Chicken soup 101
by Adam Ragusea
This is a flexible approach to making chicken soup that emphasises quality ingredients and technique rather than rigid measurements. Start with a whole chicken simmered until tender, then add your choice of vegetables, grains, and spices. The key is understanding the principles—how vegetables shrink during cooking, how grains expand, and how to build layers of flavour. Adapted here for slow cooker cooking, this method produces deeply flavoured, warming soup with minimal hands-on time
Watch: Chicken soup 101
Original recipe video — click to play
Original method: 1.5–2.5 hours on hob
Ingredients
Main
- 1 ½ kg whole chicken, whole
Include giblets if available
- 2 litres water or chicken stock
Reduce quantity for slow cooker to avoid excess liquid
Vegetables
- 750 g mixed vegetables (onion, carrot, celery), roughly chopped into chunks slightly larger than desired final size
Use roughly equal weight to the chicken. Any vegetables work; onion is essential
Seasonings
- 2 pinches salt
Start conservatively; adjust to taste at the end
- ½ tsp turmeric(optional)
Optional; gives soup a lovely golden colour
- to taste spices of your choice(optional)
Black pepper, thyme, bay leaf, or any preferred seasonings
Optional additions
- 100 g dry noodles or rice(optional)
Add 45 minutes before end of cooking
Use less than you think—expands 2–3 times during cooking
Garnish
- 30 g fresh herbs (parsley, dill, or coriander), chopped(optional)
Add in final 15 minutes
- 1 whole lemon, cut into wedges(optional)
Squeeze to taste at the end
Method
- 1
Pat the whole chicken dry with kitchen paper. Heat a little oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken on all sides for 5–7 minutes to develop colour and flavour.
~10 minsTip: This step adds depth of flavour, especially important in the slow cooker method
- 2
Transfer the browned chicken to your slow cooker. Pour over the water or stock—it should come halfway up the chicken. Add any old aromatic vegetables (onion skins, carrot tops, celery trimmings) if you have them; these will be strained out later and aren't worth wasting good vegetables on.
~5 minsTip: Use approximately 2 litres (3.5 pints) rather than the full amount you might use on the hob
- 3
Cover and cook on Low for 5–6 hours or High for 2.5–3 hours, until the chicken is falling apart tender.
~5 hrsTip: Cooking time depends on the size of your chicken and your slow cooker model
- 4
Meanwhile, prepare your vegetables. Cut them into chunks slightly larger than your desired final size, as they will shrink during cooking.
~15 minsTip: This is a good time to prep while the chicken cooks
- 5
Once the chicken is tender, carefully remove it from the slow cooker and set aside to cool slightly. If desired, strain or fish out any inedible aromatics that were added at the start.
~5 minsTip: Leave the cooking liquid in the slow cooker
- 6
Pick all the meat from the cooled chicken using your fingers—this allows you to feel for any bones, cartilage, or unwanted bits. Discard the skin and bones; return the meat to the slow cooker.
~10 minsTip: Taking time with this step ensures a pleasant eating experience
- 7
Add all the prepared fresh vegetables to the slow cooker along with salt, turmeric, and any other spices you've chosen. Stir gently to combine.
~2 minsTip: Start with 2 pinches of salt; you can always add more later
- 8
Cover and cook on Low for 1.5–2 hours or High for 45 minutes–1 hour, until the vegetables are soft and tender.
~1 hr 30 minsTip: The vegetables will release liquid as they cook; you can always add more water if needed
- 9Optional step
If using dry noodles or rice, add them about 45 minutes before the vegetables will be done. Use less than you think you'll want—they expand significantly during cooking.
~2 minsTip: This timing prevents the grains from turning mushy
- 10
Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. In the final 15 minutes of cooking, stir in any fresh herbs if using.
~5 minsTip: Adding herbs at the end preserves their bright flavour
- 11
Serve hot, with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing to taste. Adjust the consistency with extra water if you prefer a brothier soup.
~5 mins
Nutrition
Detailed nutritional information is coming soon.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, absolutely. Chicken thighs and drumsticks work particularly well as they're more forgiving and stay moist. You'll need about 1.5 kg (3.3 lb) of mixed pieces. You can skip the browning step if you prefer, though it does add flavour. The cooking time on Low will be about 4–5 hours rather than 5–6
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