36 Chicken Soup Recipes That Will Warm You Right Up

Chicken soup has to be one of the most universally beloved dishes. Everyone has their own way of making it—but it always ends up comforting and delicious. The simple blend of a flavorful stock, veggies and poultry is the perfect thing to warm you up on a cold day. You've probably got a go-to recipe, but when you're looking to mix things up, try one of these instead. We've got options that come together fast in your Instant Pot, ones that rely on very few ingredients—and everything in between.

A good place to start? This shortcut version that skips the rigors of making stock from scratch by simply enriching store-bought chicken broth with aromatic vegetables and bones. It will help you cut down on cooking time when you want something warm and comforting for less work.

This soup packs the satisfying flavors of beloved chicken enchiladas into one big, comforting pot of soup. Chicken breasts simmer and flavor a broth that includes red enchilada sauce, then they’re shredded and added back for hearty texture. Since no enchilada is complete without creamy cheese, we used two: Cheddar and cream cheese. While everything is simmering together, we fry up strips of corn tortillas to make the perfect crunchy topper for this cozy weeknight meal.

Ree Drummond’s Italian Chicken Soup is a hearty, comforting bowl packed with tender chicken, pasta and vibrant vegetables simmered in a flavorful tomato broth. It's a cozy classic with a tasty Italian twist.

Although this soup is made with just five ingredients, the cooking technique packs the soup with flavor. You start by poaching bone-in chicken thighs in chicken broth, which amps up the flavor of the broth and leaves you with meat so tender, it practically falls off the bone. A swirl of pesto at the end delivers a cheesy, herby hit and turns the soup a vibrant green.

Ina Garten’s Mexican Chicken Soup is a zesty, comforting dish loaded with shredded chicken, vegetables and bold spices. It's a flavorful spin on classic chicken soup with a south-of-the-border kick.

If we had to choose just one chicken soup recipe this might be it: A rich and flavorful broth with the perfect touch of cream. Our tested recipe and expert tips show you how to turn the simplest ingredients into a blissful bowl.

An Instant Pot can handle a whole chicken, which is perfect for this comforting soup.

Time – not wasted gas or energy – is the workhorse behind this soup. Simply sauté a handful of flavorful ingredients, add stock, bring to a boil, slap on the lid and turn off the heat. Walk away and when you come back, open the pot to a soup that tastes like it took hours to prepare. While optional, the Parmesan rind melts into the soup and adds a rich umami flavor. Make sure the lid is on tight though, as the rice will cook more slowly if steam is escaping.

This quick and easy Instant Pot® soup gets its smoky flavor from a combination of ancho chili powder and canned chipotles in adobo, two Mexican pantry essentials. We call for just enough to add a mild spiciness to the broth, but you can add more if you want to turn up the heat. Put out the toppings on the table so everyone can customize their own bowl.

An easy way to give chicken soup a new spin? Swap your egg noodles for orzo pasta — and freshen everything up with lemon zest.

Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs to make this easy and flavorful soup. Fresh lime juice and plenty of fresh herbs help temper the heat of the curry.

Lemon and dill brighten up the savory flavors of this comforting soup.

Cozy up to a bowl of this easy chicken soup filled with fresh homemade egg noodles. The key is to make a quick 5-ingredient pasta dough and then simply grate it directly into store-bought chicken broth using a box grater. Rounded out with some veg and shredded rotisserie chicken, it’s a perfect freezer-friendly make-ahead weeknight dinner.

Ree takes chicien soup to the next level by serving it up with a creamy piece of burrata cheese and chunks of hearty, toasted sourdough bread.

This traditional kind of soup is more of a broth or tonic based not only on chicken but also on a variety of botanical ingredients broadly referred to as “herbs.” According to traditional Chinese medicine, each ingredient offers medicinal benefits, everything from boosting immunity to fighting inflammation to warding off common ailments like colds and flus. These beliefs are just one part of this philosophy of health and healing. But medicinal claims aside, each ingredient adds flavor and depth to this comforting, aromatic soup: Ginger provides warming flavor, ginseng and dried tangerine peel add lightly bitter notes, red dates and goji berries contribute different levels of sweetness and balance, and shiitake mushrooms provide umami. A luxurious black silkie chicken — a small chicken with distinctive black skin found at Asian butcher or grocery shops — adds deliciously concentrated chicken flavor, although you can also use a Cornish hen.

We chose to use chicken leg quarters rather than a whole chicken to make this well-loved soup. It shortens the cooking time without sacrificing any flavor, and the dark meat adds extra depth. Carrots, celery and onion are called for twice in the recipe — first they’re simmered whole along with the chicken and aromatics to create a rich and flavorful broth. After straining them out, sliced vegetables are added to the soup to finish it. Nothing is as simple, comforting and satisfying.

Homemade chicken stock makes this soup even more delicious. Make it ahead of time and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week —or freeze for up to 3 months.