My secret chicken rice soup

I’ve made this soup for decades and it is so easy but so delicious.
Every single person that I’ve give it to has asked for the “secret” recipe.
People seriously rave over it.

Step one make your broth from a whole chicken, skin, bones, meat all of it. Buy the best chicken you can.
I like to do mine in a crock pot.

After the broth is done, I remove everything and strain the liquid and bring it to a simmer in a large pot. I then add salt (it is important to add enough salt) finely chopped carrots and celery, crushed garlic.
We use a lot of garlic. Shread the chicken meat and add back to the broth.
Cook until the carrots are tender.
Serve in bowl and add fresh steamed short grained white rice. Finish with Sesame oil and black pepper.
It must have sesame oil!

It sounds very simple but I am telling you I’ve been told this is the best soup people have ever tasted.
I think so many people use pre made broth or chicken seasonings that they don’t realize how amazing real chicken is.
I think some soups have way too many ingredients too, the flavors are all mixed, sometimes it’s simplicity that is most delicious!

I have made huge vats of this for guests and there will be none left over. When ever I hear chicken soup for the soul, this is the soup I think of!

The base to many a good soup is the broth. If you aren't making your own stock, then you aren't making the best soup, no matter what it is.

Additionally, simmer those bad boys until the bones are starting to break down so that you get the collagen into your stock. It takes time to do or an instant pot or pressure cooker, but it's so good.

I will say that it one definite plus to the work at home routine. I do have time to put our copper bottom stock pot on with either poultry or beef and let it simmer for a couple days or so to make stock.

originally posted by: ketsuko
The base to many a good soup is the broth. If you aren't making your own stock, then you aren't making the best soup, no matter what it is.

Additionally, simmer those bad boys until the bones are starting to break down so that you get the collagen into your stock. It takes time to do or an instant pot or pressure cooker, but it's so good.

I will say that it one definite plus to the work at home routine. I do have time to put our copper bottom stock pot on with either poultry or beef and let it simmer for a couple days or so to make stock.

It is, it’s the stock. It’s is so subtle but it makes the world of difference.
For some dishes I cool the broth/stock and remove the fat, for this dish I leave it in.

I think there is a place for some strong herbs/spices, but sometimes a “clean” simple taste is a lot more powerful.
For me it’s the same with steak, I like steak with just salt and pepper. I don’t want all kinds of other flavors on it.

a reply to: JAGStorm

Soup is outstanding. Soul reaffirming

My obnoxious 2 cents.

Soup looks great. But the chicken meat can’t have any nutrients left after you made broth from it. It is bland yes?

Start with two chickens, one for stock (not broth) and one for the soup. The chicken for the soup you can prepare any way you want but save the bones for the next time you make the dish. You only need to buy 2 chickens once. You can save the wing tips as well to fortify the stock.

I changed your recipe. I will leave now

Making lots of chicken soups lately since whole chickens are cheap.

I use a lot of mexican spices onions and jalapenos, and started adding handfuls of corn chips for body and for the salt element, little sour cream at the end.

The sesame oil I haven't really tried with chicken soup yet, but it sounds tasty, I make a korean soup called yook kai jang that uses lots of sesame oil along with nappa, fiddlehead ferns, green onions and shredded flank steak. The oil you infuse with chili flakes so its HOT sesame oil that you have to continue to stir while eating or you get it in your sinuses, but it's their cold cure since it flushes you out very well.

Cold weather cooking time, cheers folks!

a reply to: TheAlleghenyGentleman
I haven't found mine to be bland.

I put 2 whole chickens in the pressure cooker, along with all the seasonings, celery, onions, ect....

Usually about an hour and 1/2, and all the meat is off the bone, and you have a great stock, which sometimes I will simmer a little longer, after I get the chicken meat out, and break a few bones.

Makes the best homemade chicken soup.

Some of the best stock we get every year is made using our Christmas and Thanksgiving turkey carcasses. We generally also get a smoked roasted chicken from the grocery store and use one turkey carcass and one chicken carcass, all the giblets and neck, wing tips (and we get chicken wings a lot, so we keep lemon pepper chicken wing tips and add those). We add the vegetables that we roast underneath the turkey as it roasts, so they've been roasted with turkey drippings. We add the leftover fresh herbs from the turkey seasoning. We might also slip in two or three extra chicken livers too.

We season and let it all simmer for a day or three, until the bones are softish.

a reply to: JAGStorm



Your not kidding!!! I also get raves from my soup almost identical to yours, but I add a good amount of turmeric for color and a slight taste and when adding to your bowl a sprinkle of cilantro a little red cayenne and a squirt of lime or lemon My family loves it. Yum.

originally posted by: starlitestarbrite
a reply to: JAGStorm



Your not kidding!!! I also get raves from my soup almost identical to yours, but I add a good amount of turmeric for color and a slight taste and when adding to your bowl a sprinkle of cilantro a little red cayenne and a squirt of lime or lemon My family loves it. Yum.

I’m trying to incorporate more turmeric to my diet so that’s a great tip!

We all ATS members love soups because we all are old farts. Let's face it.

Less work chewing and prevents constipation.

a reply to: Trueman

Honestly? I like them because we can make a pot on Sunday and they generally reheat and store really well all week long for leftovers. Plus, the flavors just tend to meld and get better over time.

originally posted by: Trueman
We all ATS members love soups because we all are old farts. Let's face it.

Less work chewing and prevents constipation.

Most of the people that went nuts over my soup were in their 20’s.
I do like how easy, how warming, and how it is healthy but actually tastes good.

originally posted by: ketsuko
Some of the best stock we get every year is made using our Christmas and Thanksgiving turkey carcasses. We generally also get a smoked roasted chicken from the grocery store and use one turkey carcass and one chicken carcass, all the giblets and neck, wing tips (and we get chicken wings a lot, so we keep lemon pepper chicken wing tips and add those). We add the vegetables that we roast underneath the turkey as it roasts, so they've been roasted with turkey drippings. We add the leftover fresh herbs from the turkey seasoning. We might also slip in two or three extra chicken livers too.

We season and let it all simmer for a day or three, until the bones are softish.

I don’t know why but I just don’t like turkey soup. There is an undertone of gameyness or something. It always bums me out because I don’t like to waste the good bones. I just prefer the taste of chicken.