This Costco Chicken Soup is a hearty and classic recipe, which is made with bone-in chicken thighs and fresh carrots. It’s the ultimate comfort food recipe, ready in about 2 hours.
Jump to RecipeCostco Chicken Soup Ingredients
- 10-12 bone-in skinless chicken thighs
- 3 quarts cold water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 yellow onions, peeled and diced
- 8 large carrots, peeled and chopped
- 6 ribs celery, chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- Juice from one lemon
- 2 bay leaves
- fresh chopped parsley, to garnish
How To Make Costco Chicken Soup
- Make the broth and cook the chicken: Place the chicken thighs in a large stockpot and cover them with the cold water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30-45 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
- Sauté the vegetables: While the broth simmers, heat the olive oil in a separate large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 4-5 minutes until translucent. Add the carrots and celery and continue to cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring often. In the last two minutes, stir in the minced garlic, salt, pepper, and bay leaves.
- Strain the broth and shred the chicken: Once cooked, use tongs to remove the chicken from the broth and set it on a cutting board to cool. Carefully strain the hot broth through a fine-mesh strainer into the pot with the sautéed vegetables.
- Combine and simmer: Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred the meat from the bones and discard the bones. Add the fresh lemon juice to the pot of broth and vegetables and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
- Finish and serve: During the last 5-10 minutes of simmering, add the shredded chicken back to the pot to heat through. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve hot.
Recipe Tips
- How to get the clearest broth? For a beautiful, clear broth, it’s important to follow the step of cooking the chicken separately and straining the broth through a fine-mesh strainer before combining it with the vegetables.
- Can I use a shortcut? Yes. For a much faster version, you can use store-bought chicken broth and shredded rotisserie chicken. Simply sauté the vegetables and add the broth and chicken, simmering until the vegetables are tender.
- What’s the best chicken for soup? Dark meat like bone-in thighs and legs will result in a much richer, more flavorful broth and more tender meat than chicken breasts.
- Can I add other vegetables? Absolutely. This soup is a great base for other hearty vegetables like parsnips, potatoes, leeks, or even kale. Add them along with the carrots and celery.
What To Serve With Chicken Soup
This classic soup is a meal in itself but is always better with a side for dipping.
- Saltine or oyster crackers
- A slice of warm, crusty bread with butter
- A simple grilled cheese sandwich
How To Store Chicken Soup
- Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The flavor often improves the next day.
- Freeze: This soup freezes beautifully. Let it cool completely and store it in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Chicken Soup Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 153kcal
- Carbohydrates: 4g
- Protein: 20g
- Fat: 6g
Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.
FAQs
Yes, you can cook everything together to save a step. However, the broth will not be as clear, as it won’t be strained.
Bone-in chicken adds a significant amount of flavor and collagen to the broth, creating a richer soup. You can use boneless, but the flavor will be lighter.
Of course. You can add egg noodles or rice during the last 10-15 minutes of simmering. Cook until the noodles or rice are tender.
Try More Recipes:
- Costco French Onion Soup Recipe
- Costco Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe
- Costco Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
Costco Chicken Soup Recipe
Course: DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy10
servings20
minutes1
hour30
minutes153
kcalA classic, hearty homemade chicken soup made from scratch with tender chicken thighs, a rich broth, and fresh vegetables—the ultimate comfort food.
Ingredients
10-12 bone-in skinless chicken thighs
3 quarts cold water
1 tbsp olive oil
2 yellow onions, diced
8 carrots, chopped
6 ribs celery, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp salt & 1 tsp pepper
Juice from one lemon
2 bay leaves
Fresh parsley, for garnish
Directions
- Simmer chicken thighs in a large pot of water for 30-45 minutes until cooked.
- Meanwhile, in a separate large pot, sauté onions, carrots, and celery in olive oil until soft. Add garlic and seasonings.
- Remove cooked chicken from the first pot to cool. Strain the hot broth into the pot with the vegetables.
- Shred the chicken meat, discarding the bones.
- Add lemon juice to the broth/vegetable pot and simmer for 30 minutes until vegetables are tender.
- Stir the shredded chicken back into the soup for the last 5-10 minutes to heat through.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and serve.
Notes
- For the richest flavor, use bone-in, dark meat chicken like thighs.
- Straining the homemade broth is the key to a clean, clear soup.
- For a quick version, use store-bought broth and a rotisserie chicken.
- The final squeeze of lemon juice brightens up all the flavors of the soup.
