Welcome to the ultimate guide for crafting the most comforting bowl of Homemade Chicken Soup with Matzo Balls, often lovingly referred to as Jewish Penicillin. Whether you’re battling a persistent cold or flu, seeking solace on a chilly evening, or simply craving the deep, nourishing flavors of a classic, this recipe promises to hit just the right spot. It’s more than just a meal; it’s a hug in a bowl, a timeless remedy, and a culinary tradition cherished across generations.
There’s something inherently restorative about a steaming bowl of chicken soup. Beyond its legendary status as a cold and flu fighter, its rich broth, tender chicken, and medley of vegetables provide a profound sense of warmth and well-being. This particular recipe stands out as the best chicken soup recipe you’ll ever encounter, designed to not only delight your taste buds but also potentially alleviate congestion and other symptoms of seasonal ailments. Prepare to elevate your comfort food game to an entirely new level.
Why You Must Make This Ultimate Homemade Chicken Soup
This isn’t just any chicken soup; it’s a revelation. This recipe transforms simple ingredients into an extraordinary elixir that genuinely earns its title as the ultimate Jewish Penicillin. From the very first spoonful, you’ll understand why so many rave about its superior flavor and soothing qualities. Here’s why this recipe deserves a permanent spot in your culinary repertoire:
- Unrivaled Flavor Profile: Forget any preconceived notions about traditional ingredients. While I once hesitated with parsnips and considered dill a less-than-favorite herb, both play a crucial role here. They don’t just add flavor; they weave intricate layers of sweetness, earthiness, and a subtle freshness that elevate this chicken vegetable soup beyond compare. The unique combination creates a depth that’s both complex and incredibly comforting.
- A Touch of Nostalgia and Tradition: For many, chicken soup is steeped in childhood memories. Surprisingly, growing up in a Catholic family, my sisters and I adored homemade matzo ball soup. This cherished recipe, I imagine, originated from our wonderful Jewish neighbors, Hanna. My mother, an avid collector of recipes from friends of all backgrounds, alongside culinary legends like Julia Child and her treasured New York Times Cookbook, ensured our family enjoyed a diverse culinary experience. This soup brings those warm, familial memories flooding back with every spoonful.
- Versatility for Every Craving: While the classic preparation calls for fluffy matzo balls, this incredibly flavorful chicken stock is wonderfully adaptable. In the past, I’ve incorporated small, rice-shaped pasta like orzo, creating a delightful homemade chicken noodle soup. Any noodle or dumpling would be equally fantastic, allowing you to customize your bowl to perfectly suit your mood or dietary preference.
- The Quintessential Comfort Food: Whether you’re feeling under the weather, facing a long winter’s day, or simply seeking a dish to warm you to the core on a chilly evening, this Jewish chicken soup delivers unparalleled comfort. Its rich, aromatic broth acts as a balm for the soul, making it the perfect remedy for body and spirit.
- A Trusted Recipe, Proven by Many: I’ve proudly shared this recipe with countless friends, and the unanimous verdict is always the same: it’s the best chicken soup recipe they’ve ever tasted. Their enthusiastic endorsements speak volumes about its consistent ability to impress and satisfy.
How to Make The Best Homemade Chicken Soup From Scratch
Crafting this incredible Homemade Chicken Soup AKA Jewish Penicillin is a labor of love, but the process is straightforward and incredibly rewarding. The secret to its unparalleled depth of flavor lies in using the right ingredients and allowing ample time for the flavors to meld beautifully. Here’s a detailed breakdown of how to achieve chicken soup perfection:
- Start with the Right Chicken: The foundation of any great chicken soup is, of course, the chicken. For an unequivocally rich and deeply flavorful broth, you must start with a whole chicken or a selection of bone-in chicken pieces. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts simply won’t yield the same robust results, as the bones are crucial for extracting collagen and minerals that contribute to the broth’s body and taste. Ensure you include both dark meat (like thighs and drumsticks) and white meat (like breasts and wings), as dark meat imparts a richer flavor. Place your chosen chicken in a large stockpot and cover it generously with cold water.
- Add a Symphony of Vegetables and Aromatics: This soup truly shines with a bounty of vegetables. Large chunks of onions, celery, carrots, parsnips, and even zucchini are added to the pot alongside peeled whole garlic cloves, a fresh bunch of Italian parsley, and a generous bunch of dill. These aromatics and vegetables are key to building complex flavors during the long simmering process.
- The Art of Simmering: Once all ingredients are in the pot and covered with water (just an inch or so above the vegetables), bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then immediately reduce the heat to a low simmer. The long cooking time, ideally around 3 hours, is essential. This allows the liquid to slowly reduce via evaporation, concentrating the flavors while more and more delicious compounds are extracted from the chicken, bones, and vegetables.
