Rustic Chicken Soup Recipe (2024)

There is nothing like the comforting and warming taste of old-fashioned Chicken or Vegetable Soup.

Especially when you are freezing cold or not feeling well!

However, this Rustic Chicken Soup is so delicious and filling that we make it any day of the year!

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So what makes this chicken soup so different than your classic Chicken Noodle soup?

First of all, there are no noodles in this recipe. As much as we hate to admit it, noodles aren’t the healthiest option for many of us.

Therefore, we chose a whole grain to make this soup just as filling as the classic version.

Instead of noodles, we use brown rice in this chicken soup recipe. Brown rice is a heart-healthy grain that can actually help reduce heart disease.

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However, if you are trying to eat a low-carb diet, you can skip the brown rice all together if you prefer.

The second reason that this recipe is unique to most soup recipes, is that we use whole chicken leg quarters or thighs.

Although some people may use chicken leg quarters to flavor the broth and use the meat in the soup, we take a different approach.

We actually serve the entire chicken leg quarter or thigh on top of the soup!

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It is a great way to get a bunch of protein while eating your soup!

How To Make Rustic Chicken Soup

So how do you make this healthy and delicious soup?

It all starts with browning the chicken in a Dutch Oven or large stockpot.

Although you could skip this step, it really helps bring additional flavor to the soup once cooked.

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Once browned on both sides, remove the chicken but keep the drippings in the pan.

Add the vegetables to the pot and saute just until the onions become translucent.

Then add just enough chicken stock to the bottom of the pot and deglaze by removing any stuck bits on the bottom with a wooden spatula.

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Then add the remaining broth and season with salt and pepper. Bring the pot back up to a boil and add in the rice and cayenne pepper.

Decrease the heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is tender.

Serving Instructions

When you are ready to serve the chicken soup, ladle the broth with the vegetables, rice and broth into bowls. Be sure to fill the bowl no more than 2/3rds full.

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Using tongs, remove a chicken leg quarter or thigh and place one in each bowl.

Enjoy!

Mary and Jim

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Jim and Mary Competti have been writing gardening, DIY and recipe articles and books for over 15 years from their 46 acre Ohio farm. The two are frequent speakers on all things gardening and love to travel in their spare time.

As always, feel free to email us at thefarm@owgarden.com with comments, questions, or to simply say hello! You can sign up for our free email list in the subscribe now box in the middle of this article. Follow us on Facebook here : OWG Facebook. This article may contain affiliate links.

Rustic Chicken Soup Recipe

Classic chicken soup made hearty with brown rice and chicken leg quarters.

  • 4 chicken leg quarters
  • 1 medium onion – diced
  • 3 stalks of celery – diced
  • 3 large carrots – peeled and diced
  • 1 clove of garlic – minced
  • 4 cups of chicken broth
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder
  • 2 cups brown rice (rinsed and drained )
  1. Heat a large stock pot or dutch oven over medium high heat with just enough olive oil to lightly cover the bottom.
  2. Add the chicken leg quarters to the pot and brown on each side (approximately 4 minutes per side)
  3. Remove chicken and set aside.
  4. With the chicken drippings still in the pot, add in the carrots, celery, onions, garlic, salt and pepper. Saute the vegetables until the onions become translucent.
  5. Add in 1 cup of the chicken stock and deglaze the bottom of the pot.
  6. Return the chicken leg quarters to the pot. Add in the remaining stock and water. Bring to a low boil.
  7. Add uncooked rice and cayenne pepper powder.
  8. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until chicken has cooked through, adding additional seasonings if desired.
  9. Serve in a bowl with a chicken leg quarter placed on top.

Recipe courtesy of Old World Garden Farms

Rustic Chicken Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why do you put vinegar in chicken 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.

Should chicken be browned before adding to soup? ›

If you have a few extra minutes, you could also sear your chicken on all sides before adding the water. This will give your soup just one more layer of savory goodness, although Koenig says your soup will be incredibly flavorful either way.

Is there a difference between condensed cream of chicken soup and cream of chicken soup? ›

What's the Difference Between Condensed Soup and Regular Soup? Condensed soup is essentially soup boiled down to a thick stock, with most of the volume of water removed. If you took a can of regular soup and boiled it down to half the volume, you'd get the same thickness as condensed soup.

Why do you put lemon juice in chicken soup? ›

But whichever chicken soup route you go, know this: in the end, every chicken soup needs one thing: a lemon. Lemons are a chicken soup game changer. Why? They brighten up and balance the salty, rich flavors of the dish, and make all of the ingredients come into line.

