Delia Smith Chicken Soup Recipe​

This comforting, clear chicken soup is a classic British-style bowl of goodness with tender chicken, sweet carrots, and a light, savoury broth. It tastes clean and restorative rather than heavy, with a gentle herby backbone and plenty of flavour from a proper homemade stock. The method is easy and forgiving, even if you have never made stock before. Total time is about 1 hour 50 minutes, most of it hands-off simmering.

Ingredients

For the stock and chicken

• 1.5kg whole chicken (or 4 large bone-in chicken thighs)
• 2.5 litres cold water
• 1 large onion, peeled and quartered
• 1 large carrot, roughly chopped
• 1 celery stick, roughly chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 parsley sprigs
• 6 black peppercorns

For the soup

• 2 medium carrots, peeled and finely diced
• 2 celery sticks, finely diced
• 1 leek, trimmed and finely sliced, then washed well
• 75g vermicelli or fine egg noodles (optional)
• 1 to 2 tsp sea salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 tbsp lemon juice (optional, brightens the broth)
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Optional garlic croutons

• 2 thick slices crusty bread, torn into bite-size pieces
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small garlic clove, peeled
• Pinch of salt

How to Make This Chicken Soup

• Prepare the oven (optional): Preheat the oven to 200°C or 180°C fan if you’d like to make the garlic croutons. Line a small tray with baking parchment for easy clean-up.
• Mix the croutons (optional): Toss the bread pieces with the olive oil and a small pinch of salt. Spread them out in a single layer so they toast rather than steam.
• Bake the croutons (optional): Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, turning once, until crisp and golden. While still warm, rub with the garlic clove for a gentle garlic flavour, then set aside.
• Start the stock: Put the chicken into a large, deep pot. Add the cold water, onion, roughly chopped carrot, roughly chopped celery, bay leaf, parsley sprigs, and peppercorns.
• Simmer gently: Bring the pot up slowly to a gentle simmer. Skim away any greyish foam that rises to the surface. Keep it at a quiet simmer (not a rolling boil) for about 1 hour 15 minutes, partially covered, until the chicken is tender.
• Cool the chicken: Lift the chicken onto a tray or board. Let it cool until you can handle it comfortably. This makes shredding easier and keeps the meat juicy.
• Strain the broth: Pour the stock through a fine sieve into a clean pot. Discard the stock vegetables and herbs. If you want an especially clear soup, strain it twice.
• Cook the soup vegetables: Add the finely diced carrots, celery, and sliced leek to the strained stock. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the vegetables are tender but not mushy.
• Assemble the soup: Pull the chicken meat from the bones, discarding skin and bones, and shred into bite-size pieces. Add the chicken back to the pot. If using noodles, add them now and cook until tender.
• Season and serve: Season with salt and pepper, then stir through lemon juice (if using) and chopped parsley. Ladle into warm bowls and top with croutons if you made them.

Tips for the Best Results

How do I keep chicken soup clear rather than cloudy?

Keep the heat low and steady. A rolling boil agitates the stock and makes it look murky. Skimming the foam early also helps, and straining through a fine sieve gives you a cleaner finish.

What if my soup tastes bland?

First, add salt gradually and taste as you go. A small squeeze of lemon at the end can wake everything up, and fresh parsley added off the heat gives the soup a brighter, fresher flavour.

How do I stop the chicken from drying out?

Do not overboil it. Simmer gently until just tender, then take it out to cool. Add the shredded chicken back only to warm through, not to cook for ages in the pot.

How can I make it more filling without losing the light texture?

Add a small handful of vermicelli, fine noodles, or cooked rice. Keep it modest so the broth still feels like a broth rather than a stew.

Serving Suggestions

• With buttered crusty bread or warm dinner rolls
• Topped with the optional garlic croutons and extra parsley
• Alongside a simple green salad with a sharp vinaigrette
• With a wedge of lemon on the table for people who like it brighter

Storage

Room temperature

Cool the soup quickly and do not leave it out for more than 2 hours (or 1 hour in a very warm kitchen). Once cooled, refrigerate promptly.

Refrigerator

Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. If you added noodles, they will continue to soften. For best texture, cook and store noodles separately when possible.

Freezing

Freeze for up to 3 months in well-sealed containers, leaving a little headspace for expansion. For the best result, freeze without noodles and add them freshly cooked when reheating. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently until piping hot.

Nutrition

• Calories: 220 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 12 g
• Protein: 24 g
• Fat: 8 g
• Saturated Fat: 2 g
• Sodium: 780 mg

Nutrition values are estimates and will vary depending on the chicken, noodles, and salt used.

FAQs

Delia-Style Chicken Soup

Recipe by Milli Rose

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: SoupCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

bowls

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

30

minutes

Total time

110

minutes

Calories

220

kcal

1

hour 

50

minutes

A clear, nourishing chicken soup with tender shredded chicken, classic vegetables, and a light herby broth. Simple, steady simmering does the hard work.

Ingredients

• For the stock and chicken

• 1.5kg whole chicken (or 4 large bone-in chicken thighs)

• 2.5 litres cold water

• 1 large onion, peeled and quartered

• 1 large carrot, roughly chopped

• 1 celery stick, roughly chopped

• 1 bay leaf

• 4 parsley sprigs

• 6 black peppercorns

• For the soup

• 2 medium carrots, peeled and finely diced

• 2 celery sticks, finely diced

• 1 leek, trimmed and finely sliced then well washed

• 75g vermicelli or fine egg noodles (optional)

• 1 to 2 tsp sea salt, to taste

• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• 1 tbsp lemon juice (optional, brightens the broth)

• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

• Optional garlic croutons

• 2 thick slices crusty bread, torn into bite-size pieces + 1 tbsp olive oil + 1 small garlic clove

Directions

• Put the chicken, water, onion, rough carrot, rough celery, bay leaf, parsley sprigs, and peppercorns into a large pot.
• Bring to a very gentle simmer. Skim any foam from the surface for a clearer broth.
• Simmer gently for about 75 minutes, partially covered, until the chicken is tender.
• Lift out the chicken. Strain the stock into a clean pot. Discard stock vegetables and aromatics.
• When cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the chicken and shred into bite-size pieces. Discard skin and bones.
• Add diced carrots, celery, and leek to the strained stock. Simmer 10 to 15 minutes until tender.
• If using noodles, add them and cook according to packet instructions.
• Return shredded chicken to the pot to warm through. Season with salt, pepper, lemon juice (optional), and chopped parsley.
• For croutons, bake bread pieces tossed with oil at 200°C (180°C fan) for 8 to 10 minutes, then rub with garlic.

Notes

• Keep the simmer gentle. A hard boil makes the broth cloudy and can toughen the chicken.
• Season at the end. Stock reduces slightly, and salting early can tip it too far.
• If you want extra richness, chill the stock and lift off some (not all) of the set fat before reheating.