10 New Chicken Soup Recipes to Make in February (2024)

FAQs

How to add extra flavor to chicken soup? ›

Add noodles or rice, veggies (carrots, celery, onion, spinach, kale, garlic, broccoli, etc), chicken chunks or pulled chicken, and throw a cinnamon stick in there. Maybe some lemon juice and fresh herbs (parsley, thyme, rosemary, etc) and you've got a super flavorful soup with a little hint of spice.

To make a delicious bowl of soup, consider using a flavorful broth, such as chicken or vegetable, along with a variety of fresh vegetables like carrots, celery, and onions. Add proteins like diced chicken or tofu, and season with herbs like thyme and parsley. Don't forget salt and pepper for balance.

"If your broth is lacking in savory richness, try adding roasted onion, tomato paste, mushrooms, seaweed, soy sauce, or miso. These ingredients add umami flavor and depth to broth," she says. The choice of ingredient depends on the recipe, though.

A splash of vinegar or wine can add depth and complexity to the flavors of your chicken noodle soup. Try adding a small amount of apple cider vinegar or a dry white wine for a delightful tangy note. Just remember to add it gradually, tasting as you go, to avoid overpowering the soup.

It may sound a bit strange and unusual for some, but vinegar is a common ingredient in some soup recipes, and there is a good reason for it. If you think about it, vinegar is really a flavor-enhancer (umami). That's why it is so often used in cooking, sauces, and salad dressings. The same is true with soups.

"Soups and stews really need to simmer for long periods to allow the ingredients to meld together. Taking that a step further, most soups and stews are better if you prepare them the day before serving. Allowing them to cool and then reheating them really helps bring out the flavors and textures."

For clear, brothy soups, stock is your most important ingredient. If you want to make a good soup, you need to use an excellently flavored stock — otherwise, the entire pot could be tasteless.

To season it, we recommend starting with our Vegetable Soup Mix. It contains celery salt, parsley flakes, garlic powder, sea salt, summer savory, marjoram, thyme, black pepper, turmeric and sage, which are all excellent with root vegetables, so you can incorporate things like carrots or potatoes into the soup.

What to add to chicken broth for flavor? ›

Woody herbs like rosemary, thyme, oregano, sage, tarragon, and marjoram release tons of flavor as they slowly simmer in stock. Give them a rinse and toss in a big handful of sprigs per quart of store-bought stock.

Add flour or cornflour

Put a tablespoon of either into a small bowl and stir in 2-3 tbsp of the soup until you have a smooth mixture. Stir this back into the soup and bring it to a simmer. Cook for a few minutes to allow the starch granules to burst to thicken, and to cook out any flour flavour.

Cold-poaching the chicken breasts, then removing them until the end of the cooking process, guarantees a perfectly tender and juicy texture. Using stock reinforces the flavor of the broth, creating a more deeply flavorful soup.

Bay leaves don't hit you over the head with intense aromatic flavor presence, but if they're included in a slow simmering soup, stew, or braise, they do add a subtle flavor layer that's going to lend a little more depth to whatever you're cooking."

Simmer with fresh herbs.

Bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, sage, lemongrass, and lime leaves are simple upgrades to store-bought stock. Also consider saving herb stems for quickly simmering in soup broth instead of using whole herbs.

Add a touch of spice to your chicken breast by combining paprika, cinnamon, turmeric, cumin, ginger, garlic and olive oil to create a paste. Then cover your chicken breast with the paste and pat down to secure.

Cayenne – For a deeper spice and heat. Cayenne can be used along with or in place of black or white pepper. Smoked Paprika – A great spice for adding an earthy, smoky flavor without a lot of heat to your soups and stews. Cinnamon – Yes, cinnamon.

Just because the chicken is already cooked doesn't mean it can't benefit from a rub. Before reheating, make a custom blend of your favorite spices like paprika, cayenne, onion or garlic powder. Mix in dried herbs or a bit of sugar for beautiful caramelization, then sprinkle it evenly over the skin.