Should I add apple cider vinegar to chicken stock? ›

Whether it's white wine or vinegar, a touch of acid added to the simmering pot will create a richer finished product. That's because acid helps break down the cartilage and other connective tissues in the bones of the chicken, which helps speed up the formation of gelatin in the stock.

Can I use apple cider vinegar instead of white vinegar for chicken? ›

Apple cider vinegar makes a great 1:1 substitution for white wine vinegar in any dish that might benefit from sour apple notes. Try it in German potato salad or warm farro salad, or use it in the pickling liquid for giardiniera or the marinade for sheet pan honey-Dijon chicken and vegetables.

Do you simmer chicken soup with lid on or off? ›

Simmering and Boiling

In the event that your goal is to keep moisture in—like when your pot of soup, stew, or sauce is already at the right consistency, but you want to keep cooking the vegetables and melding the flavors—leave the lid on to keep any more liquid from evaporating.

Can you put raw chicken in soup to cook? ›

We first make the stock and later add the raw chicken meat to cook near the end of the soup-making process. You could also cook the breast and thigh chicken pieces whole, in the broth, and remove them after 15 minutes of cooking or so, cool them and shred them to be added at service.

Should I add chicken stock to soup? ›

Only in cases where the flavor of the stock is really essential—it wouldn't be chicken soup without good chicken stock—or when not many other aromatics are worked into the recipe, as for risotto or French onion soup. Generally speaking, though, water should be seen as a functional ingredient all on its own.

Can you eat Campbell's cream of chicken by itself? ›

Serving Ideas

A bowl of our Cream of Chicken Soup served with fresh baked bread is hearty enough to serve on its own, or you can beef it up with whatever's fresh in your kitchen. Condensed soups are also the perfect base for casseroles and starters for sauces, so your imagination is the limit.

What is Heinz cream of chicken soup? ›

Heinz Cream of Chicken Soup. A timeless creamy classic made with chunks of chicken. Perfect for a quick, and delicious meal. Bursting with rich, tasty flavour, it's no wonder that Heinz Soup has earned a special place in our hearts as well as our kitchen cupboards!

What is in Campbell's cream of Chicken Soup? ›

Chicken Stock, Modified Cornstarch, Vegetable Oil, Wheat Flour, Cream, Chicken Meat, Chicken Fat, Contains Less Than 2% Of: Salt, Whey, Dried Chicken, Monosodium Glutamate, Soy Protein Concentrate, Water, Yeast Extract, Natural Flavoring, Beta Carotene For Color, Soy Protein Isolate, Sodium Phosphate, Celery Extract, ...

Can you add apple cider vinegar to soup? ›

Butternut Squash Soup: A fall classic! To make this soup anything but basic, add a splash of apple cider vinegar.

How do I spice up bland chicken soup? ›

* Lemon or lime juice: A squeeze of fresh citrus can brighten the flavors. * Vinegar: Consider a splash of apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar. * Worcestershire sauce: A few dashes will add umami and saltiness. * Aromatics: Dice up some onion, carrots, and celery, sauté them in butter, and add them to the soup.

How to add umami to chicken soup? ›

Use pure umami aka MSG

Or you can get an umami boost by adding monosodium glutamate, aka MSG, to your dish. Next time you're cooking, put a pinch of MSG into your soups, pasta sauce, salad dressings, meat marinades, and stir-fries. MSG does not add extra calories, unnecessary color or unwanted, complex tastes.

What is the purpose of vinegar in soup? ›

Vinegar Provides Balance

It imparts unique flavor attributes, enhancing a soup's overall flavor and depth. For example, this Zesty Sweet Potato & Chicken Soup uses our Habanero Honey White Balsamic Vinegar to create balance and add bright, rich acidity to the recipe.

What does adding vinegar do to chicken? ›

The result is a chicken breast that's juicier and more tender.” When I think of vinegar and chicken, my mind immediately jumps to Chicken Savoy, a dish native to northern New Jersey, where I grew up.

What does adding vinegar to bone broth do? ›

Adding vinegar is important because it helps pull all of the valuable nutrients out of the bones and into the water, which is ultimately what you will be consuming. You can also add vegetables, herbs, or spices to your broth to enhance the flavor.

Does vinegar make chicken more tender? ›

Oils help the meat retain its moisture while cooking, resulting in a juicier finished product. Acids, whether you're using fruit juice or vinegar, help break down the dense protein, tenderizing the meat.

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