- Skimming for Clarity: As the soup simmers, you’ll notice foam rising to the surface. This foam consists of impurities and proteins that, if left in the pot, can make your broth cloudy. Make sure to occasionally skim this foam off with a ladle or fine-mesh sieve to ensure a clear, golden broth.
- Seasoning to Perfection: Begin by adding about a tablespoon of kosher salt. Remember, you’re seasoning a large volume of liquid, so it will require a fair amount. After about an hour or so of simmering, taste the broth and adjust the seasoning as needed. Pro-Tip: You can always add more salt, but you can’t take it away! Be cautious and taste frequently.
- Post-Simmering Refinement: After patiently simmering for 3 hours, your kitchen will be filled with an incredibly fragrant aroma. Carefully remove the chicken and vegetables from the broth. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any small particles, ensuring a perfectly clear soup. Shred the cooked chicken meat from the bones and cut some of the softened carrots into bite-sized pieces. Add the shredded chicken and carrots back to the broth. For added freshness and texture, I also like to slice up some raw celery and add it towards the end of the cooking time, allowing it to soften slightly but retain a bit of crispness.
- Matzo Balls or Pasta? Your Choice!: Loading this soup up with tender matzo balls makes for a most gratifying and traditional meal. However, if you prefer, a small pasta like orzo or even egg noodles makes a delightful alternative, transforming it into a hearty chicken noodle soup. When using small pasta, you can often cook it directly in the soup pot. But for matzo balls, I highly recommend cooking them separately in salted water or even a box of chicken broth. This prevents them from absorbing too much of your precious, flavorful soup, keeping your broth perfectly concentrated.
Health Benefits of Homemade Chicken Soup: The Original Jewish Penicillin
The legendary status of chicken soup as a remedy for illness isn’t just folklore; there are legitimate scientific reasons why it’s so highly recommended when you’re feeling under the weather. Often referred to as “Jewish Penicillin,” this comforting dish truly offers a surprising array of health benefits:
- Hydration and Congestion Relief: One of the most immediate benefits is the fluid content. Staying hydrated is crucial when you’re sick, and the liquid in chicken soup helps thin mucus, making it easier to reduce congestion in your nasal passages and chest. While this benefit isn’t exclusive to chicken soup, it’s a delicious way to get those vital fluids.
- Soothing Steam for Airways: The steam rising from a hot bowl of chicken soup provides immediate relief for sore throats and congested nasal passages. Inhaling the warm vapor can help open airways, making breathing easier and providing a comforting sensation to inflamed tissues.
- Anti-Inflammatory Properties: A notable 2000 study by The American College of Chest Physicians indicated that chicken soup can indeed help reduce upper respiratory inflammation. While it doesn’t kill the viruses causing the illness, it works by inhibiting the movement of neutrophils (a type of white blood cell) to the inflamed areas. This action can help prevent further congestion and alleviate uncomfortable symptoms.
- The “TLC Factor” and Placebo Effect: Beyond the physiological benefits, there’s a powerful psychological component. As highlighted in a Huffington Post article, the act of someone caring enough to provide comfort through a warm bowl of soup can profoundly impact how quickly you feel better. This isn’t merely a placebo effect; it’s the genuine emotional uplift that comes from nurturing and feeling cared for, which can significantly aid in recovery.
- A Rich Cultural Heritage: The moniker “Jewish Penicillin” is deeply rooted in tradition. Chicken soup is a staple in Ashkenazi Jewish culture, not only as a comforting food but also as a traditional component of significant meals like Passover. Its efficacy and beloved status have earned it this affectionate, and well-deserved, nickname.
Frequently Asked Questions About Homemade Chicken Soup
Matzo Balls are traditional Ashkenazi Jewish dumplings. They are typically crafted from matzo meal (finely ground unleavened bread), eggs, a fat (such as schmaltz or vegetable oil), water or chicken broth, and a pinch of salt. These light, fluffy, or sometimes dense, dumplings are almost always served floating in homemade chicken soup and are a beloved dish, especially during Passover. For an extra touch of color and fresh flavor, I often add minced fresh parsley to my matzo balls, though I occasionally forget this step!
If matzo balls aren’t your preference, or you simply want to change things up, adding small pasta like orzo or even rice to your chicken soup is also incredibly delicious and transforms it into a hearty chicken noodle soup!
If your chicken soup tastes bland, the most common culprit is usually insufficient salt. It’s incredibly important to taste the broth throughout the cooking process and adjust the seasonings as needed. Remember the golden rule: you can always add more salt, but you cannot remove any excess, so start conservatively and build up.
