I love this good old fashioned chicken soup recipe! Why? Because it’s a family recipe and that means it’s comforting and delicious!!
One of my favorite things growing up was my mom’s old fashioned chicken soup. I feel like she made it every week, but I’m probably wrong about that.
Family Oddities
Looking back now, I don’t think my folks had a lot of money when we were kids.
At the time, of course, I didn’t know the state of our finances. What kid does? And I never in a million years would have thought we were poor. We always had food on our table, we went to New Hampshire for vacations and my parents always owned a summer home.
So, if I always thought we had money then, what makes me think my parents weren’t so well off when I look back today?
The fact that, when my mom made chicken soup, she made chicken soup mostly out of . . . drum(stick) roll please . . .
Chicken necks.
That was normal for us.
Doesn’t that sound, well, “thrifty” to you?
But besides chicken necks, we also had a lot of other (cheap) meats, cuts of meat, or organ meats that most people in my hometown – or anywhere for that matter – didn’t/wouldn’t eat. In fact, I now think that a lot of what we ate back then would probably be called poor man’s meat.
What taught me to keep my mouth shut about it, though, was seeing the looks of horror on friends’ faces when I divulged what we ate.
My Dad grew up during the Depression, so I think that had a big impact on how my parents spent (and saved) their money.
What did your family make your chicken soup with?
I bet it wasn’t chicken necks! Am I right?
So Much Work For So Little Return
Do you realize how many chicken necks you have to eat to feel satisfied?
A lot.
I felt like a little cannibal gnawing on the necks and sucking out the meat.
I pretty much never eat chicken necks now.
And I like that about me. Do you like that about me?
Were your folks super thrifty about food? Or anything else?
On to the Good Old Fashioned Chicken Soup Recipe
Above, we have a nicely wrapped, organic whole chicken, lots of carrots, a stalk of celery, an onion and some organic chicken broth.
Let’s get started.
I unwrap the chicken, wash it and place it into my stockpot! I also add 4 cups of chicken broth and 2 cups of water. Then I turn the heat up under the pot as I cut up the vegetables.
I chop the onions and carrots in chunks and the celery into slices. Finally, I plop them in the stockpot with the chicken and broth.
Next, I add a bay leaf, 2 tablespoons each of basil, parsley and tarragon along with 1 teaspoon of salt and a few shakes of pepper.
I set the heat to high and after the soup comes to a boil, I lower it to a simmer and let the whole thing cook for 1 1/2 hours. Fifteen minutes before the 1 1/2 hours are up, I add 1 cup of orzo pasta to my soup and stir it every few minutes.
Done
I fish the chicken out of the pan and proceed to take the meat off the bones, adding it back to the soup. Guess what? There isn’t a neck with this chicken, so I don’t have to glare at it. Or touch it. Or eat it. Yay!
I make a salad, take out a crusty roll and some butter and then ladle some old fashioned chicken soup into a couple of crocks!
Time to eat!! Let’s see a close up!
Delish!
I hope you enjoy this old fashioned chicken soup recipe! It’s comforting and delicious!
Please feel free to leave me a comment to tell me what kind of meat either you had to eat that no one else liked AND what kind of chicken your family made chicken soup with.
You can also Pin any photo to Pinterest and Yum the recipe to Yummly.
And as always, may all your dishes be delish!
- 2 - 3 pounds whole organic chicken washed
- 1 pound carrots cut in chunks
- 1 large onion cut in chunks
- 1 stalk celery cut in slices
- 32 ounces chicken broth organic, I use Trader Joe's brand
- 2 cups water
- Bay leaf
- 2 tablespoons basil
- 2 tablespoons parsley
- 2 tablespoons tarragon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup orzo pasta
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Place chicken in stockpot
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Pour chicken broth and water in pot, turn heat on high and bring liquid to boil
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Lower to a simmer and add carrots, onion and celery
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Add bay leaf, basil, parsley, tarragon, salt and pepper
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Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, add orzo and stir. Cook for 15 minutes
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Take chicken out of pot and remove meat from bones
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Return meat to pot and stir
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Ladle chicken soup in some bowls or crocks
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Eat
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Dip bread
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Enjoy
I think we were poor too – because my Mom did the same frugal stuff. Being a kid, I was oblivious – it was just the way things were. This chicken soup will be making an appearance on our table this week for sure! Cold weather is a’ comin’!
