Easy Jewish Chicken Soup (Noodles or Matzo Ball Optional)
Also known as Jewish penicillin, this easy chicken noodle soup is packed with healthy healing vegetables and herbs. It is truly the best simple base for an authentic matzo ball soup if you swap gluten-free matzo balls (for the pasta) at your seder. It’s perfect paired with my fan-favorite Passover brisket (100+ 5-star reviews)! I prefer to start with a whole chicken and break it down myself so I can save the carcass for another batch of gluten-free chicken broth. Since this soup only cooks for an hour, you can easily save all the bones and vegetables for a second use. I usually freeze both together and use them as the base for my next soup. We use the vegetables two ways in this recipe, first just broken in half for the broth, then thinly sliced later for the soup. For the celery, I would suggest using the tough outer stalks for the broth and saving the tender inner ones for the soup base since they tend to be daintier and more subtle. See notes above in the post for other potential add-in’s for a less traditional Jewish chicken soup.
Servings 8
Ingredients
- One whole 3 to 4 pound chicken, broken down into parts OR 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs and 2 bone-in skin-on chicken breasts
- 1 medium onion or shallot skin-on and halved
- 1 pound carrots about 8 medium, divided
- 1 bunch celery about 10 stalks, divided
- 1 head garlic halved widthwise
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 fresh thyme sprigs
- Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley divided
- 1 bunch dill divided
- 4 ounces Jewish egg noodles or regular spaghetti broken in half (optional)
- 1 batch gluten-free matzo balls for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Make the broth: In a large (at least 6 quart) stockpot or Dutch oven, place the chicken parts in the bottom of your pan. Add the onion, half the carrots and half the celery (both broken in half lengthwise) to the pot, along with the garlic head, bay leaves, thyme, 2 teaspoons sea salt, and black pepper. Top with half the bunch of parsley and dill. Reserve the remaining herbs and vegetables for later.
- Cover the ingredients with water by at least 1 inch (you should have minimum 12 cups of water).
- Bring the Jewish chicken soup to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook, uncovered, for at least an hour. At the 45 minute mark, remove the chicken breasts, if using, and set aside. This prevents the white meat from overcooking. No one likes dry chicken in their matzo ball soup! When the broth is rich in color and flavor (after an hour), remove the remaining chicken pieces with tongs and set aside with the breasts.
- Strain the broth through a fine mesh sieve into a second large pot or bowl. If the latter, just add the broth back to the original pot. Discard the strained veggies and bones, or freeze them along with your chicken bones for another batch of stock down the road – they will still have more flavor to give!
- While the broth simmers, prep the remaining veggies: thinly slice the carrots and celery. Some people like more rustic pieces, but I prefer a more refined look! Then, finely chop the remaining parsley and dill. Set aside.
- Make the chicken soup: add the reserved chopped celery and carrots to the strained broth and bring to a gentle simmer again on the stove. Simmer until the vegetables are tender and the broth has become more concentrated, about 30 more minutes. Taste for seasoning and add more salt as needed.
- Optional: if you’re making Jewish chicken noodle soup, add the egg noodles or spaghetti during the final 10 minutes that the broth is simmering.
- When the chicken has cooled enough to touch, remove it from the bones with your fingers and break it into rustic chunks. Discard the skin and bones.
- To serve, add the chicken meat back to the broth along with the chopped parsley and dill. Ladle the soup into bowls. If you’re making Jewish matzo ball soup, add 2 to 3 gluten-free matzo balls to each bowl. Garnish with any additional herbs, celery leaves or fresh cracked pepper. Alternatively, store the soup in the refrigerator or freezer for a future sick day or Jewish holiday!