are many low carb noodles options you could also add if you want that noodle fix, check out this post for loads of options!

Here are some additional leftover Thanksgiving recipes you could try:

• How about making this gluten free chicken pot pie.…with leftover turkey?!
• This dairy free potato soup is extra creamy without the cream and milk As an added bonus, if you have leftover ham, it’s perfect in this hearty soup!
• Here’s a hearty soup that uses many of the ingredients I have leftover after Thanksgiving: Potato, Kale, & Andouille Soup 
• Use up your leftover mashed potato to make these gluten free mashed potato cakes!
• Turkey tetrazzini is a classic casserole that will put  some leftover turkey to use!
• How about this Peruvian turkey stew? With cilantro and rice, this is a soup with Latin flare!

Homemade Chicken Soup Recipe:

Be sure to come back and leave a comment if you try this warming soup!

Easy Homemade Turkey or Chicken Soup

Tessa

A classic comfort food that is perfect for utilizing leftover turkey or chicken bones!

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine American

Servings 6

Calories 311 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 6 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups water or more if you like a really brothy soup
• 1 whole roasted rotisserie chicken or roast your own if you like, or use your leftover turkey from Thanksgiving!
• 3 tablespoons avocado oil or butter
• 2 medium onions small dice
• 2 large carrots cut into rounds or half rounds, depending on size
• 2 stalks celery sliced 1/4 inch thick (I usually put the celery tops in too, and remove when it is time to eat)
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 10 oz gluten free noodles Trader Joe's best deal, and great texture!!, totally optional!
• Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

 

• Remove the meat from the chicken bones and set aside.
• Place the remaining bones and skin in a large stock pan along with the chicken broth and water. Bring to a simmer for about 30 minutes to release the flavor of the bones. Alternately, you can put it all in your Instant Pot and bring to full pressure for 30 minutes. Quick release and proceed.
• Pour the broth through a strainer and discard the skin and bones. Set the broth aside.
• In the same stock pan, heat the oil or butter over medium-low heat. Sauté the onions, carrots, and celery until soft, about 8-10 minutes. (May also do this in your Instant Pot on 'saute')
• Add in the reserved broth and thyme. Bring to a simmer and taste for salt: depending on your roast chicken or turkey, you may need to add very little.
• If you are using the noodles, in another saucepan, bring some water to a boil for the noodles. Cook according to al dente directions (I have noticed that the Tinkiyada brand suggests a boiling time much longer than needed, taste test your noodles to be sure). Strain and rinse with cool water to stop the cooking process.
• Add the reserved chicken meat to the awaiting broth. I had enough leftover chicken to make some chicken salad...depends on the size of your chicken AND how meaty you like your soup.
• To serve, put desired amount of cooked noodles into a bowl. Ladle soup over the top and serve with fresh ground pepper!

Notes

*nutrition includes the addition of gluten free noodles

Nutrition

Calories: 311kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 15gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 24mgSodium: 940mgPotassium: 426mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 4069IUVitamin C: 21mgCalcium: 43mgIron: 2mg

Keyword chicken soup, homemade chicken soup, leftover turkey soup, turkey soup

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