It’s funny how we are oblivious! It’s been freezing cold up here in Boston and has been for a few weeks. I’m looking forward to Wednesday when it goes up to a balmy 28 degrees F. 🙂
There is really nothing better than chicken soup made right!
I totally agree Suzy! Thanks!
Yes that does sound thrifty! I’m not sure I’ve eaten the neck. I’m a bit squeamish about raw chicken though – probably not the best thing since I’m a food blogger too. I usually take the easy way out when I make chicken soup and use an already cooked rotisserie chicken and store-bought chicken broth. I need to try this recipe next time.
Jill, I get the squeamishness, I feel it too but I just pretend it’s a fake chicken and I’m good. Thanks for your comment!
I’m not sure I could eat chicken necks – anything that reminds me it used to be a living creature running around and I can’t lol. But your soup however… I would devour easily!!
Thanks so much Marie – and I totally agree!!
You can’t beat a family recipe, this one for chicken soup looks perfect!
Indeed you can’t Amy!! Thank you!
Sometimes you just can’t beat a classic! This looks so good- perfect for the Arctic temps that are absolutely crushing me right now. Definitely need to try!
Thanks Karly! I agree, and it’s frigid here too!
Yum with Tarragon flavored. It’s such an underrated herb and it does go well with chicken and bay leaf. I hadn’t actually thought of using tarragon that way, what a wonderful soup idea Elaine!
Thanks Helene! I almost always put tarragon with my chicken. Thankfully hubby loves it too!
YUM…this is mouthwatering-looking and I love the organic bent on the recipe. Nice job!
Thanks Paige, I appreciate it!
I’ve never made chicken soup, but I do love it. My mom used chicken necks when she made soup when I was a kid, but we never ate the necks. I love that you make the soup with the whole chicken, and then pull it apart at the end. I never would have thought to do that. Pinning this to make very soon
Thank you Karyl! Yay! Or not so yay that your mom made it with the necks too. You’re the first person I’ve heard that from. At least you didn’t have to eat the necks 😉
Spices for the win!! I love homemade chicken soup and this recipe sounds and looks just delightful! I love the seasoning and orzo pasta here. NOM.
Thanks so much Dominique! I love how orzo puffs up the day after!! I almost prefer leftover soup to fresh. Weird, I know.
I will use chicken necks for stock and soup ALL DAY LONG!
Haha, Ben. And I will watch you as I eat my whole chicken stock 🙂
That’s a delicious looking soup! I liked the way you narrated the whole story.
Thanks Prasanna!
Everyone needs a good, classic chicken soup recipe in their arsenal! It’s been so bitter cold and snowy here, this looks like the perfect way to warm up.
Thanks Julie!! Yes, freezing weather here too! I made my second pot of soup in 2 weeks.
There is nothing better than a scratch-made chicken soup – This reminds me of the one my Grandma made when we were young. It made the whole house smell amazing!
It really does Christine!
Nothing like a good hearty soup in the winter time! Those bowls! Soooo cute! I love hand thrown pottery.
Thanks Kate!! They are thrift store finds!
Good chicken noodle soup always brings my family together around the table! It’s all about good vibes and friendly atmosphere, and of course the delicious taste of soup.
Thanks so much for your comment, Tatiana! I so agree!
nothing goes wrong with good warm and delicious soup in these freeze days. İt’s most scrumptious looking soup İ’ve seen this week. YUM!
Thank you Citra!
Perfect, soul-soothing comfort food, just the way I like it! There’s only one thing I want when I’m sick, and this looks an awful lot like it. 🙂
Thanks Erica! It is so nice when one is under the weather!
I haven’t made a good chicken soup in months. Your version looks so good. I use a lot of bay leaf in my cooking as well. I think its a staple in my cooking
Thanks Aish!
This looks like the perfect bowl of comforting soup! You’re right – something about family recipes always sets them apart. I especially love the addition of tarragon here!
Thanks Monica!!
My family was relatively thrifty in my formative years. We often shopped and sold our old clothes at second hand stores and even went so far as to hike out into the wildness and pick fresh berries for jams and other preserves, but I don’t remember any chicken neck soup. That sounds both thrifty and like quite the labor-intensive eating experience!
Hehe, Claire. Indeed it was. I love when people tell me their stories as you did. Thank you.
Love the silky smooth texture of this broth. Super comfort food. And satisfying.