Hearty Chicken Soup

Read Reviews (27)

"This soup contains a few different textures and flavors that complement each other nicely. Serve with warm crusty bread!" — Jeannine Almeida

Directions

Clean chicken thoroughly in fresh, cold running water and remove giblets. Remove as much excess skin from bird as possible and discard. With the force of your hands, add pressure to the back bone of the chicken to crush the bones. If you crack the legs at the joints it will release the cartilage which will add more flavor to the soup. Place crushed chicken and giblets into a large stock pot.
Using a food processor, grate 2 carrots, 1 onion, and all of the celery. Add to stock pot and cover chicken with water. Place the remaining carrots and onions that were not grated, bouillon cubes and red bell pepper into the pot. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes and then simmer for one hour.
Add barley and continue to cook for another hour.
Remove from heat and carefully remove the chicken and giblets from the pot; placing them into a large, clean shallow bowl. Pull the meat from the chicken and dice. Return chicken meat to pot and add sweet corn. Can be served immediately or refrigerated or frozen for later use.

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Reviews More Reviews

Most Helpful Positive Review

Feb 13, 2005

This is a great chicken soup. I made it for my husband who is sick with a cold and it really hit the spot. I used only one onion but next time will try two as the recipe says. And I added salt and pepper and a little bit of italian seasoning. Also, I used chicken thighs since they were cheaper than a whole chicken and we like dark meat better anyway.My husband really raved about how good this was. Definitely a hearty chicken soup and a keeper!!

—HOLLYHOLLY

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Most Helpful Critical Review

Aug 27, 2006

This soup is definitely hearty; lots of vegetables and chicken but very bland. It is a good basic soup that can take many different directions depending on the blend of seasoning/spices added. By itself, it's just so-so.

—RETDITTO

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34 Ratings

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Oct 18, 2006

This is a great recipe and a fantastic fall meal! I changed a few ingredients, based on what I had in my cupboards and fridge. I used an orange bell pepper (instead of red); I added a cup of shredded spinach just before serving (extra ingredient---it wilts by the time people begin to eat it); I used about 5 frozen chicken tenders (instead of a whole chicken); I used fresh corn kearnels from one ear of corn (instead of canned or frozen corn).

—quickcooker

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Jun 10, 2006

This soup should not be eaten until it has been refrigerated overnight. The first day it was so/so, but the second day it was a wonderful, original blend of flavors.

—Princetonbound

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Nov 15, 2008

This is a Great Chicken Soup.I just changed a couple things.I added 2 cloves of Garlic and Salt and Pepper. Instead of the Barley I used 3/4 cup of orzo. I also used a 3-4 lb Chicken and simmered for 2 hours instead of 1 hour before pulling the Chicken apart and then simmer again for 30 minutes before adding the orzo. Doing this gives you more than 3 hours of cook time and makes this an Amazing soup no matter when you eat it.

—Midnight Cookin

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Feb 16, 2006

This is a great simple recipe for chicken soup. I find that poking an onion with whole cloves and adding it to the soup adds great flavour. Also, if you allow the broth to cool and refrigerate overnight, the next morning you'll be able to skim off any fat that has congealed on the surface and you're left with a great fat-free soup.

—BZMOM

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Oct 06, 2007

My family loved the soup. I just added a few extra ingredients--I added a head of garlic (chopped) and some cayenne pepper for a little kick. My 9-year-old liked it so much, he asked me if I could rate it above 5 stars.

—lykrauze

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Jun 23, 2008

Amazing soup - flavor was wonderful. Just what I was looking for. I followed the recipe exactly except that I grated all my carrots. The red bell pepper really added a nice flavour to the soup. thanks for sharing!

—Jodi

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Nutrition

Calories
419 kcal
21%

Carbohydrates
40.5 g
13%

Cholesterol
83 mg
28%

Fat
14.9 g
23%

Fiber
8 g
32%

Protein
32.4 g
65%

Sodium
720 mg
29%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

Hearty Chicken Soup

Serving Size: 1/6 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 6
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 419
Calories from Fat: 134

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 14.9g 23 %
Saturated Fat 4g 20 %
Cholesterol 83mg 28 %
Sodium 720mg 29 %
Potassium 691mg 19 %
Total Carbohydrates 40.5g 13 %
Dietary Fiber 8g 32 %
Protein 32.4g 65 %
Sugars 7.4g
Vitamin A 188 %
Vitamin C 54 %
Calcium 8 %
Iron 30 %
Thiamin 31 %
Niacin 110 %
Vitamin B6 34 %
Magnesium 27 %
Folate 41 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.