Beyond salt, consider these ingredients to deepen the flavor profile: fresh herbs like additional parsley or dill, bay leaves, whole black peppercorns, a few extra garlic cloves, or even a splash of lemon juice at the end for brightness. For a richer, more concentrated broth, using more chicken bones (like backs or necks) or even roasting the chicken bones before simmering can add an incredible depth. Don’t shy away from “unusual” vegetables like parsnips – their subtle sweetness adds a wonderful dimension!
Note: For food safety, always ensure the chicken has simmered for at least an hour before tasting the broth to avoid any chance of foodborne illness.
More Comforting Chicken Soups You’ll Love
Chicken is an incredibly versatile ingredient, and I always ensure I have a generous stash in my freezer. Its adaptability means the culinary possibilities are truly endless, especially when it comes to soups! Beyond this classic Homemade Chicken Soup, explore a world of flavors with these other fantastic chicken soup recipes:
- For a spicy kick, try this comforting Chicken Jambalaya Soup.
- If you’re a fan of rich, creamy textures, this hearty White Chicken Chili is a must-try.
- I also absolutely adore this rustic Chicken Wild Rice Soup for its earthy notes.
- And for something truly indulgent, how about this rich Creamy Chicken Soup?
- Venture into French cuisine with this intriguing Côte d’Azur Cure-All-Soup, packed with garlic and chicken broth, rumored to even cure hangovers – it just might possess similar restorative powers to our Jewish chicken soup!
- For vibrant flavors, this Verde Chicken Soup and an aromatic Asian Chicken Soup have also recently caught my eye.
- And if you have a pressure cooker, making your own Instant Pot Chicken Stock is unbelievably good and forms the perfect base for any of these recipes!
Don’t forget to explore all my Best Soup Recipes for even more delicious inspiration.
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Homemade Chicken Soup: Jewish Penicillin
20 minutes
3 hours
3 hours 20 minutes
8 servings
Experience the ultimate comfort with the BEST homemade chicken soup recipe you’ll ever make. This deeply nourishing “Jewish Penicillin” is perfect for fighting off colds, warming up on chilly days, or simply enjoying an incredibly flavorful meal. My friends can attest to its amazing taste!
Ingredients
- 3-5 pound whole chicken (or an equivalent amount of bone-in chicken parts, such as thighs, drumsticks, and wings)
- 2 large onions, peeled and halved
- 5 stalks of celery, with leaves, cut into large halves
- 1 pound carrots, peeled and ends removed, cut into large chunks
- 1 medium parsnip, peeled
- 1 or 2 small zucchini, each cut into 3-4 substantial chunks
- 3 whole cloves of garlic, peeled
- 1 large bunch of fresh Italian parsley
- 1 large bunch of fresh dill
- Kosher salt to taste (start with a scant 1 tablespoon; taste after an hour or two and re-season if necessary)
- Orzo or other small pasta, or homemade matzo balls, for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the Base: Place the whole chicken (or bone-in chicken parts) in a large stockpot. Add the prepared onions, celery, carrots, parsnip, zucchini, and garlic. Cover all ingredients with cold water, ensuring there’s just about an inch of water covering the top of the vegetables.
- Simmer and Season: Bring the pot to a gentle boil, then immediately reduce the heat to a low simmer. As it begins to simmer, skim off any foam that rises to the surface. Add the initial measure of kosher salt. Gently lay the bunches of fresh Italian parsley and dill on top of the simmering soup. Place the lid on the pot, leaving it slightly ajar to allow steam to escape. Continue simmering for 3 more hours, periodically skimming any additional foam.
- Finish and Serve: Carefully remove the cooked chicken and vegetables from the broth. Strain the rich broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot or large bowl to remove any solids. Once cooled enough to handle, remove the chicken meat from the bones and shred it into bite-sized pieces. Slice some of the cooked carrots into smaller, edible pieces and add them back to the strained broth along with the shredded chicken. Add separately cooked orzo, another small pasta, or homemade matzo balls (see notes for cooking matzo balls). Garnish individual servings with fresh parsley or dill, if desired, and serve hot.
Notes
To prevent pasta or matzo balls from absorbing too much of your flavorful chicken soup and making it cloudy or thick, it’s best to cook them separately in salted water or a plain boxed chicken broth. Add them to individual bowls of soup just before serving.
This recipe is adapted from How to Cook a Wolf Blog, with personal enhancements for optimal flavor and comfort.
Nutrition Information (estimated per serving):
Yield:
8
Serving Size:
1 bowl (approx. 1.5 cups)
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 749Total Fat: 38gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 23gCholesterol: 266mgSodium: 333mgCarbohydrates: 27gFiber: 4gSugar: 6gProtein: 72g
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Our beloved Lambeau, ever curious, checking out this Homemade Chicken Soup in November 2010 when this recipe was first shared. Photos and text were lovingly updated in 2020 to bring you the most detailed and delightful experience.